Bachelor of Commerce grads share their leadership journeys in the Asper community.
The I.H. Asper School of Business congratulates the 85 Bachelor of Commerce (BComm) graduates of the Fall class of 2026.
Guided by curiosity, community, and resilience, each graduate went on a journey of personal and professional growth. They go forward with connections to the Manitoba business community and hands-on learning experiences that have prepared them to lead innovative professional careers.
The following stories of our graduates represent more than individual achievements; they reflect the strength and growth of the entire fall class of 2026.
Thea Hughes arrived at Asper unsure of what career she wanted to pursue, but knowing that a business degree would allow her to be flexible in whatever field she eventually decided on.
It wasn’t long, however, before Thea became fully engaged with the opportunities available to her at Asper, taking on case competitions, an exchange program, and multiple roles within the Commerce Students’ Association (CSA), and most recently, as Co-Captain of Team Asper JDC West in her final semester.
These opportunities didn’t just break Thea out of her bubble—they took her to over 15 countries around the globe and created lifelong friendships with her classmates and mentors.
This wasn’t just through her exchange to the Hogeschool van Amsterdam (Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences), but also through international trips for case competitions that took her anywhere from Florida to Bangkok.
“Everyone always asks what they do to get ahead of the curve when applying to jobs, and the answer is: case competitions,” she says.
Her list of case competition achievements is extensive. Here are just a few: making it to the finals of the Heavener International Case Competition at the University of Florida; winning first place in all three categories at the International Business Ethics Case Competition in Newton, Massachusetts; and being told by a judge at the Inter-Collegiate Business Competition at Queen's University that she should “be the next Prime Minister.”
Today, Thea is ahead of the curve. After graduation, she will be starting full-time at Deloitte in their Tech and Transformation consulting practice.
“My biggest takeaway is to seek out opportunities that energize you,” Thea said.
But she couldn’t have done it without the Asper community behind her. Thea’s friends joke that she knows everyone—she’s always waving to people in every hallway at the university.
Among those that she shouts out as influential people during her time at Asper, she mentions all of her case teams, instructors Judy Jayasuriya, Howard Harmatz and Lukas Neville, but also Ike, the custodian that she’s been saying “hello” to in the halls since her first semester, for creating such an empowering environment.
When Daniel Kowalczuk was in his first Asper classes, he found himself in the comfort zone of going to class, studying, working out, and sleeping day in, day out.
Then in April 2024, deep in exam season, he walked past a booth for Team Asper’s JDC West case competition. This team, which represents the Asper School at the largest business case competition in Western Canada across 13 different disciplines, caught his eye.
Even then he was reluctant, but he decided to take a small step by signing up for an info session. The rest is history. Daniel has now spent three years representing Team Asper on the Entrepreneurship, International Business, and Business Strategy academic teams, and volunteered as an internal executive for team development.
His participation in JDC West took him to unexpected places. It took him out of his comfort zone, and to prestigious case competitions, including the Business Management Case Competition in Guadalajara, Mexico, and the Scotiabank International Case Competition in London, Ontario.
A defining moment was placing second at the competition in Mexico and being able to represent Asper on an international scale.
Daniel learned that university is the ideal place to take risks, and it’s a skill he plans to take with him as he goes into his career. No matter what risk he takes, he’s going to put his whole heart into it.
“You get what you put into experiences. Only by being fully immersed and working as hard as possible will the end result be what you want, both in achievement and personal growth.”
Logan Mason grew up in St. Theresa Point Anisininew Nation, a remote community in northern Manitoba. He had always wanted to find a way to give back to his community but never knew what career path would allow him to do that.
However, when Asper’s Indigenous Business Education Partners (IBEP) team visited his high school, he started to see what was possible.
Once he decided on Asper, the IBEP community empowered Logan to explore more than just his classes.
Through opportunities such as IBEP networking events, case competitions, and the Arni Thorsteinson Study Exchange program, Logan grew more confident in himself.
But it was also through these experiences that logan realized a complex truth that success is rarely a straight line.
“Whether it was struggling in a class, missing an opportunity I had committed to, or having to adjust after something did not work out, I learned that those moments did not define the rest of my journey.”
Instead, every time things didn’t go as planned, it became a reason to grow.
Now that he’s finished his BComm degree with a major in accounting, he truly sees a way forward for how he can grow his career and give back to his community.
“I am especially interested in helping communities strengthen their financial, administrative, and organizational capacity while also supporting broader development that creates more opportunities and allows communities to shape their own futures,” he said.
And just like all those graduating in the fall class of 2026, Logan recognizes that couldn’t have done it without an incredible network of supporters. For him it was his late mother, his partner, and his classmates.
“I know I am going to miss the everyday parts of being a student–like having conversations with classmates in the IBEP lounge—just as much as I’ll miss the big moments.”
Cynthia Tran came to Asper in September 2023 with an interest in eventually pursuing law. She saw a Bachelor of Commerce degree both as a way to get there and to honour the legacy of her paternal and maternal grandmothers, each of whom were remarkable entrepreneurs who arrived in Canada as refugees of the Vietnam War.
While at Asper, she became very interested in student leadership. Throughout her degree, she held multiple positions in the CSA, carving out a strong niche for herself by taking the lead in fundraising initiatives, ultimately serving as the association’s Vice President Community.
“I really found a purpose through fundraising for causes that were really important to me,” Cynthia said.
She was especially proud of the 5 Days campaign held by the CSA in support of Resource Assistance for Youth (RaY) in 2026. Cynthia and her team overcame numerous challenges while organizing events and fundraisers that more than doubled the previous year’s fundraising total.
She discovered the more she fundraised, the more friends she made along the way: “the committees felt like a little family, and I was inspired by how much time, energy, and care people were willing to pour into the campaign.”
All the CSA’s hard work and care was rewarded in 2026 when they were awarded Business Students Association of the Year by the Canadian Association of Business Students—which represents 25 universities across Canada. Cynthia was also recognized as an Executive All-Star finalist.
It was a nice cherry on top for an academic journey that was defined by dedication to efforts outside the classroom.
As she prepares to write the LSAT and take her next adventure into law, she gives this advice for future Asper students: “Don’t be someone who just clocks in and out. Find something you’re passionate about, and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there.”
For nearly 90 years, Asper School of Business students and alumni have brought bold ideas to life every day. Our active community of alumni can be found across continents, industries, all the way from the store floor to the C-suite. Be part of a vibrant community of entrepreneurs and emerging business leaders. Learn more about Asper programs of study today!
UM Bisons are at the centre of it all, making a difference here in Manitoba and around the world. Many graduates recognized at Convocation will stay in Manitoba, supplying high-demand skills to the labour market and contributing to UM’s economic impact on our community.
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