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My name is Aliyah Yagboyaju, and I am an undergraduate student at À¦°óSMÉçÇø, beginning my final year pursuing a double major in Political Science and Economics. As someone who has always been invested in the social sciences, my goal in life is to contribute to meaningful change in people's lives, whether at the individual level or on a broader scale. That is why I currently aim to attend law school once I receive my diploma and begin the path to

becoming an attorney – advocating for the interests of the disadvantaged.

As I passed through my second year of university, I knew that I wanted a summer internship at an organization whose values aligned with mine. Thus, when I attended the event held by the Arts Internship Office and discovered Synergos, I immediately knew that I had to apply. Synergos is a non-profit organization operating globally, which aims to connect wealthy individuals, organizations, and governments across the world to dismantle systems of poverty, social injustice, and climate change. I worked at a non-profit previously, however it was largely different in terms of the criminal justice sector it tackled, as well as its scale. As such, Synergos presented a new opportunity that aligned with my interests, and offered the prospect of discovering what behind-the-scenes work is being done to advance the world around me.

At Synergos, I was an intern in the philanthropy department. Synergos is home to the Global Philanthropists Circle (GPC), a community of over 400 leading philanthropists from across the world, allowing members to exchange ideas on how to best utilize their resources to produce change. As a GPC intern, I had a variety of responsibilities. My manager, Sabrina Kesler, managed operations, so my work primarily focused on organizing and auditing the company database. However, I connected with and supported various other departments, allowing me to take on tasks from writing documents to creating PowerPoint presentations to stakeholder research, platform design, and strategizing.

There were many highlights of my internship in the GPC. First and foremost, I was able to connect with and learn from individuals across several continents. In this role, I was exposed to such a vast network, and everyone brought a unique set of knowledge and skills that I was able to benefit from. Additionally, I got to explore the back end of several country-based initiatives. I was able to see the research, planning and resource allocation that contributes to creating new systems of agriculture, schooling, etc. This was an invaluable experience, and I am so thankful to have experienced it at Synergos.

Truthfully, the greatest challenge I experienced through this internship was adapting to a remote work environment. In the past, I have only worked in-person and hybrid positions. As such, this summer was certainly a learning curve as I navigated building relationships and achieving effective cross-department communication through a screen and staying on top of self-management. However, I am proud to say that I eventually found my footing through the process and am well prepared for any future remote roles that may await.

None of this would have been possible without the support of the Arts Internship Office in guiding me to this organization, and the funds offered by Mr. George Currie through the McDonald Currie Fund for International Management and Development. Without this funding, this internship would have been difficult for me to complete as I likely would have had to find an alternate paid job on the side. The award allowed me to focus solely on my role and fully immerse myself in the experience, which also magnified the quality of my work. So, a major thank you to Mr. George Currie!

All in all, I am so grateful to have had such a challenging and fulfilling summer with Synergos. I’ve gained lifelong memories through this internship and am feeling infinitely more prepared for the next chapter in my professional life.