In many universities there are few links between theoretical study and the real world. Not so at Ryerson. Recent guest lecturers include Canadian Football League (CFL) Commissioner Mark Cohon who gave fourth-year Sport Marketing students at the Ted Rogers School of Business Management a taste of life at the top and longtime public servant Michelle DiEmanuele who encouraged Public Administration and Governance graduate students in Professor Bryan Evans' course, to not be dissuaded by those resistant to change.

DiEmanuele was a former Deputy Minister of Government Services and Secretary of the Management Board for the Government of Ontario before being appointed President and CEO of Credit Valley Hospital earlier this year. She was recognized as one of Canada's 100 Most Powerful Women in 2006 and 2007 and named the most influential Top 40 under 40 in 2005.

"We need to push new ideas and strategies for a strong public service sector," DiEmanuele told students in her review of success in transforming large and immensely complex organizations.  "These students are the next generation of public servants. I want to teach them how to deliver to the public."

"Michelle DiEmanuele's lecture provided an excellent real-world context for many of the theories that we've been studying. It was particularly interesting to hear from someone who played such a vital role in reshaping the Ontario Public Service and who has had so much hands-on experience," said grad student Jennifer Sully.
 
Mark Cohon traced his career from being an assistant to NBA Commissioner David Stern to his current position as CFL Commissioner where he has taken what was once a bankruptcy-threatened institution and turned it into a vibrant organization. Cohon's leadership style, best exemplified by his insistence in sitting with the fans during games rather than in the VIP or media box, was an attribute Assistant Professor of Marketing Fernando E. Pardo wanted his students to experience first-hand.

 "I want my students to see the reality of what's happening in the outside world, that there is a profession called Sport Marketing," Prof. Pardo said. "Students were able to get a glimpse of the real industry from Mark."