Barbara Lewis

Certificate in Professional Management (2010)

Barbara Lewis loves working in the procurement department of one of the largest conventional oil and natural gas producing companies in Canada—a position that would have been out of her reach before she embarked on her Continuing Education certificate program. Barbara credits the knowledge and confidence she gained as a student in the Professional Management Certificate program as contributors to her current success.

"I am a firm believer in the Latin phrase 'scientia potentia est' which translates to 'knowledge is power,'" she says. "The academic expertise that I gained in this program has been a key driver in focusing my potential to take on new challenges. I believe this comes from knowing that you possess the skills that are essential to succeed."

When she immigrated to Canada in the late '80s, Barbara anticipated that taking courses would be a great way to adjust to a new business environment. Later, she discovered that the courses also gave her the advantage of being more competitive and confident in achieving her goals.

Barbara began taking courses through Continuing Education in 2002. Her motivation was to fulfill the requirements for business courses for credit toward the Certified Professional Purchaser (CPP) designation, now called Supply Chain Management Professional.

Barbara needed to balance her studies with the demands of family and full-time employment making the convenience of part-time studies—including online courses—important. However, convenience wasn't Barbara's only requirement. Quality was important to her as well, which led her to choose the University of Calgary.

"I found the caliber of instructors at the University to be par excellence. You don't get that everywhere," she says. "And I thought it was wonderful meeting people from all walks of life in class. I found it so interesting hearing their views and stories...it was always good sharing."

"I would highly recommend the program to others. It helped me embrace change and realize my dreams."

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