Grand Challenges Canada (GCC) has seen yet another summer come and go. Despite our work-from-home context, summer fellows went above and beyond with new perspectives, inventive solutions, and passionate attention to issues that mattered most to them. The fellows never cease to amaze GCC with their dedication and hard work!
Here’s what they had to say about their summer experience. Including key takeaways, and advice for future summer fellows:
Hannah Marcus (she/her) | Team: Funder and Partner Relations
What was your favourite project that you worked on and what is a key takeaway from that experience?
My favorite project was supporting the development of parameters for the climate-health funding call that GCC is aiming to launch. Through my involvement in this project, I not only got to learn from countless experts in the field from whom we sought input and ideas, but I also developed a deeper appreciation for the nuances of development funding when multiple intersecting issues are at stake. From this experience, I learned that it is impossible to neatly separate the overlapping drivers of health, social, and environmental challenges, and as such, any holistic funding model must be prepared to work at this intersection by offering flexibility for initiatives that propose indirect pathways of change and, where possible, prioritizing an intersectoral approach to finding solutions.
What advice would you give to future summer fellows?
I would advise future summer fellows to seek every opportunity available to learn from other people’s expertise, experiences, and perspectives working in their respective fields. Throughout only a handful of mentorship calls with staff of varying professional and experiential backgrounds, I learned a lot about topics I would have never otherwise been exposed to in my everyday work, while also developing more clarity on my own career path. GCC is full of incredibly accomplished individuals and learning from their successes and journeys is something every fellow should take full advantage of!
Rebecca Cecim (she/her) | Team: Human Resources and Operations 
What was your favourite project that you worked on and what is a key takeaway from that experience?
I enjoyed working with the human resources team to collect and analyze employee feedback on the upcoming 4-day work week trial and put together multiple presentations on information regarding the 4-day work week and best practices. Through this, all staff at GCC can be better equipped on what to expect going into a 4-day work week and the human resources team is prepared to support staff through this exciting shift. A key takeaway from that experience is the importance of promoting and practicing a healthy work-life balance. Not only is it valuable to practice this in your own life but helping to create a work environment which ensures others are able to balance their work and personal lives results in increased motivation and productivity within the greater team and contributes to a positive work culture.
What advice would you give to future summer fellows?
Make the most out of your time at GCC because it goes by so quickly! Connect with different people and take on new and exciting work. There will be many opportunities to be involved in different projects which I recommend you take full advantage of, and if there’s anything you want to be involved with, make it a point to ask. Everyone at GCC is more than willing to support you and they want to see you grow and succeed in your professional development, so make the most of those connections.
Hailey Marleau (she/her) | Team: Communications
What was your favourite project that you worked on and what is a key takeaway from that experience?
My favourite project that I worked on was remaking GCC’s Inclusive and Antiracist language guide to be more accessible and useable for everyone at GCC. I really enjoyed this experience because I was able to help forward GCC’s efforts towards inclusion and decolonization by ensuring that everyone was able to access and contribute to the language guide, since language plays a crucial role in promoting social change. A key takeaway from this project is that the importance of communications work lies in making new knowledge and advancements accessible to a wider audience – this project helped me understand that work will not make an impact until it can be widely disseminated amongst an audience, and thus taught me the importance of democratizing the work that we do!
What advice would you give to future summer fellows?
Learn as much as you can about the work that GCC does in all its unique portfolios – go to chats with innovators, read the programs teams’ reports on innovator results, and have coffee chats with people from other portfolios. GCC works in such a unique and diverse space and learning about its work can help you in so many future endeavors! Also, everyone is so friendly and willing to help with anything, chat about career paths, or give advice – just reach out!
Shewit Buzuayne (she/her) | Team: Global Health Innovation
What was your favourite project that you worked on and what is a key takeaway from that experience?
As a fellow working with multiple teams, I had the opportunity to work on an evaluation of a round of Savings Brains innovations. I found this project really interesting as I gained a deeper insight of the diverse experiences, successes and challenges faced by innovators, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
What advice would you give to future summer fellows?
Have goals written out at the onset of your fellowship and go back to them frequently. The four months of the fellowship go by so quickly, it’s important to make the most of it!
Sruthi Mada (she/her) | Team: IT Operations
What was your favourite project that you worked on and what is a key takeaway from that experience?
I personally do not have favourite project, but I had a fun time designing SharePoint site for Safe Travels and the whole creative process. The key takeaway from that process was that I really enjoy creating websites or designing them.
What advice would you give to future summer fellows?
For future summer fellows, make connections, ask questions (even the ones you think are dumb), enjoy your time and live through every moment as the 4 months will go by so fast and it’s important to reflect on everything from time to time and be proud of yourself and achievements.
Hannah Ahamedi (she/her) | Team: Humanitarian 
What was your favourite project that you worked on and what is a key takeaway from that experience?
My favourite project over the course of the fellowship was working on HGC 2.0. As someone who comes from a research background, being able to apply my skills with the interests of the HGC team and our stakeholders was an amazing experience. I learned a lot about three different aspects of the humanitarian sector that I did not have much exposure to prior. This has helped shape my research proposals for graduate schools and also my overall interests moving forward as both a researcher and person who is part of a larger global community
What advice would you give to future summer fellows?
Wear your heart on your sleeve. GCC is a community of people that are truly one of a kind and being your authentic self leads to forming deeper and stronger relationships with the people around you. Ask questions, stay curious, and always show kindness to yourself”.
Aiden Cyr (he/him) | Team: Indigenous Innovation Initiative
What was your favourite project that you worked on and what is a key takeaway from that experience?
Working with the I3 team is special because of the opportunity it presents to become close with innovative Indigenous leaders who are creating change in health, social outcomes, economic reconciliation, and more. The insights I was able to benefit from routinely happened as I assisted with reporting and the operation of the Indigenous Innovation Council.
To be so close to these leaders in innovation and listen to the generations of cultural wisdom they share and first-hand witnessing how it guides the day-day operations of the I3 team will always stay with me. Whether it was discussions on identity, the impact of COVID-19 on Indigenous communities or the practical pathways to ensuring greater socio-economic equality through I3 programs.
What advice would you give to future summer fellows?
Future Summer Fellows should come ready to share their best practices with the team at large while being open-minded to learn from others. The more a fellow invests in relationships and connecting with others and the social opportunities the more they will get from the experience.
