Mohammed Hamedelniel (BMgmt'25)
Current student
Mohammed Hamedelniel (BMgmt’25) builds a thriving business during optional 8-month internship
Mohammed Hamedelniel (BMgmt’25) keeps a list of his goals. It guides his choices and pushes him to aim higher.
Before he arrived in Halifax to study, that list included learning more about real estate, completing an internship and setting himself up for a master’s degree. Initially intending to enrol in the Bachelor of Commerce Co-op (BComm Co-op) program, he had to change gears when the class was full. He was offered two choices; wait until January to transfer in or start in the Bachelor of Management (BMgmt) program immediately.
“I was like, put me in management now,” he says, adding “I’ve never looked back.”
Entrepreneurial Work Term: not as straightforward, but worth it
Opting to do the optional 8-month internship, Hamedelniel is one of very few students who’s chosen what’s called an EWT, or an Entrepreneurial Work Term.
“You submit your letter of intent and your resume and then you go through two group interviews,” he explains. “It’s not as straightforward as the typical internship, but it's worth it.”
With guidance from his advisor, Shakara Russell, he scaled up a business he’d already started. Elfatih, named after his grandfather, began as a business that helped landlords manage student properties. “The students wouldn't take their garbage out on time, so I'd get paid to go take pictures, and then it started growing into like cutting the grass, making sure the snow was plowed.” Now Elfatih has grown into a full-fledged property development company specializing in student housing.
Hamedelniel now has employees and is building real estate solutions for the student market—something he’s been doing while pursuing his degree and playing on Dal’s varsity rugby team.
Get involved in a society—You'll make friends for life
Juggling the business and his studies hasn’t been easy. A turning point came when studying statistics and Hamedelniel realized he needed support. “If you put in the time, go to office hours, ask questions—you’ll build rapport with your professors.”
Faculty like Dr. Paulette Skerrett, who teaches both the introductory and capstone course, and Dr. Najah Attiq, whose passion brought financial management to life, played a vital role in his journey. Â
Hamedelniel’s advice to any new student is to get involved in a society. As the outgoing President of the Dal Management Society, he says that’s he’s made friends for life. Not just a social group, the society plans networking events, case competitions and workshops. He says he feels like he’s part of “one big family.” Â
Born in Sudan and raised in multiple cities across Canada, Hamedelniel now proudly calls the East Coast home.
Whether it’s walking along the waterfront, picking up black licorice and peanut snacks from the Farmer’s Market, or continuing to grow Elfatih, he’s here to stay. Â
As for the list of goals, the master’s degree is still on it—along with a growing vision for his company, the community, and his future. Â