Blog

Changing the World, Two Interns at a Time

Max Zhu

Max Zhu, ORION Social Media and Business Development Intern

I just completed my first year in the Bachelor of Business Administration program at the Schulich School of Business, York University. As I near the crossroads of choosing a specialization, I am considering a future in accounting or marketing. Both are very challenging in their own ways but I am hopeful to find a field that synthesizes my passion for analysis and innovation. Outside of the classroom, I am a journalist for the Insider (the School’s business magazine) where I focus my reporting on socioeconomic and political developments in Asia. There is a very obscure divide between politics and the economy and, as a contributor, I am grateful to be able to enhance that knowledge for others while learning a little bit myself!

My other hobbies are pretty weird. By the time I was 8 years old, I had already memorized all of the TTC bus routes and subway lines by heart. That obsession continues today.  Other than this, I have always been an avid follower of current events and enjoy reading the newspaper, the most. I’m also an ardent photographer but most of my work captures cityscape and the urban lifestyle. My passion lies in soaking up and unearthing the magnificence of city life. My favourite city to study is undoubtedly, Toronto. It’s beauty, its diversity; its bustling morning traffic attracts my mind like a magnet. In terms of sports, I coach badminton on the weekends and cheer on the (once) losing Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors.

I chose to join ORION because the organization is motivated by service, not profit. With some ideas, I hope to enhance ORION’s presence in the world of research, education and innovation in Ontario as the one-stop destination for expertise. There is a world of expertise within our small team; CMAs, marketers, engineers – I am confident that I’ll learn more from them than the internship itself! Most importantly, ORION offers me the space for growth and innovation. Good ideas, bad ideas – all are encouraged and at a distance from the government, ORION is less restrictive of the activities I pursue.  It will certainly be my backbone of innovation.

As a student in Ontario’s higher-education system, I expect that my network is fast, reliable and efficient to my Internet needs. I notice my tuition is invested in improving local wireless infrastructure but, without the bandwidth that ORION offers, those efforts are quite futile. Virtual collaboration, for instance, is essential for the 2013 student. Google Docs (and other cloud-based services) is perfect for exchanging information or building presentations, eliminating that individual that has to “put it together” – but it is so frustrating when it lags. Another example is Skype; I should be able to conduct multi-way videoconferencing with the missing members of my team, not discouraged to the point where calling becomes the superior option. A faster, ORION network enables my professors to upload video lectures to YouTube – rather than recordings though Camtasia – so I can see step-by-step math calculations on the blackboard. I am able to access them from any location in the world yet still receive the same experience as a seated student!

Adieu until next time! And, don’t forget, keep discovering.