Alena Saliyeva

What education have you taken?

I am currently in my fourth year of a Bachelor’s in Business Administration with a minor in Economics.

What accomplishments are you proud of?

Most of my accomplishments are due to my dedication and passion for what I do. I have been placed on the honours list and have been a proud (and thankful) recipient of the Undergraduate International Student Scholarship for three years in a row.

As far as extracurricular activities go, I was a general member of Enactus Brandon (formerly known as SIFE) for one year and the VP of Finance the following year. I also have a few unofficial volunteer experiences, such as helping out at the Brandon University Observatory.

Tell me about yourself/ background/ history.

To make a long story short, my family and I have travelled to many countries throughout my 22 years, including South America and the USA. This has allowed me to learn about many cultures and several languages. Aside from the obvious language (English), I am also fluent in Spanish and Russian.  Although my roots are Russian, the person who I am today is a mix of all different sorts of cultures.

I love to study; in an ideal world, I’d rather study than work. When not studying or working, I enjoy researching random topics (I am full of random, yet interesting facts), working out, painting, or drawing.

How did you become interested in your field of study?

To be honest, I just followed my gut feeling and I ended up loving it. After researching on several career options, I couldn’t decide between sciences, math, or business/economics. I decided to take business because I thought it would allow me to have a more prospective future, as I felt this opened up a broad array of options to deviate into.

What is your philosophy in life?

I choose to be a lifetime learner, taking in every opportunity to become a better, stronger, and wiser individual. I believe that hard work and dedication can get you anywhere in life… You just have to actually do it.

Where do you see yourself in the future?

I am keeping my future options quite open. I would like to further and possibly expand my studies. I’m debating on whether I should get an MBA or pursue an entirely new degree in the physical sciences. Nevertheless, for now, all I know is that I want to live a long, happy, healthy life, and I trust that I will be able to fulfill this, no matter what I end up doing.

Nominator’s Comments

Alena is a focused and dedicated student that delivers results. She and her partner came in second this past fall (16.435) with their business plan “Turbo Transport” that was to deliver a daily shuttle service to rural communities to help seniors make it to medical appointments without reliance on family members. She is a very bright, very hardworking student who consistently delivers exceptional work. A delight to have in class.  Always thinking.  Always processing.