In early August, more than 100 Ivey MBA students stepped outside the classroom for Social Impact Day 2026, volunteering at seven London-area agencies focused on food security, youth services, environmental initiatives and community well-being.
At one London youth shelter, Ivey MBA students spent Social Impact Day hauling broken bicycles, weeds and debris out of an overgrown storage area so it could be used again. The project was one of several hands-on initiatives that gave about MBA students the opportunity to make an impact in London, Ont. and the surrounding area. Organized by the Ivey MBA Association, the annual event engaged students with community organizations including the London Food Bank, Youth Opportunities Unlimited, ReForest London, Growing Chefs! Ontario Sustainable Garden, SARI Therapeutic Riding and two Thames River cleanup projects. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iY5lZJxG64k
Taylor Lee, MBA candidate and vice-president external of the Ivey MBA Association, said the event gave students a chance to contribute to the local community while learning more about London beyond campus.
“We’re all incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be at Ivey. It’s really important to us to be part of the Ivey culture, which hinges on giving back to the local community and giving back to those in need, and particularly carrying that forward as we go into business,” Lee said.
Connecting with the community
At the London Food Bank, students sorted donations, completed quality checks, and packed items for distribution while learning more about the organization’s work. For Nathalie Kent, an MBA candidate and one of the event’s organizers, the experience offered a different way of getting to know the city. “A lot of people come from different places and have gotten to know London in many ways, and this is a deeper way of knowing the city,” Kent said. “We also do a lot of learning about community and leadership in our program, and it’s nice to put that into practice and really see what it means in principle.”A hands-on project at Youth Opportunities Unlimited
Fellow MBA candidate Madison Brown helped organize the volunteer group at one of Youth Opportunities Unlimited’s youth shelters. Brown first connected with the organization during an undergraduate capstone project at Western, making the chance to return especially meaningful. Students spent the day clearing a bike storage area, removing garbage, broken bicycles, weeds, and other hazards so the space could be used again. They also toured the facility and learned more about how Youth Opportunities Unlimited supports young people through housing, meals, employment support, and education opportunities. “It was really nice because they do a lot of work trying to get youth employed and getting to college and university,” Brown said. “The first step is having a safe place to stay and a locked door, and then getting them three meals a day. Once that’s taken care of and they feel more steady, they’ve moved quite a few people on to college. It’s really great to see, and just very inspiring.” By the end of the day, Brown said, the difference in the outdoor area was easy to see. “There was this gorgeous bike rack that hadn’t been used because there was a bunch of stuff on it,” she said.“Knowing that we had some small impact is a great feeling.” – Madison Brown, Ivey MBA candidate
