By Marvellous Ojo
Journalism & Communications Student Intern

As phones ring and staff move through the office, Julia Lea settles at her desk at Hospice PEI, reviewing the day’s tasks before heading out to collect donations for upcoming fundraisers and connect with local businesses.

Julia, a Business Administration student at Holland College, has just completed her final week of a five-week work-integrated learning placement with Hospice PEI, a non-profit organization that provides care, comfort and support to Islanders and their families facing illness, grief and loss.

Julia, who grew up in Vernon River, P.E.I., had once considered a path in nursing before switching to Business Administration. While she later found her interest in marketing and communications, her experience in healthcare influenced her decision to choose Hospice PEI for her placement.

“I think the nursing skills I learned helped me better understand what hospice is and how it works,” she said.

Work placements are a key element of the Business Administration program, requiring students to complete 160 to 180 hours of hands-on experience while applying classroom learning in a professional setting.

At Hospice PEI, Julia assisted with securing sponsorships, gathering donations and supporting fundraising events. She said the role pushed her beyond her usual limits and helped her grow professionally.

“It was hard and challenging and very scary at first, because I’m just a student. But I’ve gained a lot of valuable skills by getting out of my comfort zone,” she said.

She also helped create content for Volunteer Appreciation Week, using tools such as Canva and Facebook (Meta) to plan and schedule posts that highlight the organization’s work and volunteers.

Julia’s supervisor, Raquel Burrows, graduated from Holland College’s Marketing and Advertising program in 2021. She now works as social media and events coordinator for Hospice PEI, and said Julia quickly adapted to the fast-paced environment, bringing enthusiasm and compassion to her role.

“She knew what she wanted to do, and she was a good help when we were looking for sponsors and gathering donations for our events. Business-wise, she learned the company. She knew more about who we were and what we wanted,” said Raquel.

Nancymarie Arsenault, Executive Director of Hospice PEI, said Julia brought valuable skills and a new perspective to her team.

“Her personality fitted perfectly with the organization. She really showed up to do anything we asked her to do. She also helped develop relationships with business partners that were supporting our work,” said Nancymarie.

With her internship at Hospice PEI complete, Julia’s next focus is on graduating. She plans to remain in Prince Edward Island and pursue opportunities in marketing and communications, while staying open to future paths such as real estate.

“The services that Hospice PEI provides are very useful, and it’s been very meaningful to me. I’m going to apply to a couple of marketing jobs and see where that takes me. It’s definitely something I want to be doing,” Julia said.

In this photo: Raquel Burrows (left), Social Media and Events Coordinator at Hospice PEI, stands with Julia Lea, a Business Administration student at Holland College, and Nancy-Marie Arsenault, Executive Director of Hospice PEI, alongside Dianne Laybolt, Hospice PEI, Queens County Coordinator. They said Julia was a great help to the organization.