He had heard of St. Paul’s GreenHouse before and decided to apply.
“I knew I was graduating soon and this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be mentored and coached, and to explore and test opportunities while I was still in school. I knew that if I didn’t take this on, I would always wonder what my life would have been like if I had.”
When Patrick joined GreenHouse with the intention of solving international development problems, his initial idea was to leverage technology to provide local human capital and knowledge from North America to enable communities overseas to address their challenges.
Early on, however, GreenHouse Director Tania Del Matto introduced Patrick to Jay Mahoney, founder and president of the New World Community, a social enterprise that was already working to identify the most pressing needs of their partner communities and connect people locally and across the world to make a tangible impact on those developing communities. By the end of his meeting with Jay, Patrick was ready to work with the New World Community team. His current project is a strategic one, helping further increase the number of university student participants in NWC projects.
Jay and his organization have served to mentor and offer a model for Patrick, while at the same time Patrick is able to fill a gap in the NWC organization, using his academic skills and experience. Like Jay, Patrick plans to work for a corporation after he graduates so that he can continue to develop strategic business acumen. At the same time, he hopes to start his own entrepreneurial project, where he can support developing nations by helping with organizational practices that can help others in solving their own challenges. After his graduation, he plans to spend a few months traveling so that he can learn about other cultures and see needs for himself.
Patrick doesn’t have to wonder what his life would have been like if he had joined GreenHouse. Instead, he can reflect on his experience with other “very passionate students with very different passions who are always willing to help one another and to collaborate.” He can also see the important connections that have been facilitated through GreenHouse. “Tania has played an important role in connecting me with a wide variety of different individuals, from organizations like MaRS and MEDA. These connections have opened my eyes. In a business program, you only hear about corporate jobs and opportunities. At GreenHouse, I’ve had the opportunity to see through a different lens – one where you can work for a for-profit organization while ensuring you have sustainable impact. It’s been an exciting opportunity, and a complete win-win.”