Anyone passing by Faith Uminga last spring would be forgiven for doing a double take. If she looked familiar, it’s probably because she was the face of a new billboard campaign promoting the RRC 2+2 program— a joint venture between Red River College and Booth University College.

In partnership with RRC, Booth UC recently established a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree completion program, of which Uminga is poised to become the very first graduate.

She first heard about the program — in which students attend RRC for two years, then complete their degree at Booth UC — while taking Business Administration at RRC.

The advantages seemed obvious.

“First, I’d be able to experience two different learning environments — Red River College and Booth UC,” she explains. “Second, after my studies at RRC, I’d have the opportunity to complete my degree in two years, rather than in three years at other universities such as the University of Winnipeg or the University of Manitoba.”

Under the 2+2 program, students establish competence in five major areas of business, including accounting, finance, human resource management, marketing and organizational behaviour. A degree achieved through the program lays the foundation for a successful profit or non-profit career, in roles such as business analyst, market researcher, fundraiser, loan officer or financial advisor.

“My time at RRC was great due to the staff, and just as importantly, the students,” Uminga says. “The business program really encouraged group work, and as a result, I was able to meet and become friends with some incredible people. Furthermore, I enjoyed how I was able to learn from actual business professionals who taught us based on real experiences. Overall, RRC is a great school, andI would recommend any student who wants to [explore] business or any other field to study there.

“I loved Red River College, and I also enjoyed Booth UC. It’s a great school.”

Once her studies at RRC were completed, Uminga moved on to Booth UC to finish its two-year BBA program. She also attended the European Innovation Academy Conference in Turin, Italy, this year, where she networked with global entrepreneurs and — along with her teammeates — won the Nixon Peabody Patent Innovation Award.

“I absolutely enjoyed it!” says Uminga of the conference. “I had the privilege of working with people from all around the globe, as well as listen to inspiring keynote speakers who talked about what it takes to become a global entrepreneur.

“It was a fun way to cap off my degree.”

Uminga, who will graduate from Booth UC in April 2019, says she was more than satisfied with her 2+2 experience.

“It was wonderful that I was able to experience two terrific institutions,” she says. “With luck and hard work, I will become a better leader in the business world as a result.”

No surprise, then, that Uminga was happy to take part in the promotional campaign touting the 2+2 program, which found her smiling face appearing on five billboards throughout Winnipeg.

“It was really cool to see my face around town!” she laughs. “Even more important to me was the fact that I became a sort of ambassador because of that. By agreeing to be part of this campaign, I wanted to let everyone know that RRC and Booth UC are fantastic schools. Check them out — come to see and explore. You won’t be disappointed!”