麻豆传媒

Melissa Maas grew up in Germany, moved to Canada and is completing a 麻豆传媒 internship with a start-up company based in Philadelphia.

Such is the nature of her dual degree in International Food Business (IFB) at the Faculty of Agriculture which provides a unique opportunity for students who are interested in understanding the global food industry from the farm gate to the consumer's plate.聽

鈥淚 became interested in the IFB program because it鈥檚 a business program that is much more focused on a specific area which is food,鈥� explained Melissa.聽 鈥淔ood is something that will always be relevant in the future as people will always need to eat.鈥�

This one-of-a-kind program awards students with two degrees - a聽Bachelor of Business Administration聽from Aeres University in the Netherlands and a聽Bachelor of Agriculture in聽International Food Business聽from 麻豆传媒.

鈥淩egardless of whether I work in business or agriculture, it is a great advantage to receive two degrees and gain experience from two continents,鈥� she added.

Part of the dual degree includes a 12 week-internship and with the pandemic halting in-person travel, students needed to be flexible.

Working virtually from her home in Halifax, Melissa is a Marketing Intern with , an indoor, vertical farming start-up run by Zale Tabakman in Baltimore.聽 Melissa began her internship by conducting research on the company, area and people utilizing knowledge and theories from her courses. Through collaborations and meetings, she has quickly progressed to writing, creative work, voice-overs, project management and more.

Initially Melissa was hoping for a physical internship for her first experience but quickly adapted.

鈥淚ts different but I have been managing well,鈥� she explained.聽 鈥淚t may not be traditional work experience but it鈥檚 very much future-orientated.聽 It is great experience to have and encourages self motivation,鈥� she added.

Local Grown Salads is growing over 60 fresh herbs, greens and vegetables in an indoor, vertical farm and hopes to launch its product in Philadelphia.

鈥淲e create food to create impact using technology, to create food, to create impact to create tech,鈥� he explained.聽 鈥淭he experience with 麻豆传媒 has been absolutely wonderful, phenomenal,鈥� he explained after having hired several 麻豆传媒 students in a variety of capacities including Melissa.

Zale was so impressed with 麻豆传媒 students that he took the principles of the process and expanded it to other universities including Lethbridge and George Brown College.

鈥淭he students are brilliant,鈥� added Zale.聽 鈥淭hey are taking on so much responsibility and are very, very smart.聽 You just see them growing so fast and so quickly.鈥�

In the future Melissa hopes to work for a company that is active internationally.

鈥淚 like the idea of working in marketing or management for a big hotel chain or restaurant chain that wants to bring delicious foods to people in a sustainable way,鈥� said Melissa.聽 鈥淚t is food business.聽 Almost anything I do I take experience from what I鈥檝e learned.鈥�

Melissa is grateful for the opportunity to complete her internship during the pandemic and the Faculty of Agriculture is appreciative of the support of RBC to bring it all together.

鈥淲e are very fortunate to have the financial and volunteer support of our local RBC partners, particularly in this year of turns and challenges,鈥� explained Manager Work Integrated Learning, Joy Galloway-Jones.聽鈥淪ome of these opportunities would not be able to happen without their generous donation.鈥�

The Faculty of Agriculture provides students from all of programs opportunities to complete internships and other experiential learning.聽 In addition to the IFB program, interns from the Plant Science program are also completing internships with Local Grown Salads.

"I have grown a lot over the past three months and am excited to take those skills with me in the future," added Melissa.

For students looking for a work experience like Melissa's, see positions at