Emma (centre) with Kamile (left) and Zshaneah (right) at the CABS Conference.
Although Faculty of Management undergraduate student Emma Bossom arrived at UBC Okanagan from Japan with a clear goal for her commerce degree, she admits that her initial transition was marked by a lack of confidence.
“When I was driving to campus with my dad, I kept saying, ‘I don’t want to go to university!’ and almost asked him to turn the car around, because I honestly didn’t think I was good enough to succeed either academically or socially at a top Canadian university.”
That uncertainty shifted during her first year when she signed up for a Management Students’ Association (MSA) business trip to Calgary as a way of gauging available job prospects. Although she was one of the only first-year students to attend, the experience acted as a gateway to the campus community and other learning opportunities.
Emma, Aarav and Zshaneah at the MSA information booth.
From nervous newcomer to student leader
Inspired by the support she received from upper-year mentors, Bossom decided to step into a leadership role as the MSA’s Vice-President of Student Resources. Her mission was to transform her own early challenges into a support system for others, focusing on initiatives that directly impacted student well-being and professional growth.
One of her standout contributions was the launch of a new Peer Mentorship program during the second semester. The initiative paired 16 sets of first- and second-year students with upper-year mentors who provided guidance on everything from navigating difficult economics and accounting courses to balancing social life. The program received an overwhelming satisfaction score, with participants highlighting the value of having an “older sister or brother” vibe on campus.
The registration table from the EME Cup. From left to right: Althea, Mia, Ash and Emma.
Bossom also spearheaded the evolution of the MSA’s traditional exam care packages. Moving beyond standard snack bags, she introduced a customized system that allowed students to choose items based on their specific dietary needs or health preferences. This focus on inclusivity and student choice helped the MSA earn “The Best Wellness Initiative Award” from the Canadian Association of Business Students (CABS), a not-for-profit organization representing 70,000 business students from 23 Canadian universities.
Whether organizing “EME Cup”—a cross-faculty sports tournament that brought together management and engineering students—or coordinating logistics for large-scale events, Bossom’s work with the MSA has centred on helping students feel connected and succeed.
Here Emma receives the Best Wellness Initiative Award at the CABS conference, alongside a representative from the CABS Executive.
But perhaps more importantly, these initiatives have helped Bossom develop job-transferrable skills like event planning, time management and logistical planning. She credits her rapid personal growth to the unique culture of the Okanagan campus. She found that the smaller, close-knit environment at UBCO replaced the competitive “big city” pressure she was used to in her hometown of Yokohama, Japan.
“I can guarantee that UBCO is a place for everyone,” Bossom says. “It’s the place where you can grow without being worried about other people…it’s a friendly, supportive community where people just want to help you succeed.”
