I am in my first co-op work term as the Communication and Marketing Assistant for the Alumni Relations department of the University of Waterloo. Before coming into this work term, I had very little understanding of how the department operated. The only clue I had was that Alumni Relations deals with donations made by alumni to support the University. I really cannot say the same anymore.
Over the past few months, I have been exposed to the tremendous impact Waterloo alumni have on the University. Our alumni are dedicated to sharing their UWaterloo pride by giving back to the University through volunteering, donations, and sharing their stories because of the valued education they received.
I have had the privilege of communicating with alumni, asking them to share their success stories on our online blog, enewsletter, and through social media posts. I am amazed at their excitement and eagerness to share their stories and the impact the University has had on their careers.
As an Economics Honours undergraduate student going into my third year, I am inspired by alumni to work harder and impact the world in every good way possible. I have also been inspired to connect with the University after I graduate.
Coming into this communication and marketing position, I was so confident in my communication skills and thought I was well equipped for this job. I later learned that my communication skills required improvement. Through writing minutes of meetings and posts for social media, I have become more detailed in my communications.
My experience working with the Alumni Relations’ team has been a real eye opener. Being exposed to the support the University needs from its alumni, I see myself connecting with UWaterloo after graduation. I really enjoyed working with a group of people who are good at what they do because they have challenged me to grow professionally. Leaving this position, I know that I am truly a much better person than when I started the work.