Amongst the hours you spend in classrooms listening to lectures and in the library buried in books, there is so much going on around campus that you might not be aware of. If you don’t take the time to see what’s out there, you could be missing out on some very cool and exciting opportunities. This goes for interning as well. In addition to searching for off-campus internships, getting involved on campus can be incredibly beneficial. Not only do you get to meet and collaborate with people who share your interests, but you also get the chance to learn valuable skills that you can take with you even after you graduate. We found a few students who are making the most of their time on campus. They shared their experiences with us and gave insight into what they’re learning along the way.
Andreia McLean, Wilfred Laurier University
“I am very actively involved in my campus’s Greek Life. Specifically in my own sorority, Alpha Phi, I serve on our executive board as the Panhellenic Delegate, bringing news from other sororities. I also oversee the recruitment process for all of the sororities on my campus. I also serve on my campus’s Greek Council; a council of the Fraternities and Sororities on campus that cooperate to put on events to benefit different philanthropic initiatives, as well as socials to help unify us as a collective.
I’ve served in many different positions throughout my four years at Laurier, mostly in the recruitment or event planning departments, but this year has been my most involved. The skills I have learned in each of these roles are invaluable in the real working world. Recruitment has taught me how to sell anything from a product, to a group of people, to a lifestyle. And planning socials for the entire Greek Life community on my campus has taught me how to organize on a large scale, work with many different people, and plan and execute a successful large scale event. The skills I have learned through my leadership roles in Alpha Phi, Panhellenic, and Greek Council will be a great assist in finding, maintaining, and thriving in a working position after university.”
Raeniel Holgado, Simon Fraser University
“At SFU, I am heavily involved with Enactus SFU. Enactus is a student-run organization that creates several entrepreneurial-driven projects to tackle various social issues within the community. In particular, I project manage a financial literacy program called “Count on Me”, which instills basic financial literacy skills to youth at-risk to inspire them to build a more sustainable future.
As a Project Manager, I learned a lot about managing a team and to hold every single member accountable. Another key take-away from my experience being a project lead is that time is your worst enemy. Hence, it’s pertinent to set S.M.A.R.T. goals to ensure you accomplish tasks in a timely fashion.”
Sam Sim, Ryerson University
“I’m involved in the Ted Rogers Management Conference (TRMC), Ryerson University Finance Society (RUFS) and the Ryerson Speech & Debate Association (RSDA). This year I’ve really gotten involved in the business community at Ryerson, especially with student groups. I’ve learned so much about marketing, management, team building and strategy from working on these teams. These are all skills you can’t just learn from reading a textbook. It’s much more effective to put them into practice.
There are so many other areas and industries I can take my journalism degree, besides just being a reporter. My interest ultimately lies in business and so being a part of these groups is not only allowing me to pick up useful business skills I can put on my resume, but an opportunity to explore all different industries to see what I’m passionate about.”
