Improve perspective | Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics

Improve perspective

photo of Camille Gardiner, BComm alumna

 

“The Accounting, Commerce program gave me the skills to look at the financials as well as to see the real impact that businesses have on its stakeholders.”

 

An accredited Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), Gardiner holds the distinction of being named to the CPA’s Common Final Evaluation Honour Roll – a notoriously challenging examination for aspiring CPAs. She was one of 69 candidates who were named to the National Honour Roll, out of over 5,500 who passed the test. While a student at U of G, she was nominated for the W.C. Winegard Medal for community impact and received the Distinguished Scholar Award from the College of Business and Economics. 

 

Through her work with the Special Olympics, alumna Camille Gardiner is improving inclusion of people with disabilities.

 

Camille Gardiner (BComm ’16) wants to make a difference in people’s lives. This passion has led her to work at Christian Horizons, a not-for-profit organization that empowers people who experience disabilities - a dream-come-true for Camille. She started coaching Special Olympics Basketball while attending U of G and has been coaching ever since. At the National competition in 2018, Camille coached the Ontario basketball team to a gold medal. 

“I always knew I wanted to help people, I just didn’t know what that would look like.”

Camille Gardiner (centre) and coaches of the Special Olympics basketball team, winning gold at the national competition.
Camille Gardiner (centre) and her fellow coaches of the provincial Special Olympics basketball team, winning gold at the national competition

Honours & Accolades

  • 2017 Common Final Evaluation (CFE) Honour Roll for CPA Canada

  • College of Business and Economics Distinguished Scholar in 2016

  •  Dean’s Honours List Recipient throughout her academic career (2011 - 2016)

  • Recognized with the CPA Ontario Leadership Scholarship in 2015, recognizing high academic performance and leadership potential as demonstrated through extra-curricular involvement.

U of G Connection

  • Completed an international exchange in Innsbruck, Austria to study international business.

  • Worked as a teaching assistant for U of G’s Graduate Diploma in Accounting.

  • All four of her co-op terms were spent working at PwC in Waterloo.

Gaining Perspective

  • Currently working at Christian Horizons as Reporting Manager.

  • Volunteered as a basketball coach for a provincial Special Olympics team, winning Gold at the National Games in 2018.

  • Credits the “Accounting Theory” course at U of G for broadening her perspective on the impact business can have in improving communities.