2020 Constantine-Yorkville Virtual Run
2020 Constantine-Yorkville
Virtual Run
September 19th, 2020 (or 26th if raining)
GEM Voices

How GEM Helped Me Land my First Internship

Written By
Shirley, GEM Alumna and Scholarship Recipient
January 16, 2023

At GEMinar 3, the GEMgirls were asked to set a personal goal and develop a “plan of attack” to achieve it. Without a second thought, I decided my goal would be “gaining professional development and insights into the workplace”, specifically in finance, as it is my main career aspiration. As for my “plan”, one of the things I wrote down was gaining experience through an internship. Little did I know, two months later, my plan would turn into reality.

In April 2019, I had the opportunity of attending a GEM workshop hosted at Burgundy Asset Management, a reputable firm on Bay Street. I had been anticipating the seminar as its theme “Careers in Finance and How to Pursue Them” piqued my interest. Despite the slim chance of me landing an internship at such an established investment firm as a high school student, a voice inside me urged me to try. After all, at previous GEMinars and workshops I have attended, I had always encountered friendly professionals and an open-minded, welcoming environment. After communicating with the GEM staff, who kindly encouraged and supported me, I approached the recruiting manager at Burgundy. To my amazement, that small act of stepping out of my comfort zone sparked a series of surprises, and eventually led to a summer internship at Burgundy Asset Management.

While I was already inspired at the workshop after learning about the finance industry and tackling a mock case study, being on the job entailed much more. The kindness of the staff, the growth-centric company culture and the incredibly supportive environment fuelled my curiosity for learning and the confidence to push my limits. Aside from developing a vast array of employable skills, I was able to challenge myself with technical reading materials and applying these concepts to my own projects. I had the chance to speak with numerous professionals with diverse backgrounds and experiences in areas of finance, such as investment analysis, accounting, auditing, investor relations and counselling. Through hearing their stories and exploring my own interests by completing different tasks, I had realized a genuine passion for financial analysis. The idea and procedure of investigating the financial, business and managerial characteristics of different companies highly intrigued me, and I am very glad to have found a clearer direction going into my last year of high school. The skills I acquired and refined during my internship will largely help me as I progress in my learning and professional pursuits. I now have greater confidence and courage to further my studies in commerce during my post-secondary education and look forward to more educational and career opportunities to enhance my abilities.

While talking with the staff at Burgundy, many reiterated the importance of mentorship (including the CEO himself!), most of whom received constructive and often pivotal advice from their mentors on their career direction and personal development. I am very appreciative of having built a meaningful connection with my GEM mentor, as well as the mentors I had the fortune of meeting at Burgundy Asset Management.

Thinking back to GEMinar 3, I would have never known that I would be able to achieve my quite ambiguous and ambitious goal. On top of many other things I was able to take away from this past year in the GEM program, my first-ever internship opportunity was yet another surprise that GEM has provided me. Beyond appreciative for this incredible learning experience, I am certain that my summer at Burgundy Asset Management will continue to impact me throughout my journey of self-discovery.

Support #TeamGEM at this year’s Yorkville Virtual Run!

This year, the Yorkville Run will be held virtually from September 13th to September 27th, 2020. Below are the different ways you can participate and support us this year.

1) REGISTER TO Run or Walk with #TEAMGEM

Together, from the safety and comfort of our own neighbourhoods (or anywhere you choose, as long as it abides social distancing rules) we will be RUNNING or WALKING for #TeamGEM on September 19th, 2020 (or on September 26th if it’s raining).

Click here to register

All registered participants will receive a Premium Race Kit and customized Starter's Medal.

To prove your participation, you must do one of the following:

  • Record your run by using our custom Starter's Medal and/or a GPS App such as STRAVA, ASICS RUN KEEPER, or NIKE PLUS and submit your time and a photo of your time to your Race Roster profile.
  • Post a selfie/run photo or video taken during or after your run on Facebook or Instagram and follow @YorkvilleRun and tag ​#TeamGEM, #YorkvilleRun, and #Constantine5K. There are several partner prizes to be won!
2) SPONSOR A GEMGIRL TO PARTICIPATE

We have a roster of GEMgirls who would like to run for #TeamGEM. Donate now to help them register!

SPONSOR A GEMGIRL
3) Donate to a #teamGEM runner

If you can't make it, you can also support a #TEAMGEM runner.

SPONSOR A RUNNER
Dates to Remember
Tuesday, September 8th
to Saturday, September 12th, 2020
Race Kit Pick-up. Participants will be notified via email where in Yorkville you can pick up your race kit.
Sunday, September 13th, 2020
at 9:00 AM
Virtual Event Kick-Off. Join the Constantine Yorkville Run’s Virtual Event Kick-Off by tuning into Facebook & Instagram Live.
Saturday, September 19th, 2020
Run or walk anytime, anywhere for #TeamGEM!
Saturday, September 26th, 2020
#TeamGEM's back up day should weather prevent the run on the 19th.
Saturday, September 26th, 2020
at 5:00 PM
Winners of the Constantine-Yorkville Run’s fundraising prizes will be determined.
Sunday, September 27th, 2020
at 9:00 AM
Join the Constantine-Yorkville Run’s Virtual Event Closing Ceremony by tuning into Facebook & Instagram Live. Hear from our partners and share in the run's exciting fundraising achievement! Fundraising prizes will also be rewarded.

Your support at the Constantine-Yorkville Run this year will raise awareness and funds for the GEM program, which directly impacts young women in our communities and gives them the skills and tools they need to succeed.

Thank you for supporting mentorship!

Questions? Contact us at info@girlsementorship.com

Downloads

Share your participation and support on social media! You can retweet/share GEM’s run postings or use our branded material for the run.

Download Materials
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