Experience the power of your community with a Reciprocity Ring
Introducing the Reciprocity Ring
As Rotman Commerce celebrates its centenary year, the festivities continue with the Reciprocity Ring event on March 2. This unique session is open to both students and alumni, offering an opportunity to go beyond traditional networking and experience the powerful impact of our community firsthand. Participants will receive valuable insights, mentorship, and the chance to expand their professional network, while engaging in meaningful “give and receive” exchanges.
How it works
This dynamic exercise will begin with an introduction from Professor Bill McEvily, an expert in leading reciprocity rings, before students will be broken into smaller groups facilitated by alumni. Participants will voice a meaningful ask, either professional or personal, and the others in the group will be encouraged to consider how they can fulfill the request or leverage their networks to provide a lead. Asks can range from receiving a connection to a hiring manager at a specific company to seeking advice on securing tickets for an upcoming sold-out concert.
Benefits of a Reciprocity Ring
Ultimately, by fostering mutual support and valuable exchange, this interactive experience cultivates long-lasting relationships, invaluable advice, and even tangible rewards. Perhaps most importantly, the event shows the power of asking for help, unlocking exciting opportunities and paths for growth. Through participation in this exercise, participants can also further strengthen the Rotman Commerce community through mutual generosity and collaboration.
Anthony Adair (BCom ’20), Manager, CIBC“The reciprocity ring is dynamic because it’s not just a networking session where you just mingle from group to group. It’s purposeful—you’re here to help and get help—with anything and everything. It’s been pretty incredible to see the connections made just by asking: you never know what someone else might be able to help you with!”
Embracing the community
Rotman Commerce’s centenary celebration, and by extension the Reciprocity Ring, embrace the core value of community. The event offers an opportunity for students and alumni to come together to support each other and assist one another in achieving their goals and aspirations. Anthony Adair explains that the dynamic experience “connects you to people [at Rotman Commerce] who you’ve never met before. It gives you the opportunity to see how valuable and helpful the people inside the Rotman community are…It brings you closer to [them] because it is a value-add activity”.
Related links
By Sonia Singh (BCom ’25) | February 21, 2024
