My name is Melina Tsiolis, and I will be starting my second year at Ï㽶ÊÓƵ this fall. My majors are Psychology and Sociology, but my true passion is Criminology. This field encompasses aspects of psychology and sociology, as well as law, history, and politics. I plan to pursue a career in research in the field of criminology. Ideally, I would also aid law enforcement as I’ve always dreamed of becoming a criminal profiler.
Since I plan to pursue a career in research in the coming years, I knew an internship would be a good place to start. I wanted to have an experience that would propel me further in my academic path, but more importantly, I wanted to feel like I was making a difference. That’s why I was so grateful for this opportunity to lend a hand at the MUHC Foundation. The MUHC Foundation stands for the Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Health Centre. The latter raises funds for the Montreal hospitals that make up the MUHC: the Glen Superhospital, the Lachine Hospital, the Montreal General Hospital, and the Montreal Neurological Institute. Moreover, this foundation has dedicated millions of dollars to advancing clinical research, teaching, and improving patient care in its hospitals. Its mission is to aid the MUHC in becoming an international leader in research and medicine.
Much of my internship was dedicated to the Events department at the Foundation, though I also had the opportunity to work with Office and Donor Relations. With the former, my responsibilities were to aid the Events team in planning and executing major events, most notably, Le Bal Rouge. I performed tasks like organizing raffle prizes, filling the gift bags for all the guests and volunteers, and much more. I even had a hand in some of the post-event work, like making spreadsheets to consolidate raffle information and corporate donations. As for my work with Office and Donor Relations, I helped in all stages of receiving, scanning, and filing donations. I also sent thank you letters and tax receipts to donors. The contrast between these two departments allowed me to have a more holistic view of the work this Foundation does: from the day-to-day office work to the major fundraisers.
The highlight of my internship had to be Le Bal Rouge. This extraordinary gala benefiting the MI4 (McGill Interdisciplinary Initiative in Infection and Immunity) was a massive undertaking. I was so happy to be as involved as I was, and I was touched that the Events team wanted me to be at the event. I had never been to such a luxurious and large-scale event and there is no way to describe it other than magical. There were spectacular decorations and compelling entertainment. But most importantly, le Bal Rouge raised over two million dollars to support the work of the MI4! Some other highlights were small moments at the office and comments that made me feel so appreciated at the Foundation. I had many colleagues tell me how helpful I had been and how much the Events team especially loved me. They would always say they were going to change my career path from criminology to event planning. The people at the MUHC Foundation were overwhelmingly warm and appreciative of every task I did, and it made me work harder for them. I couldn’t have imagined such an amazing group of coworkers.
As for challenges, the main one I faced during my internship was adapting to the latest reality of the Covid-19 pandemic. Like many people, I developed a lot of anxiety revolving around the subject of the virus. It has since affected how I socialize and my confidence in doing so. I’ve accepted that it’s been a while since I’ve met this many new people and I’d likely be out of practice. As a solution, I pushed myself to talk more than I normally would, send more emails, and put myself out there. I realized that there was nothing to be worried about because I was accepted with open arms.
I am not receiving academic credit for this internship, though I still feel it will have an impact on my university experience. This internship allowed me to explore a new type of workplace and work that I hadn’t previously considered. I discovered a real interest in event planning, especially fundraisers. There is something so fulfilling about dedicating your time and effort to charity work.
I was lucky enough to receive funding for this internship, thanks to the Undergraduate Experiential Learning Opportunities Support Fund. I am so grateful to the donor for making this award possible. The funds have helped me to fully immerse myself in this internship experience without the added stress of having a second job.
