Nicolas Viens

An Emerging Voice in Sustainable Development

When Nicolas Viens first came to Bishop’s University, he wanted to obtain his degree and then immediately step into the work force. After taking courses with passionate professors, he had a change of heart and started to look forward to exploring a liberal education.

“One of the things I like most about Bishop’s University is the freedom of courses”, he explains, “You have the opportunity to take more electives and you have the chance to choose what you want to learn.” In his third year, the Williams School of Business (WSB) student took advantage of the liberal arts model and completed an Independent Study course where he looked at sustainable development and climate change. He examined current policies, what problems organizations are faced with and ways to help them become more sustainable.

Working with his professor Dr. Denise Fortier, Nicolas describes his experience as an opportunity of development. “She is a significant guiding force, and she has challenged me helped me develop as a student and a researcher”, he confides. Dr. Fortier not only supervised his research work during his independent project, but was also his mentor for the B.E.S.T. Project. “She has been a great support throughout the year”, he says.

Because of B.E.S.T., the 24 year-old student athlete will be presenting his research findings at the 6th International Conference on Sustainable Development in Rome, Italy, this coming September. He describes the moment that his project was accepted as humbling. “It’s an incredible opportunity, and even though there is much for me to learn and discover, I am excited to bring back my new knowledge to Bishop’s University and inspire business students to open up to new perspectives and encourage interdisciplinary study within a program that can be straight-forward”, he says, “I hope to encourage open-mindedness and help people realize that in order to find solutions to problems we need to understand others.”

The Montreal native tells us his inspiration in applying for the fund. “There is so much more you can benefit in university by learning beyond the classroom walls because you have the chance to develop and challenge yourself”, he says, “It’s more than simply gaining course credits, it’s learning about the real world.” Viens encourages students to apply to funding opportunities like the B.E.S.T. Project. “When you have an opportunity to do something out of the ordinary, do it”, he says, “It’s moments like these when you feel the most alive.”