Candice George

Executive MBA in Indigenous Business Leadership in the Beedie School of Business

Tell us a little about yourself, including what inspires you to learn and continue in your chosen field

    
HadÏh! Siy sozÏ Candice George. Stellat'en wist'iy. Siy Wetsuwet'en ha'isdzin. Likhsilyu dÏstikh, siy siyikh Dene yaz. Sne' Yvonne George, Sbep Wilfred George. Stso' Marianne Louie, Stets Andrew Louie. Stsini' Janet George, Stets Leonard George.

I am the founder of Skeh Nek'huna Hohdiduleh and a candidate for the Indigenous Business Leadership Executive MBA program.

My family have encouraged me to pursue my education throughout my life. We grew up with Grandpa Andrew, he made sure our mom would wake us up for grade school at 7am, everyday. Our grandparents were traditional leaders and they all inspire me to continue to learn, each new day.

My late grandmother Marianne was a leader and project manager in the 60's. She fundraised and secured funding to build the Historic Marianne Louie Memorial Hall. She had no 'formal' education- and she made it happen!

My parents, grandparents and great-grandparents are the reason why I am in this program, they survived and continue to inspire me. Although, I never had the opportunity to know my grandmother Marianne. I believe I am in the IBL EMBA program because of her resilience, and leadership.

Why did you choose to come to SFU?

I choose SFU because I knew this program was developed just for me. The timing was right, the hybrid program made it highly accessible for professionals like me.

How would you describe your research or your program to a family member?

Amazing, Inspirational and REAL Deadly (aka awesome).

What three (3) keywords would you use to describe your research?

Innovative, Indigenous Resilience.

How have your courses, RA-ships, TA-ships, or non-academic school experiences contributed to your academic and/or professional development?

I have taken in so much knowledge and further developed my skills in term one. Participation in class and keeping up with the readings & lectures and collaboration with my peers in all group work. All contribute to both my academic and professional development thus far. It has been such an inspiring year!

Have you been the recipient of any major or donor-funded awards? If so, please tell us which ones and a little about how the awards have impacted your studies and/or research

I had the honour of accepting the BMO John Ellis Graduate Scholarship Award, Fall 2023. This award had a huge impact on me. My education is not federally funded. Therefore, being the recipient of this Graduate award provide me with a solid foundation for success by alleviating financial stress. The $10,000 BMO John Ellis Graduate Scholarship Award paid for a majority of my tuition for my first term. It helped me kick start my graduate program in a such a positive way. I was truly honoured to be the select recipient of this award.

What have been the most valuable lessons you've learned along your graduate student journey (or in becoming a graduate student)?

There have been many valuable lessons learned through the IBL EMBA program! The courses, lectures and group work all helped contribute to my academic growth this year!

Here are a few of the messages which resonate with me: “I have what it takes to hold this academic space and shine!”, “Use your gifts and dreams for good”.  I also appreciate learning from our cohort. During orientation week, our fellow classmate taught us an acronym QTIP- quit taking it personal! These are only a few of the lessons I've learned along my graduate student journey thus far. I’m excited to continue on this learning journey! 

How do you approach networking and building connections in and outside of your academic community?

I am a social butterfly. I love networking, building connections in and outside of my academic community. I am a native woman from a small Rez, so I’m either introverted or extroverted. I often observe, then I may ask new people questions out of curiosity or I share my experience/knowledge to build connections.

What are some tips for balancing your academic and personal life?

Take care of your basic needs, eating, hydrating, sleeping, hygiene. Be self-aware and have a plan to support your mental health and wellness when you feel overwhelmed or stressed.

If you could dedicate your research to anyone (past, present and/or future), who would that be and why?

I would dedicate my academic success to my grandmothers and grandfathers before me. More specifically, my late grandmother Marianne Louie because she was a trailblazer, highly respected leader who was humble, kind and dedicated to improving the wellness of all peoples across Northern BC!

Contact Candice:candice_george@sfu.ca

Additional Links

• LinkedIn
• My Personal Website
• Facebook