Life After Mac: Real stories of alumni finding their way — Samantha
In high school I wasn’t good at science or math, but I excelled in writing and anything to do with the arts. So, given that I grew up in a household of parents from Caribbean and Indian descent, since I wasn’t going to be a doctor or engineer — law seemed like the only ‘reasonable’ option. I enrolled in the Humanities program at Mac with plans to get into JPPL in second year. But there was something in the back of my mind saying, “well how about Marketing?” So then, the only ‘logical’ next step was to consider switching into Commerce. Here I was, a first year Humanities student now taking both the economics’ and a math that was the equivalent to grade 12 functions since back in high school I thought ‘h*ll nah I won’t need this!’ And let me tell you, it was messy.
I don’t even remember how I found out about the Communications program but it really was my saving grace. Throughout the program, I loved the flexibility it provided for you to choose courses specific to what you were most interested in.
Throughout my years at Mac, I immersed myself in many clubs and teams and from each, learnt and built upon valuable skills. Modeling for Style at Mac taught me how to present myself and be confident, being a Humanities Welcome Week Rep taught me how to cater to different personalities, joining the McMaster Association of West Indian Students (MACaws) provided an opportunity to give back and taught me how to host events, and being a dancer on ImMACculate and competing taught me dedication, time management, and resilience. Balancing extra curriculars and academics was hard. But joining these clubs and teams teaches you SO many things you don’t learn in a classroom. Plus, these experiences are what helps you build your resume, and make lasting friendships.
At the end of my second year, after endless applying on OscarPlus, I was fortunate enough to land my first internship at the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer as a Communications Intern for the summer of 2015. It was all up from there, thanks to the hard work I put in. The next summer I landed one at GSK, also as a Communications Intern. The best advice I can give when in an internship is take on whatever is given to you with open arms, even if you have to ask questions and figure stuff out for yourself. And always look out for ways you can contribute more, network more, and learn more.
Upon a month after graduation, I landed a job in Social Media Marketing at one of Canada’s largest companies, Loblaw Companies Limited. I got to take on many opportunities but my most notable was being flown all over Western and Atlantic Canada to present to hundreds of business owners on the importance of Social Media Marketing. After two years there, I decided I wanted something different. Every company has different things to offer, as do you. And it’s important to check in with yourself and make sure you’re on track to achieve your goals. After applying to jobs and companies that had the qualities I was looking for, I obtained a role as a Social Media and Digital Content Specialist at FCT, a title insurance and real estate services company. I’m only a month into the role but I’m already in love.
I will be forever grateful for my experience at McMaster and wish current students the best of luck!
Samantha Dias ‘17 | BA Communication Studies
LinkedIn: Samantha Dias
The McMaster Alumni Association will be featuring recent grad’s career stories to show career paths are anything but linear. If you graduated in the last 10 years and are interested in sharing yours, submit your story by clicking here.
If you are looking to get started on your own journey, take advantage of the resources available to recent graduates through our partnership with the Student Success Centre.
