Create your own path by adding entrepreneurial skills
International business student Luqman Osman has added valuable entrepreneurial skills on his way to becoming a FinTech leader.
Luqman Osman, BComm
Major: Management Economics and Finance (MEF)
Year: Fourth
Home country: Kenya
Why did you choose UofG/Lang for your Commerce degree?
I received a full entrance scholarship from the University of Guelph. This made my decision to come to U of G very easy.
What industry or role do you hope to enter into after graduating?
The financial services industry is currently experiencing a technological revolution and as a finance student who loves disruptive technologies, I see myself getting involved in this world.
Outside of your major/specialization, what additional experiences have you added to your degree? (i.e. minors, certificates, student group, student competitions, etc.)
Since my second year of studies, I have been working as an undergraduate Research and Teaching Assistant. I also founded a startup that graduated from the John F. Wood Centre for Business and Student Entrerprise and their Hub Incubator program. Through the Wood Centre's program I recieved invaluable mentorship and support.
How have these experiences helped you shape your career path?
From refining my startup idea to learning how to construct a business plan to validating, I experienced a real entrepreneurial journey at the Lang School's Wood Centre. In my research and teaching assistant positions, I developed critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills. These skill sets will be valuable as I continue on my entrepreneurial journey.
Looking back on your time at UofG/Lang – how do you feel you have grown as a person?
The most importance lesson that I learned while at the Lang School is that the objectives of businesses should not always be all about profit maximization. Businesses can and should be used as a tool to promote and build a fairer, conscious and sustainable world. This is a lesson that I will always keep in the back of my mind as I pursue my career path.