Graduated: 2023
What was your MCS program of study?
Statistics (Major), Computer Science (Minor), Business and Entrepreneurship (Minor)
What did you learn while at UTM?
Since we all take similar classes, I’ll focus on what I learned outside of the MCS stream. I took a broad range of courses outside of my requirements to get exposure to various ways of thinking and keep my communication skills sharp. I also launched and led the Women in Science and Computing team, which is where I learned how to execute big ideas and work within cross-functional teams. These skills served me well as I entered the professional world, and I would encourage you to find communities that align with your interests while you’re at UTM!
Can you share with us your career story to date?
While at UTM, I wanted to try as many different roles as possible so I would have more clarity as to where I wanted to be post-graduation. I did two summer internships within the Strategy org at RBC Tech & Ops.
I then did a “DIY PEY” year, where I did 4 different internships. I started at RBC Tech & Ops, this time on their Employee Experiences strategy team. I then moved to the data science team at RBC Ventures, working on consumer fintech. I learned that I liked product work, so I moved into product management at Alpha Layer, an early-stage fintech start-up. Throughout all of this, I was also part-time with Front Row Ventures, a venture fund investing in pre-seed Canadian student-led tech companies. This gave me exposure to venture capital, which is where I realized my passion was. I joined Thomson Reuters Ventures, a seed and series A enterprise tech fund, for my final internship.
When I returned for senior year, I worked part-time for Overlooked Ventures, an early-stage fund investing in historically overlooked founders. I had a teaching assistant role for my final semester, and upon graduation, moved to New York to join Thomson Reuters Ventures full-time, which is where I am now.
Any advice on career planning and job search?
- Use your undergrad years to get exposure to different types of companies and how they operate. Learning what you don’t like in a job is just as important as learning what you do like.
- Leverage being a student and having access to some of the best minds. This also means the libraries, research labs, conferences, accelerators, and alumni network!
- Start building a brand for yourself in the space you want to be in. This can look like written content creation sharing your opinions, reaching out to founders in the industry, or attending curated events.
- Don’t self reject! Make sure you’re putting your name in the hat even when you don’t meet every single requirement.
How can MCS students connect with you?
