Awesome Summer Interns
Meet the three extraordinary young people who worked with the RAPS administrative team this year!
For the past several years, thanks to the Canada Summer Jobs program, RAPS has welcomed a team of university students to intern in various parts of our organization.
This year, we had six outstanding young people working with us. This week, we introduce you (in case you haven’t met them!) to the three who worked with the RAPS administrative team. Next issue, meet the three interns who spent the summer with the residents at the RAPS Cat Sanctuary.
“Working with these six extraordinary young adults has been an inspiration,” says Eyal Lichtmann, CEO of RAPS. “Each one came to us with their unique skills and attributes and every single one exceeded our rather high expectations. We are advised not to judge an entire generation based on the actions of a few, but I have never been more certain that the world is in great hands with future leaders like these students preparing to assume ever more important roles in business, the nonprofit sector and influencing the important issues of today and tomorrow. These interns have truly awed us!”
Elshen Ebadi
What did you do at RAPS this summer?
This summer I worked with the Director of Business Development, Jonathan Lerner. Over this summer, I have been focused on raising funds for RAPS and increasing our streams of income, so that we can improve our capacity to support animals and their owners. I have mainly been in charge of finding stores to partner with us on our TaptoDonate initiative while also discovering charities, foundations and corporations to support our mission.
What are you studying?
I am a UBC Science student specializing in neurogenetics heading to my fourth year of study.
Where are you from?
Burnaby
Do you have pets?
I do not have any pets, but my favorite animal is the capybara. They have a funny name, are majestic and seem very fun to hang out with.
What are your hobbies?
I like cooking, baking and problem-solving puzzles. I have been getting into Sudoku and am steering towards crosswords currently.
Where do you hope to be in 5 and 10 years?
In five years, I hope to be in a consulting position where I am able to learn high-level skills and business fundamentals while having the ability to consult for non-profits. In 10 years, I hope to move away from corporate culture and look towards starting my own small business that does something fun.
Elie Hutchinson
What did you do at RAPS this summer?
This summer, I worked as a Business Intern at RAPS, focusing on the marketing side. I worked alongside Marian [Senior Manager, Operations] most of the time, helping out with some graphic design tasks, and social media posts, especially on TikTok. As well, I was working on the RAPS Google Ads, helping with blog posts, and the bi-weekly newsletters, along with a couple of other tasks.
What are you studying?
I’m going into my fourth year at UBC, studying Business with a specialization in Marketing and International Business.
Where are you from?
Calgary, Alberta.
Do you have pets?
Yes, I have a dog. His name is Chinook and he is a Bichon Yorkie Shih-Tzu!
What are your hobbies?
I play soccer recreationally and also do aerial silks from time to time. I also enjoy reading and spending time with my friends and family.
Where do you hope to be in 5 and 10 years?
In 5 years, I hope to be fluent in Spanish and to be working a job that I find fulfilling and exciting in either Vancouver or Toronto. In 10 years, I hope to have travelled and experienced living and working in several different cities around the world and I will have hopefully adopted another dog.
Any other things you would like people to know?!
Working at RAPS this summer has been extremely valuable and I’m glad that I was able to contribute to such an amazing organization!
Aiden Antoine
What did you do at RAPS this summer?
One of the things I enjoyed most about working at RAPS was the variety of different tasks and areas of their operations I was able to get involved with and learn more about. Researching and revising public reports, pulling and analyzing viewer data for our newsletters and social media accounts, representing RAPS at community events, taking donations and phone calls in the office, and even editing and engineering the newly launched Animal Protection Radio podcast… there was always something new to do!
What are you studying?
This September, I’ll be going into my third year in the Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) program at the UBC Sauder School of Business, specializing in Business Technology Management.
Where are you from?
I’m from Kamloops, but currently live on-campus at UBC with my brother. I’ve also lived in Richmond, Langley, Surrey, and Cache Creek.
Do you have pets?
Sadly, my family was never in a position where having pets was viable, but I grew up around lots of friends and extended family members who had pets of their own. I remember spending summers as a kid with my grandparents, who had four (later five) dogs and several cats on their First Nations reserve. I’m definitely a dog person — they’re all so affectionate and loyal, how could you not love them?
What are your hobbies?
Outside of work, I produce music on my laptop and dabble in photography and digital art from time to time. I’m also a big fan of automotive, sneaker, and hip-hop culture, so I like to stay up-to-date on the latest news. Other than that, I enjoy spending time outside, playing video games, or chatting with friends.
Where do you hope to be in 5 and 10 years?
In 5 years, I hope to be working in a position related to information technology, data analysis, project management, or a similar field in Vancouver. In 10 years, finding a career as an analyst or manager in the automotive, fashion, tech, or media services industry would be my dream goal.
Any other things you would like people to know?
If you’re reading this, thank you for supporting the Regional Animal Protection Society! It’s an amazing organization doing great things for animals across British Columbia, and I truly enjoyed my time working with the people – and animals – of RAPS.
