By Melissa Nilan, Marketing and Communications

You’ve seen them on the SkyTrain and walked past them at the mall. You’ve sat beside them in bus shelters and spotted them in newspapers… but just who are the people in our 50th Anniversary ad campaign? They’re not models; these are real Douglas students, working hard to achieve their educational and career goals — just like you.

Navjot Singh has big dreams of owning a small business. Inspired by local immigrant communities, the General Business student plans to open a restaurant.

“There are so many people in Metro Vancouver from overseas, so I want to offer people a taste of home — maybe have a Chinese-Indian fusion menu.”

He’s even got the name picked out already.

“I’m going to name it after my mother,” he explains. “My father left when I was only a year old, so she was a single parent for a while, and I want to honour her.”

Read more: Meet BPEC student Ariana, another student from our 50th anniversary ad campaign

To get the business know-how to succeed in his venture, Navjot is getting his General Business Diploma. He completed his Bachelor of Business Administration in India and came to Douglas to learn business from a North American perspective.

He’s also loving Douglas’s hands-on learning approach, which is different from how he learned back home.

“The main difference between Indian and Canadian education is that here it’s more practical. Instructors focus on real examples, and our projects involve working with real companies. It’s really inspiring to meet all these different businesspeople and see the impressive things even a small company can achieve,” says Navjot.

Read more: Investing in Douglas put this grad on the path to financial and career success

In addition to his education and hands-on experience, Navjot says his favourite sport is also a key contributor to his future success.

“I played state-level soccer in India, so it’s a big part of my life. Through soccer, I’ve learned dedication and leadership, both of which are important if I want to own a business.”