Mother, Wife, Volunteer, Life-long Learner....
I see myself as a well-rounded person who is able to draw on decades of experiences; employment in corporate Canada, private business ownership, committed community leader, a life-long learner and last but certainly not least, a devoted wife to John and mother to Elyse, John and Eric. All these life journeys have contributed to the stories, examples and applications I use throughout my teaching vocation.
Community Involvement
Welland Food Drive Co-ordinator 2006-Present
Welland is a city of 54,000 people in Ontario, CANADA. Annually there is a city-wide food drive where 450+ volunteers cover every neighbourhood, knocking on every door, collecting food to stock the shelves for the needy of our community. As Coordinator, along with my committee, I organized and promoted the Food Drive as well as recruited and coordinated volunteers in the collecting/sorting of over 35 tons of food. Community involvement is a lesson that is learned through example. Students and new graduates have so much to offer a community and so much to learn by reaching out to their community and making a difference. See Articles Just One More Thing or Food Drive Hungry for Help or Food Drive Next Weekend or Food for Thought.
In 2023 I was nominated Educator of the Year at both Niagara College and Brock University by students in my classes.
Niagara College Nomination:
"Not only she is one of the best professor but also one of the most wonderful human being I had the pleasure of meeting. The reason for nominating her is because she pushed me out of my comfort zone and delivered such amazing classes which helped me in understanding about sales and Marketing. The assignments were interactive, group projects were wonderfully assigned and the constant support she provided me throughout the semesters were remarkable. She is one of the best professors we have and she has inspired me and her teaching has taught me ways to develop myself in my career. I will be always grateful for her valuable teaching."
Brock University Nomination:
Professor Finley's class was one of the most engaging classes I've been in. I look forward to each one of her classes. She is an awesome professor with great interactions in class with all students.
In 2021, I was given the Niagara Champion Award. A Niagara Champion is staff or faculty who have gone above and beyond their duties and consistently helped in student recruitment efforts while contributing to the positive invitational atmosphere that exemplifies Niagara College. Ian Aikenhead, the Student Recruitment Manager stated, "Monique played a pivotal role contributing to success in student recruitment by contributing exemplary work in planning and executing recruitment events. She showed an extraordinary ability to demand and maintain prospective student’s attention, thus influencing prospective students and their influencers.
Niagara College Nomination:
"Not only she is one of the best professor but also one of the most wonderful human being I had the pleasure of meeting. The reason for nominating her is because she pushed me out of my comfort zone and delivered such amazing classes which helped me in understanding about sales and Marketing. The assignments were interactive, group projects were wonderfully assigned and the constant support she provided me throughout the semesters were remarkable. She is one of the best professors we have and she has inspired me and her teaching has taught me ways to develop myself in my career. I will be always grateful for her valuable teaching."
Brock University Nomination:
Professor Finley's class was one of the most engaging classes I've been in. I look forward to each one of her classes. She is an awesome professor with great interactions in class with all students.
In 2021, I was given the Niagara Champion Award. A Niagara Champion is staff or faculty who have gone above and beyond their duties and consistently helped in student recruitment efforts while contributing to the positive invitational atmosphere that exemplifies Niagara College. Ian Aikenhead, the Student Recruitment Manager stated, "Monique played a pivotal role contributing to success in student recruitment by contributing exemplary work in planning and executing recruitment events. She showed an extraordinary ability to demand and maintain prospective student’s attention, thus influencing prospective students and their influencers.
In December 2014 I was awarded the The Paul Harris Fellow Award from the Rotary Club of Welland for my involvement in the Welland Food Drive, The Paul Harris Fellow Award is the highest honour a club can bestow on a person, either inside or outside the club. The award therefore acknowledges "service above self" which that individual has offered to their community, their nation or indeed to the world. Paul Harris was the founder of Rotary and this award program was created to fund many Rotary Foundation programs.
The Finley Family
It goes without saying that among my greatest accomplishments is my family. Of course this is more of a blessing than an accomplishment but to not highlight them in this portfolio is creating only a partial picture of who I am. I have been married to John since 1986. We have worked professionally as a team since 2000 at Niagara Business Brokerage (NBB) and continue to work together, both teaching at Niagara College and Brock University.
Our family, Elyse (1988) her husband Dave and their spectacular children Madeleine and Finley, John (1989) and Eric (1992) and his (soon to be) wife Casandra are our greatest accomplishments. Of the 4 Finleys who were studying full time at Canadian universities, three of us completed our studies and graduated in 2011. In 2015 our son John completed his Master in International Business, Grenoble Graduate School of Business (Grenoble, France) and Eric has completed the work and exams required for his Chartered Professional Accountancy credential.
Our family, Elyse (1988) her husband Dave and their spectacular children Madeleine and Finley, John (1989) and Eric (1992) and his (soon to be) wife Casandra are our greatest accomplishments. Of the 4 Finleys who were studying full time at Canadian universities, three of us completed our studies and graduated in 2011. In 2015 our son John completed his Master in International Business, Grenoble Graduate School of Business (Grenoble, France) and Eric has completed the work and exams required for his Chartered Professional Accountancy credential.