Leadership skills are not just important in the world of business, but can also be applied to other disciplines, including science, mathematics and the arts. While the development of strong leadership skills among SAC students has always been a priority, it has recently become a prominent area of focus within the Business Studies Program. Through the design and implementation of the McEwen Leadership Program in 2007, St. Andrew’s is now poised to educate a future generation of leaders and successful St. Andrew’s alumni. The program is designed to incorporate leadership principles into a variety of business disciplines, while providing experiential learning opportunities for students through all grade levels in the Upper School.

This entrepreneurial student leadership program is the personal vision of alumnus Rob McEwen ’69, Chairman and CEO of US Gold and Lexam Explorations, and the Founder and former Chairman and CEO of Goldcorp. In 1990 Rob entered the mining industry, where he transformed Goldcorp from a collection of small companies into a mining powerhouse.

Rob is a fine example of an entrepreneur and innovative business leader. Due to his excellent business knowledge, personal characteristics, and innovative nature, Rob was able to seize a great opportunity and raise his company to pre-eminence in the mining industry. Equally committed to the betterment of the community, Rob is a generous philanthropist as well. Throughout his career, Rob has been recognized for his leadership, innovation, and philanthropy through a large number of distinguished awards, including the Order of Canada.

Rob’s commitment to support leadership education extends back to his days as a student at St. Andrew’s, and he has endowed a chair in Leadership Studies through an original contribution of $500,000. This very generous gesture is also very unique, as it is the first endowed academic chair in the history of St. Andrew’s. Thanks to Rob’s contribution, his educational vision was finally put into action through the launching of the McEwen Leadership Program in 2007. The program is designed to incorporate leadership principles into a variety of business disciplines, while providing experiential learning opportunities for students through all grade levels in the Upper School.

For more information about the McEwen Leadership Program, please contact Sean Ludwig, Course Director, at sean.ludwig@sac.on.ca.

Program Features

Grade 9 – Information and Communication Technology in Business (BTT1O)

• Grade 9 McEwen Leadership Company Competition

Grade 10 – Introduction to Business (BBI2O)

• Curricular Integration of the McEwen Leadership Principles focuses on developing 21st Century Skills
  • Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, Collaboration, Adaptability, Initiative, Communication, Analyzing, and Curiosity
• Introduction to Case Study Analysis
• Grade 10 McEwen Leadership Case Study Competition

Grade 11 – McEwen Leadership Fundamentals (IDC3O)

• This course explores leadership and business fundamentals by combining curricular expectations from the following senior level courses:
  • Marketing: Goods, Services, Events; Entrepreneurship: The Venture; Business Leadership: Management Fundamentals; International Business Fundamentals.
• The course provides a variety of interactive and experiential learning opportunities, including but not limited to:
  • Consulting Field Trip
  • Autoshow Field Trip
  • ALIVE Outdoors Leadership Workshop
  • Queen’s University, Richard Ivey, and Wilfrid Laurier Student Conferences
  • Guest Speakers – investments, leadership, entrepreneurship, marketing
  • Entrepreneurship Simulation Software

   

  Grade 12 – Business Leadership: Management Fundamentals (BOH4M)
  
  

  • This course explores leadership and business fundamentals by further combining advanced curricular expectations from the following senior level courses:
    • Marketing: Goods, Services, Events; Entrepreneurship: The Venture; Business Leadership: Management Fundamentals; International Business Fundamentals.
  • The course provides a variety of interactive and experiential learning opportunities, including but not limited to:
    • Entrepreneurship Fair
    • Planning and Implementation of Charity Event
    • Marketing Simulation Software
    • Business Etiquette Training
    • Golf Lessons
    • Queen’s University Student Conference
    • Disney World Field Trip

Program Entrance Factors – Grade 11

1. Final Grade – BBI2O

   • A thorough assessment of the student’s ability to demonstrate the overall and specific curricular expectations of the BBI2O – Introduction to Business course.
   • Most successful applicants achieve a mark of at least 85% in the BBI2O class.

2. Final Grade – BBI2O Summative Project

   • An assessment of the student’s ability to apply his knowledge and understanding of the BBI2O – Introduction to Business course content to a new and unique business case study situation.
   • Most successful applicants achieve a mark of at least 85% on their BBI2O Summative Project.

3. Written Application

   • A ‘blind’ written application to assess a variety of items – career goals, leadership traits and characteristics, topic knowledge and interest, program motivation and dedication.
   • Successful applicants are involved in various leadership and extra-curricular roles at SAC (clubs, committees, sports teams, etc.) or in the community.
   • Successful applicants are in ‘Good Standing’ in all areas of SAC school life.

4. Peer Assessment

   • An assessment of the student’s effort and initiative, teamwork and dependability, business knowledge and application, leadership ability and potential.
   • Most successful applicants achieve the highest peer assessment rating in their student work group.

5. Teacher Assessment

   • An assessment of the student’s effort and initiative, teamwork and dependability, business knowledge and application, leadership ability and potential.

Program Entrance Factors - Grade 12

During their Grade 11 year, a student who is not currently enrolled in the McEwen Leadership Program may apply to be included in the program for their Grade 12 year as a student in the Business Leadership: Management Fundamentals course (BOH4M).

To apply for inclusion in the McEwen Leadership Program for Grade 12, the student applicant must inform the Course Director, Mr. Sean Ludwig, during the 1st term of the academic year of their intention to apply for entrance into the McEwen Leadership Program.

Entrance into the McEwen Leadership Program for Grade 12 will be based on a variety of key entrance factors:

1. Program Availability

   • The BOH4M course is limited to a student enrolment of 22 students.  Thus, a current Grade 11 McEwen Leadership Program participant must elect to discontinue his participation in the course for a spot in the program to be open for a new Grade 12 student.

2. Development of Prerequisite Leadership Skills and Business Knowledge

   • The Grade 12 student applicant must demonstrate that they have obtained the necessary prerequisite leadership skills and business knowledge in order to be successful in the BOH4M course, despite their absence from the Grade 11 IDC3O course.
   • The following initiatives are highly recommended as indicators of the prerequisite leadership skills and business knowledge: o Obtain a final academic mark of 85% or higher in at least 2 of the following 3 senior level business courses:
     • Financial Accounting Fundamentals – BAF3M
     • International Business Fundamentals – BBB4Me
     • The Individual and the Economy – CIE3M
   • Participate as a key member of the SAC DECA Club;
   • Participate as a key member of a distinct leadership group within the SAC community – Outreach, SAGE, Andrean Life, SACTV, etc.
   • Participate as a Middle School House Captain;
   • Demonstrate other leadership initiatives through volunteer opportunities, community service, etc.
   • Apply for and earn distinguished leadership positions in the SAC community for Grade 12.

The final decision regarding all applications for the Grade 12 McEwen Leadership Program will be made by Mr. Sean Ludwig, Course Director, in consultation with the Director of the Upper School and Director of Academics.