MEM Insider celebrating 10 years of student involvement

The newest issue of the MEM Insider marks the tenth edition of the student-run publication, created by the students of the School of Management, Economics, and Mathematics (MEM).

Jack Anthony Pemberton, who was the student editor, will be starting his fourth year in September as an Honours Specialization in Accounting student with a minor in Economics. Pemberton has always enjoyed writing and recently became interested in journalism. He says the MEM Insider has been “the perfect outlet” for him to experiment with this new interest.

Pemberton also contributed two articles to the MEM Insider: one about his experiential learning opportunity at the Cross-Cultural College in Japan and the other an interview with Dr. Peter Ibbott, Associate Professor of Economics.

“I've always found his lectures very thought-provoking, and honestly, I just wanted to talk to him about economics,” says Pemberton. He learned how to conduct an interview, something he had never done before. He also had to consider the balance between asking the questions he wanted to ask with those that readers would find insightful and interesting.

Pemberton is quick to not want to overstate his involvement in the publication, stating he only contributed two articles.

“I think that's the point of the magazine, to give MEM students with different interests an opportunity to share their stories. It is very easy, and rewarding, to get involved in projects that you find interesting, which is why I've been vocal about encouraging new students to do the same,” says Pemberton.

Theodora Petrou, graduating from BMOS with a specialization in Human Resources, says her involvement on the MEM Insider was “an amazing experience where your contributions matter and learning is constant.”

She became involved due to her passion about King’s and promoting what King’s can offer to students. While writing articles, interviewing students and promoting the magazine, she was able to develop her creativity and time-management skills.

“My time here allowed me to absorb the real experience and become knowledgeable in what King's has to offer to students, and how to access it. With my hands-on experience, I was able to write an article dedicated to incoming students on how to balance their time at King's and use the opportunities, programs, and services offered to the best of their ability,” says Petrou.

Bowen Jin, who graduated during Spring Convocation from BMOS Finance and Administration with a minor in Analytics and Decision Science, says she developed skills in communications, teamwork, leadership, managing deadlines and adapting workflows during exam season, as part of her work on the MEM Insider.

“As someone who benefited from King’s Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)-aligned curriculum, I wanted to share my journey with peers and help them to navigate the process of preparing for CFA Level 1 exam,” she explains. This led her to contribute an article detailing her journey of passing this exam. She was also interviewed about her academic life at King’s.

“I’d describe my experience as a ‘bridge-builder’—between students and industry knowledge, and between the Insider’s mission and its audience. This experience has been instrumental in my growth, both as a communicator and a future finance professional,” says Jin.

The publication predates the launch of the School of MEM and was initially titled the EBM Insider (EBM standing for Economics, Business, and Mathematics). Ester Gerassime ’18 Honours Specialization in Economics and Ruta Tewari ’17 BMOS (Hons) Finance and Administration, president and vice-president of the King’s EconoMath Society (KEMS) Club, respectively, were looking for a way to add creativity to their student experience and connect with other students. With support from Dr. Ibbott, then-chair of the EBM department, the student-run magazine was first published in June 2016.

“The Insider has continued to be primarily a tool to bring creativity and connection to current students and alumni, but it has the added benefits of giving prospective students a sneak peek into what life is like at King’s and more specifically, what MEM has to offer them,” says Estelle Van Winckle, School Administrator, School of Management, Economics and Mathematics, who has handled project management duties since the first issue.