Home Training: How the MNP Impact Series is shaping future business leaders

This fall, first-year Alberta School of Business students embarked on a four-year year journey focused on the local economy. The MNP Impact Series involves an immersive, theme-based case competition that gives students the opportunity to learn from experts about how to think critically about the local economy and develop essential skills they’ll need to succeed following graduation.

While spending four years dissecting the influences and intersecting factors of our local economy may feel less broad and dynamic than going international, having a deep understanding of how business is done close to home is about so much more than mom-and-pop shops. 

“The topic of our local economy holds immense importance for MNP,” says Dustin Sundby, Regional Managing Partner for the Edmonton Region at MNP, one of Canada’s leading accounting firms and a long-standing university partner. 

“Our clients represent industries from across the spectrum; they are drivers of employment and support local, community-based not-for-profit organizations. Staying well-informed about local economic conditions is essential for these business owners to make informed decisions, ensuring the success and sustainability of their enterprises.” 

Cohort students will spend their time in the program learning how the local economy directly influences business operations for all ranges of companies and industries, including customer bases, supply chains, labour markets and dynamics between competitors. They’ll then work together to take these lessons to develop recommendations for how to improve the economy locally and create a positive impact across the community. 

When looking at the local economy, it’s impossible to decouple it from community — something MNP understands. 

“This partnership aligns perfectly with MNP's values as a firm, particularly our commitment to communities,” says Sundby. “The choice of this year's cohort theme, coupled with our long-standing collaboration with the Alberta School of Business, makes perfect sense. The School of Business supports numerous communities across Alberta, and so does MNP. It's a harmonious partnership rooted in a shared commitment to making a positive impact.”

Beyond the practical application of lessons learned from industry veterans, students are able to make connections with local businesses and their owners, which has a net benefit for everyone involved. 

It's about fostering a meaningful connection with the future generation and being part of their transformative educational journey over the next four years,” says Sundby. “We see the university as a significant source of recruiting talent for both our organization and the clients we serve.”

The Impact Series, which was started by the Alberta School of Business in 2022, aims to challenge students beyond what they typically undertake in the classroom. For Sundby and his partners at MNP, the relationship between the program and its students represents an opportunity to bridge the gap between theory and real-world application. 

“Beyond gaining technical skills through their coursework, I genuinely hope the class of 2027 will look back at the Impact Series and see how the technical skills they've acquired relate to the local economy,” remarks Sundby.

“Regardless of where their career paths lead, these students will always be connected to a local economy, whether in Edmonton or elsewhere. Understanding how local economies influence government policies, competitive landscapes, labour markets, and more equips them to apply practical and technical skills in any situation.”