From resume gap to real-world impact
Learn more about the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA).
In an office by the sea, Mel Lacelle found a passion for business she always hoped existed.
A connection made during her BBA coursework led to a co-op placement, which turned into a job at Barnacle Systems Inc. (BRNKL). The experience allowed Lacelle to help turn an idea born in the classroom into a real product launch.
“The hands-on client work is what you need to move into the workplace,” she says. “Royal Roads is one of a kind. They did their homework as far as what people in the real world are looking for, and they have tailored the program to exactly match that.”
New directions
Originally from Ontario, Lacelle was looking for a way to fill the gap on her resume after years of travel and a maternity leave. “What the heck am I doing with my life?” she recalls asking herself while working a job that was a paycheque, not a purpose. “I didn’t want to be there forever, but I wasn’t feeling confident I could scoop up more of a career job.”
Long drawn to the West Coast, Lacelle was attracted to Royal Roads’ applied learning model, which emphasized project-based learning over textbooks. The BBA program’s focus on sustainability was another key factor, aligning with values she hadn’t found in previous business studies.
“I had a hard time with the ‘make it cheap and sell it high’ concept,” she notes.
She poured herself into her application letter, using it to articulate why the program and the move to BC made sense. “Being accepted made the decision clear,” she says. “Moving from Ontario took some courage, but it felt like the right step forward.”
Learning for life
Lacelle thrived in the program and found that the experience closely mirrored working for an organization rather than a traditional classroom. As a member of the first BBA cohort and the Class of 2023, she served as cohort rep and met with faculty to share the student experience and offer feedback for improvements. It was an experience she likens to shaping a new role in the workplace.
Her class was diverse, with fellow learners ranging from those just starting their post-secondary education to mid-career professionals, and others just looking to make a change.
“Honestly, that was one of my biggest areas of growth,” she says. “Learning how to work with people who brought different perspectives and experiences and understanding when to step forward and when to step back has helped me so much in my work."
In addition to client work for BRNKL, she completed applied sustainability projects that included environmental assessments, greenhouse gas emissions calculations, and sustainability strategy development for live client and community-based initiatives, with an emphasis on practical implementation rather than academic exercises. These projects strengthened her ability to work with people, analyze environmental data, and design programs that support measurable environmental and business outcomes, she says.
What once felt like a gap in her resume became a portfolio of real client work.
Onward and upward
The sense of connection and confidence Lacelle gained through the program and her time with BRNKL raised her expectations for her career. It wasn’t about taking the first opportunity; it was about finding the best opportunity.
And after 10 months at Barnacle Systems as a project coordinator, she moved into her current role as an environmental strategy specialist at Babcock Canada, supporting sustainability initiatives across the corporate, marine, and aviation sectors.
The BBA experience helped her bridge her passion for sustainability with her interest in business. More importantly, it gave her the confidence she needed to find the work she wanted to be doing.
“I left with leadership skills, confidence, stronger emotional intelligence, and a real ability to work collaboratively. The course content was engaging and practical, but it was the personal growth I experienced that gave me the confidence to turn words into action.”
Learn more about the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA).