Calling all alumni and community members: Get involved at the Lazaridis School!

May 19, 2021

Are you an alumni or community member interested in getting involved with the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics at Wilfrid Laurier University? Maybe you want to mentor aspiring business leaders, get a bit of support for your business, expand your skills or take a tour of Lazaridis Hall. There are countless ways to connect. Here are a few:

Hire a co-op student

The Lazaridis School is home to Canada’s largest business-degree co-op program. More than 900 employers post nearly 5,000 jobs every year. Employers keep coming back because our students are talented, motivated and engaged, available year-round and most live in the Toronto-Waterloo technology corridor. Find out how to bring Laurier talent into your office.

Unleash your business’s potential

• The LaunchPad Incubator provides support, mentorship and resources to startups and social ventures founded by Laurier students and alumni. Access free workspaces, a vast network of experienced entrepreneurs, funding opportunities and more.
• Every year, the Lazaridis ScaleUp Program helps a small group of high-potential Canadian tech companies scale and compete on the international stage. Each company gains free access to a series of expert-led, multi-day workshops combined with 12 months of personalized, one-on-one mentorship. Apply for your chance to join the next cohort.
• The Lazaridis School’s Women Entrepreneurship Centre offers many programs designed to help women entrepreneurs start or grow their businesses. Take part in 16-session “Start My Business” bootcamps or “Grow My Business” accelerators; get a one-on-one business consultation; or expand your network through regular “Soar” networking events. Indigenous women starting or growing their businesses also have access to a specialized series of entrepreneurship workshops.

Hire a new graduate

With world-class education and practical, hands-on experience, Lazaridis School graduates are ready to hit the ground running. Post your job opportunity where graduating students and alumni will see it and reach out to Laurier’s Career Centre for help connecting directly with students through recruitment sessions, informational interviews, job fairs and more.

Speak to a class

If you’re a business leader in the community, your real-world knowledge and experience are invaluable to students. Inspire the next generation by sharing your path to success.

Follow us on social

Our students and faculty are making waves locally and globally. Help us share some of the amazing news coming from the Lazaridis School by liking and sharing our posts. Find us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Be a mentor

Join Laurier’s Ten Thousand Coffees networking and mentorship community and get connected with students looking for career advice, mentorship, learning opportunities and job-ready networks. Join the more than 1,000 alumni already taking part.

Visit campus and tour Lazaridis Hall virtually

If you haven’t been on campus in a few years and haven’t seen Lazaridis Hall yet, it’s easier than ever to get a tour. Take a self-guided 360-degree virtual tour of the Waterloo campus from home or sign up for a live virtual tour of the campus.

Wear your Laurier pride

Show your school spirit by choosing a cozy hoodie or handy branded tote bag from the Laurier Bookstore, now shipping orders internationally. You can even find baby onesies!

Climb the ladder

The Lazaridis School has many programs designed specifically for the working professional. Many of our programs are available part-time. All of our programs provide the knowledge and experience you need to take your career to the next level.

• Master of Business Management (MBA): Learn from industry leading experts in small classes with hands-on experiential learning opportunities. With multiple degree formats from full-time to part-time and even co-op options, in either Toronto or Waterloo, there are so many ways to earn your Lazaridis MBA.
• Master of Supply Chain Management (MSCM): Master the skills and concepts to advance your career in a fast-growing industry through this 12-month degree created with working professionals in mind.
• Master of Science in Management Analytics (MMA): Make smarter business decisions by leveraging your company’s data in this 12-month degree.
• Master of Finance (Mfin): With the extensive financial knowledge and research skills you’ll gain from this degree, you’ll be able to pursue a career in the most innovative sectors of Canadian finance. This program is offered part-time on alternating weekends for working professionals, as well as full-time, with or without a co-op.

Judge a competition

The Lazaridis School and student clubs host a variety of competitions every year, including Xlerate Lazaridis, sponsored by the Laurier Alumni Association, and the Lazaridis International Case Conference (LazICC), which draws students from around the world. As a judge, you’ll hear innovative pitches and ingenious solutions to business problems from talented up-and-comers. You’ll help students take their ideas from planning to execution.  

Feature your business in a competition

The Lazaridis School is always looking for real-world problems to feature in our case competitions. If your business is stuck in a rut or could use a fresh perspective, why not pick the brains of hundreds of bright, driven students? To be considered as a case company email us here.

Get involved in Laurier’s alumni community

There are so many more ways to get involved: attend events, including the annual Homecoming celebration; take advantage of discounts and services for alumni; share your story for a chance to be featured in Laurier’s Campus magazine; join the Student Alumni Association, the Alumni Association Board of Directors or the Alumni Choir; become a Global Ambassador and more. Find out more.