With this goal in mind, TD Insurance Meloche Monnex, Canada's leading provider of group home and auto insurance for professionals and alumni, created a new student internship program with Alumni House at Trent University.

The TD Insurance Meloche Monnex Alumni House Work Bursary was established with a generous gift. Matched through the Ontario Trust for Student Support, an endowment will soon exist to help generations of students achieve their potential and improve our world, while they learn about the rewards of alumni relations and advancement.

"It is an honour to have the support of TD Insurance Meloche Monnex in deepening the campus profile of the Alumni Association. They have been superb business partners, and are nationally recognized as loyal and thoughtful friends of higher education in Canada,” said Tony Storey, director of Alumni Affairs. “Eventually, we will have two student interns in place at Alumni House in perpetuity. At a time when operating budgets are constrained, to have the means to hire an accomplished student is important and creative."

In October, the inaugural TD Insurance Meloche Monnex Alumni House student intern was announced. Fourth-year Geography major and Queen’s-Trent Concurrent Education student Miranda Wilson first heard about the internship opportunity while working closely with Alumni Office staff on coordinating the 20th anniversary of the Trent Penpal Program during Head of the Trent weekend.

“I was ecstatic and honoured to be selected,” Ms. Wilson says about the internship. “It means a new and exciting opportunity in which I can be involved in the Trent University community while helping others to understand the significance of the Alumni Association.”

With further goals of gaining new knowledge and experience and developing leadership skills, Ms. Wilson will help to organize and plan alumni events for the Trent community and encourage current students to understand what the Alumni Association is all about. Other duties include: acting as an ambassador for the Trent University Alumni Association; collaborating with various clubs and groups who wish to use Alumni House for their activities; and greeting the special guests of Alumni House. At the end of her term, Ms. Wilson will give a presentation to Trent Advancement staff on what was discovered during tenure as the TD Insurance Meloche Monnex Alumni House student intern.

“This internship is important because it assists students achieve their potential while they learn about the rewards of the area of alumni relations and advancement,” says Mr. Douglas. “We at TD feel good knowing that the funds generated from our endowed bursary are making it possible for a student intern to work at Alumni House and assist with various worthwhile projects and initiatives. Miranda Wilson is motivated and keen to make a difference for the benefit of the Alumni Association and we wish her well in her endeavours.”

TD Insurance Meloche Monnex has maintained a strong relationship with Trent University since March 2006, working closely with the Alumni Association to provide Trent alumni preferred insurance group rates. Trent is pleased to have close to 1,000 alumni insured through TD Insurance Meloche Monnex.

Photo caption: Colin Harker and Pearl Sarafian of TD Insurance Meloche Monnex, with inaugural student intern Miranda Wilson, and Tony Storey, director of Alumni Affairs