MBA students, Odette faculty, corporate partners, alumni and community leaders gather during MBA Connect at the Odette School of Business on July 30. The event featured discussions on AI governance and networking opportunities for students and industry professionals. (CLEMENTA STAN/University of Windsor)
By Victor Romao
MBA students at the University of Windsor's Odette School of Business gained insights into artificial intelligence governance and built professional connections at MBA Connect in July.
The annual experiential learning event in July brought together MBA students, Odette faculty, corporate partners, alumniand community leaders to discuss emerging business issues and create networking opportunities.
Presentations by Odette School of Business dean Josianne Marsan and enterprise architect and practice leader Alain Fortier explored artificial intelligence and its implications for business leaders.
The presentations focused on the growing responsibility of business leaders and corporate boards to govern AI effectively, introducing the concept of "AI-Intensified Governance" and a framework known as the 7Ps: pace, perpetual motion, proliferation, possibilities, power, pressure and polarization. Speakers explored how organizations can manage AI-related risks, accountability and oversight.
Developed through research by Marsan and her colleagues, the framework is detailed in the forthcoming paper, AI-Intensified Governance: Preparing Corporate Boards for the Future of Oversight, which has been accepted for publication in Communications of the Association for Information Systems.
"MBA Connect is much more than a networking event. It is a celebration of the relationships that bring together our students, alumni, faculty and community partners in support of lifelong learning and shared success," said Marsan.
"Our motto, Rise. Connect. Create., reflects exactly what we witnessed during the event. Alumni and business leaders shared their experiences and insights, helping current students rise to new possibilities. Meaningful conversations strengthened connections across the Odette community and beyond. Together, participants created new opportunities and relationships that will continue well beyond the event."
The event also connected research and practice through discussions on artificial intelligence governance.
Fortier, an enterprise architect and lead of business architecture practice at iA Financial Group, joined Marsan to discuss the 7Ps of the AI-Intensified Governance Framework, which emerged from Marsan’s recent research on how organizations and their boards of directors can navigate the opportunities and challenges of AI.
“It was rewarding to hear from many alumni and business leaders that they could see practical applications of the framework in their own organizations and professional contexts,” she said. “Those exchanges reinforced the value of bringing together research, practice and community dialogue to better understand how organizations can respond effectively to the rapid evolution of AI.”
For MBA candidate Josh O’Neil, the session offered a new perspective on AI adoption and leadership.
"We have had a lot of exposure to our dean, Dr. Josianne Marsan, throughout the program," said O'Neil. "Her presentation with Alain Fortier was interesting and it touched on a lot of questions and thoughts I have had, especially as we near the end of the program."
O'Neil said the discussion highlighted the evolving responsibilities facing executives and boards as organizations increasingly integrate AI into their operations.
"The presentation didn't change my view or how I think about AI, but it did allow me to see it through the lens of business leaders and boards who have new responsibilities and roles to govern AI within their organizations," he said. "These groups now have to ensure proper procedures are in place, understand internal capabilities and understand how to centralize adoption to maximize the potential of AI systems in their organizations."
The event also gave students the chance to connect with professionals from a range of industries and career stages.
"The networking opportunities were extremely valuable," said O'Neil. "This experience was a great opportunity to deepen some of those relationships with people we have already met as well as connect with a lot of professionals and leaders we have not met that are well-established in our community."
He added that hearing from professionals in different fields helped broaden his career outlook.
"It was exciting to connect with people in professions I am interested in as well as hear the perspectives and experiences from people in areas I had not thought of going into," O'Neil said.
As students prepare to complete their MBA studies, O'Neil believes the relationships formed during the event could benefit them in their careers.
"For me personally, it was great to connect with the established leaders and get my name out as we're nearing the end of our program and going to be looking for jobs in the near future," he said. "I hope that it will help me if my résumé crosses their desk, so there will be a face they can attach to the name."
"Events like MBA Connect remind us that Odette is more than a business school; it is a vibrant community where students, alumni, faculty and business leaders continue to support, inspire and uplift one another throughout their professional journeys," said Marsan.
MBA Connect connects students with industry leaders while examining timely issues shaping the future of business, including responsible AI adoption and governance.