Opportunity meets preparedness

Diverse paths are now connected for Tamara Eidsness, a recent graduate of a new program at Cranbrook’s College of the Rockies

1 of 3Dr. Nick Rubidge of College of the Rockies presents a Bachelor of Business Administration degree to Tamara Eidsness. — Marie Milner photo

2 of 3Tamara Eidsness with Dr. Nick Rubidge, at her convocation at College of the Rockies. — Marie Milner photo

3 of 3Tamara Eidsness and her fiance, Steve Mercandelli, celebrate her achievement of a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from College of the Rockies. — Marie Milner photo

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Tamara Eidsness has a strong practical bent and a strong social conscience. Throughout her early 20s, her interest in courses in sciences and non-profit management was tempered by her concern about securing work that would allow her to pay her bills. Later, a venture into the study of marketing strategies proved fascinating, but it was still not the fit she craved.

“I enjoyed the strategic thinking and working with teams and the creativity, but I started to get uncomfortable with what felt a little like tricking people into buying things,” Eidsness said. “That made me start to think about consumerism, and I was uncomfortable with it.”

Returning home to Cranbrook, B.C., after studying at Mount Royal College in Calgary, Alberta, Eidsness began to work in accounting for a local firm. She found that she enjoyed the work well enough, and though she had no formal qualifications for it, she advanced within the department. She knew, though, that she would not be able to make a career of accounting—it just did not have enough appeal for her.

When Eidsness learned about the new bachelor of business administration in sustainable business practices degree program at College of the Rockies (COTR) in Cranbrook, it seemed tailor-made for her.

“It was a combination of all the things I liked and had already studied—the non-profit-like environment along with the business,” she said. “And it was in Cranbrook, so I didn’t have to move anywhere. Immediately, I thought, ‘Yes!’ ”

For the most part, students who enrol in the bachelor of business administration (BBA) program at COTR may expect to take four years to obtain their degree. Eidsness, who had transferable course credits from her previous studies, was able to do it in two, and work full-time as well. She expressed her appreciation for COTR’s administration, saying that they are well known for their willingness to apply course credits from other institutions to their own programs.

“Doris Silva, the college registrar, worked really hard to make everything work for me,” Eidsness said. “I think the BBA program is a really good one, and I think it’s amazing that this cutting-edge program was developed here in the Kootenays.”

Approaching the end of the BBA program—and working in a job in which there was no opportunity to apply the concepts she felt strongly about—Eidsness was on the lookout for a position that would allow her to use her new knowledge. The timing was perfect for her to hear about a posting for the position of administrator at Wildsight Society.

“Again, it was like a miracle that this job that was absolutely perfect for me showed up,” she said. “I could take the experience that I had from my last job—being organized, working on budgets, doing the books—and mix that knowledge in with what I’d learned in the BBA program about sustainability and non-profit management, and work for an organization that’s doing amazing work.

“It’s a great fit with my personal philosophy and my core values. In the sustainability course, it’s all about the triple bottom line: healthy economy, healthy community and healthy environment. Wildsight is about improving people’s lives and improving the environment. Today we can no longer run business according to the old way—of just one bottom line.”

Though she admits to sometimes feeling overwhelmed in her new position, Eidsness is convinced she is in the right place.

“This is what I’m passionate about and what I believe in,” she said. “Everything is connected, and I get to be part of a healthy community and work on strengthening the environment—and also I hope to get involved in helping businesses become more sustainable.”

After a number of twists and bumps, Eidsness’s path has a clear direction.