If you’ve met me, you likely know that I love what I do.
A job in Athletics Development at McGill was never part of the plan; in fact, working for a university was never part of the plan. But there I was, moving back home to build a philanthropic program from scratch at one of the most prestigious schools in the country – no pressure.
What started off with a lot of uncertainty quickly became my passion. I have always believed that sport is one of the greatest vehicles for philanthropy. Put a ball down in front of some kids and it doesn’t matter what language they speak, their socio-economic status, the colour of their skin or their gender – if you can play, you play. Sport has the power to help immigrants assimilate to a new culture or encourage people to take risks and push themselves. It’s capable of empowering women to be leaders or helping to create a healthier community from the bottom up. At McGill, I was able to support that vehicle every single day. I’m grateful to have been able to support teammates honour one of their own, see students receive an education they might otherwise not have received, work with athletes on their own philanthropy and guide hundreds of them as they learned to express their gratitude to the donors who helped get them there.
This was my dream job, and it’s not often that you get to say that. It’s not often that you get to work with people that feel like family. It’s not often that you get to help create lifelong bonds and build relationships that you know will last forever. And it’s certainly not often that you get to go home everyday knowing that your team is making an impact.
To say deciding to leave my role was a hard decision would be an understatement. In my almost four years at McGill, I met incredible people and learned so much. I was fortunate to be surrounded by so many gracious alumni, volunteers, colleagues and students who encouraged me to be better, supported my work, championed my dreams, and pushed me out of my comfort zone. A great alum once told us, you need to get comfortable with the uncomfortable – so here I am, getting up close and personal with the uncomfortable and I invite you to be a part of this wild ride because I wouldn’t have been able to do it, had it not been for you.
So thank you to every single person that has been there along the way. To those who patiently answered my questions, supported my ridiculous ideas, fielded absurd requests, guided and mentored me, troubleshot with and for me, and showed up for me. You have all become family and for that, I will forever be grateful.
- Samantha
