Alum and co-founder of WIMA leverages Rotman Giving Day to enhance her impact

Sep 10, 2024

A portrait of Catherine Graham in front of the Toronto skyline

Immediately upon her arrival at Rotman in 1999, Catherine Graham (MBA 2001) recognized both the opportunity and the need to engage more women in business.

Coming from retail banking, which was predominantly women, and an undergrad that was comprised of both men and women, walking into a room of 80 per cent men felt like a culture shock. As she spoke with her female friends and colleagues, Graham quickly realized many women’s misconceptions about an MBA and the career paths to follow.

An obvious answer to this, at least for her, was to pitch an open house where current students invited friends to tackle any preconceived notions about women in business and promote their applications to the program in the years to follow. This idea gained traction quickly, taking little convincing of her classmates and reinstating her belief that this initiative was something the program desperately needed.

Snowballing from here, Graham played an instrumental role in creating the Women in Management Association (WIMA), which still exists today. Now, over two decades later, she finds the association’s growth remarkable – having made considerable strides in its expansion, inclusivity, and efforts toward gender parity.

‘All in’ on scholarship idea

That is why she was all in when she was approached with the idea to establish the Women in Management Association Scholarship, supporting students who demonstrate commitment to WIMA. Applauding the association’s initiative in launching such a scholarship, Graham was happy to spread the word by asking and encouraging her own classmates to support the award.

This idea and Graham’s first gift to the award fund came at a decisive time – during the inaugural Rotman Giving Day in 2021. Rotman Giving Day launched as a fundraising campaign that leverages the strength of the Rotman community to enhance all areas of the Rotman School through meaningful gifts. A vital part of the campaign is its matching funds, allowing donors to amplify the impact of their giving, with all donations matched dollar-for-dollar up to $1,000, while matching funds last.

Since its inaugural year, Graham has made a meaningful donation in support of the WIMA Scholarship each year during the campaign. Reflecting on her participation, Graham is thankful for the enhanced power behind her gift, thanks to matching donations.

A Rotman degree really rounds out a business education, equipping you not only with the toolkit to step into that next job, but the confidence to tackle C-suite conversations and run every aspect of a business.

For Graham, the motivation to continue supporting Rotman students and specifically women in business stems from how far we, as a society, have come but also how far there is still to go. With experience in managing consulting and tech, both sectors that are still heavily male-dominated, she can recognize that while the needle towards parity in the workplace has moved, there is still a shocking lack of women in senior leadership and board positions.

A Rotman degree really rounds out a business education, equipping you not only with the toolkit to step into that next job, but the confidence to tackle C-suite conversations and run every aspect of a business.

Many ways to give back

Her hope for her philanthropy is to support someone else to have the same life-changing journey she did at Rotman. “A Rotman degree really rounds out a business education, equipping you not only with the toolkit to step into that next job, but the confidence to tackle C-suite conversations and run every aspect of a business,” reflected Graham.

Today, Graham stays connected to Rotman in more ways than one and will soon be celebrated as a 2024 Arbor Award recipient for her many contributions. Recognizing the many ways to give back to one’s alma mater, she graciously donates her time and expertise to ensure that a Rotman degree remains relevant and the School remains a powerhouse for students, experts and alumni looking to challenge the world around us.

In anticipation of the fourth annual Rotman Giving Day on September 27, 2024, Graham encourages fellow alumni, friends and supporters to reflect on their own experience and what Rotman means to them.

By Cialyn Carson