Meet the new BTMSA president: Sebastian Woo

Nov. 15, 2021

The Business Technology Management Students Association (BTMSA) is a student-run association serving students within the Business Technology Management program (BTM) at the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics at Wilfrid Laurier University. The BTMSA offers a variety of services and initiatives to enrich and enhance the educational experience of the BTM student body.

Hosting first-class events year-round, the BTMSA has gained a strong student body presence and outreach across Laurier’s Brantford campus. The BTMSA mission is to collaborate with organizations, leaders, and alumni in business and technology to equip BTM students with professional and academic experiences to ensure their future success in the industry and excel beyond their expectations.

The 2021/22 school year welcomed Sebastian Woo, a third-year BTM student currently on his co-op term at BDO as a Technology Consultant, as president of the BTMSA. We had the opportunity to virtually sit down with him to discuss his presidential vision, involvement with the organization, and plans to navigate events with the ongoing coronavirus uncertainty.

How long have you been involved with the BTMSA?

I was previously involved with the BTMSA in the role of a Governance Manager between 2019/20 where I worked on event planning, and ensuring they were in accordance with the Students’ Union. This year I ran for the presidency and I’m excited for all the work my team and I will be doing.

Why did you first get involved with the BTMSA?

I first got involved with the BTMSA when I attended their networking events in my first year. I found a lot of value in what the BTMSA offered to the student body, and I’ve always believed I should involve myself in providing value to others, especially when we’re responsible for quality programming and improving the experience for all BTM students. Knowing that the work had a real impact encouraged me to go for it.

Why did you decide to run for president?

I ran for president because I wanted to take on an even larger role when it came to student involvement. I knew the projects that I wanted to launch were a shared sentiment with other students and I believed I could successfully deliver them for the student body. I also wanted an opportunity that could really challenge me and teach me new things – it was really a win-win situation.

What are you excited to do with the team in the 2021/22 school year?

This year we have a number of events and projects in store for the student body. Every month we feature a speaker panel across several different topics, from academics, co-op, hot industry sectors, and BTM career trends. Our first panel in September was about alumni and their life after graduation, the paths they took, their transition into the workforce and post-grad education. We also have our two mentorship programs, the first connects our students with each other for academic and co-op related topics. Our second mentorship program connects our upper-year students with alumni on topics of career and educational pathways. We also deliver Ask-Me-Anything Q&A sessions on our Instagram, @laurierbtmsa. Right now, my team and I are also working hard to prepare for the year-end BTM gala that is finally making a return after two years.

Anything else you’d like to share?

Keep an eye out on our Instagram or LinkedIn page to keep up with our projects and everything we have in store for the year. I can always be reached for any questions through my email here at btmsa.laurier@gmail.com.