UNB’s Compass Internship a ‘Life-Changing Experience’
International MBA student Ramanjeet Singh calls it a “life-changing experience.”
This summer, Singh took part in a University of New Brunswick’s (UNB) Compass internship with Eastern Charlotte Waterways. He says the internship experience with Eastern Charlotte Waterways (ECW) has given him a host of new insights into New Brunswick — a place he hopes to call home after finishing his studies.
Singh has one more year to go, but once he’s finished his internship he will receive credit toward his Master of Business Administration at UNB’s faculty of management.
“I didn’t have much of an idea about social enterprises, about how you work for the community and make a profit, then use that profit to work for the community. It’s something I really like,” he says.
The internship is offered through the Compass program, which is coordinated by UNB’s Office of Experiential Education.
Compass is a 16-week internship open to all UNB students, giving them experience in economic, social, and civic development in rural communities across New Brunswick. Through interdisciplinary teamwork, students tackle pressing challenges identified by local stakeholders, ensuring their work makes a direct impact.
Interns are provided with housing and transportation funds to support their relocation for the duration of the internship. By living in these communities and experiencing their strengths and challenges firsthand, students gain a transformative learning experience.
“Raman’s placement with the Eastern Charlotte Waterways is a fantastic example of the importance of experiential learning to inspiring transformational change: for students, partners, and entire communities. Raman has thrown himself wholeheartedly into his placement and has successfully run events for his partner organization and has even volunteered at local events to help integrate into the community,” says Chelsea MacDonald, the Community Development Officer with UNB’s Office of Experiential Learning.
“Community-engaged learning programs like Compass help students make an impact while they study, helping rural communities in New Brunswick to thrive.”
In Singh’s case, he says of all initiatives ECW is involved with, the work he’s done on the indoor farm has meant the most.
“We’re trying to make Charlotte County self-sustaining through the winter,” he explains. He notes that seven per cent of the county’s vegetables are grown in the region and 93 per cent are imported. One solution for the county is a hydroponic farm located in Black’s Harbour’s old grocery store building.
Singh is currently working on a survey of potential farm customers, collecting data to determine how the ECW should move forward with its hydroponic vegetable growing plans.
“We’re trying to supply the local restaurants, supermarkets, and ultimately, wholesale,” he says. “We’re growing lettuce, arugula, basil, cilantro, and microgreens. We are trying to figure out what the requirements are, how much they need, how much they’re willing to pay, what sort of deliveries they’ll be requiring, what’s their preference for communication and how much of the product goes unused.”
Singh says collecting and analyzing the data is a real-world opportunity to use the skills he’s acquired in his program, particularly those he gained through the business development analysis class, which has helped him with the data side of his work. That’s also true of his professional development classes, which have prepared him with the tools to communicate and interact in a Canadian business environment.
ECW executive director Briana Cowie says Singh has become a valuable contributor to the organization.
“It’s very grassroots, what we’re doing. And it’s nice to have interns who are experienced but also willing to learn, as well as grow their expertise alongside us,” she says.
“It’s been interesting to talk to him about growing up in India, the rural and urban experiences there. Applying that lens to things has been helpful. We’re all learning from each other.”
Singh says having the Compass work experience has changed his perspective on his career goals and aspirations moving forward.
“Making money is fine but working for a social enterprise is great. It fulfils you. It also gives you money but it fulfils that desire of doing something good for the community. It makes you feel good about yourself.”
This story is sponsored by the University of New Brunswick