In the summer of 2009 I graduated from Ryerson University with an Honours Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography. In my senior year I had the privilege of being choosen as one of the Creative Directors for Function Magazine, the Image Arts Department’s not for profit magazine. Our fundraising efforts that year raised $6000 for the production of the magazine. During my undergrad years I also volunteered with The Herbie Fund and along with my family, hosted two children and their mothers while they were in Toronto receiving life-changing surgeries. These experiences sparked my interest in the world of fundraising. In the Fall of 2009, I was thrilled to intern in the development department at The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery. I enjoyed having a hand in making some amazing exhibitions possible and decided that fundraising was for me. Realizing the depth and complexity of the fundraising profession, and wanting to start my career on a strong foundation, last Fall I decided to go back to school and attend the Fundraising and Volunteer Management program at Humber College.
The Humber program gave me the theoretical knowledge I needed to succeed in a fundraising role and I have been able to apply this knowledge to numerous positions. Last spring I was the Communications Chair for the Humber Initiative on Philanthropy 2011 conference; the event was sold out and raised over $10,000 for the Humber Scholarship Fund. I honed my prospect research skills while volunteering with the Scarborough Hospital Foundation and gained corporate relations and major gifts experience during my internship with the Royal Ontario Museum Governors. Looking forward, I am eager to incorporate my love of the arts and education into my future fundraising endeavors.
