Alumni Spotlight: Stephannie Abreu

When deciding where to pursue her undergraduate degree in business, Stephannie Abreau researched many programs and universities. However, the Sprott School of Business Bachelor of International Business was the only one that stood out to her.

“I loved the idea of having an International Business degree along with a second language — third in my case,” she says.

Originally from Brazil, Stephannie is fluent in English, Portuguese and now French.

Once she came to Sprott’s open house, she knew right away that Sprott was where she wanted to go.

“That was when the ‘Sprott Love’ hit me,” says Stephannie.

Five years later, she still remembers having one of the most amazing conversations with Mike Hine, who was Associate Dean at the time and told her she would be a perfect fit for the Sprott family.

“I felt at home, like I was more than just a number,” she adds.

In addition to the language requirement, Stephannie was drawn to Sprott because of the program’s year abroad where students are immersed in a new culture and study in their chosen language.

Stephannie studied at Université Paris Dauphine in her third year and says the opportunity to live in a different country was an experience of a lifetime. It was a great learning experience, as it was her first time living and travelling on her own.

“I was my first time cooking by myself without anyone to ask if the amount of salt was enough, first time using a washing machine,” she recalls. “I definitely learned a lot about how to deal with situations in different cultures.”

Getting involved in clubs and societies had a significant impact on Stephannie’s experience at Sprott.

“It’s amazing how much you can do outside your regular class time and I was definitely one of those people that took advantage of that,” she says.

Throughout her degree, Stephannie has been involved in many Sprott and Carleton organizations. She has been the Finance Director of the Sprott International Business Association and was actively involved in the Sprott Finance Student’s Association. Upon returning from her exchange, she decided to branch out her extracurricular activities beyond Sprott.

She got involved with Carleton’s International Student Service Office (ISSO) as a Global Engagement Committee member and student mentor to international students.

“Being an immigrant myself, I was happy to see how much of a difference I was making in those students’ lives, and that made a huge difference in my life as well,”

Stephannie says she can’t leave Sprott without saying thanks to Sprott’s Business Career Management Centre (BCMC) team, Dotti, Alanna, Katie and Robin.

“They were the highlight of my undergrad and without them, I am not sure I would be in this incredible job that is perfect for me,” says Stephannie.

Stephannie has been working as a Junior Project Officer with Canada Revenue Agency since February and will continue working with them after graduation.

In addition to her time in France, a standout memory from her time at Sprott is the friendships and companionship between peers, professors and staff she’s met along the way.