Ten StFX students have recently been awarded the 2023 Wallace Family Internships to pursue their own unique business idea while receiving funding for 12 weeks of full-time summer employment.
Administered by the StFX DiscoverBox, Wallace Family Internships provide students with a self-directed learning experience that helps strengthen entrepreneurial skills through hands on exploration and development.
Throughout the summer, Wallace Interns also receive coaching and assistance from StFX staff and faculty mentors while engaging in learning activities that help them explore and develop their venture.
Past Wallace Interns have notably gone on to win prestigious entrepreneurship awards, expand their product reach nationwide, be part of high profile company acquisitions and more.
To learn more about the successful 2023 Wallace Family Internship recipients and their projects, please read on:
Up&Atom Sport and Science Camp:
Aliyah Fraser, BASc Health, 2023 graduate | Jaya D'Souza, BA Public Policy and Governance, 3rd Year | Kira Atherley, BASc Climate and Environment, 3rd Year
Up&Atom is a sport and science camp aimed to introduce marginalized youth to sport and promote STEM education. The camp shows children the importance of sport and science, and how both can benefit their lives. Up&Atom plans to directly connect with marginalized youth and their communities by providing positive role models and allowing them to participate in a cost free camp that may not otherwise be available to them. The goal is to host camps within attendees’ communities to ensure all participants feel comfortable and welcome. Aliyah, Jaya, and Kira hope the camp provides joy to not only the children who participate but to their parents too, as they witness how Up&Atom motivates their children in both their athletic and academic pursuits. Up&Atom is currently the only sport and science camp in Nova Scotia. Future goals include to expand Up&Atom into other areas of Nova Scotia and eventually Ontario.
TapMaps:
Amit Zunenshine, BBA Entrepreneurship, 3rd Year | Amir Davidson, BBA Entrepreneurship, 3rd Year
TapMaps is a user-friendly, indoor navigation solution that provides a digital map to guide users to their destinations. It utilizes existing hardware in structures and leverages Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technologies in order to provide the most accurate wayfinding application at the convenience of any smartphone device. TapMaps aims to cater to a wide range of users in a variety of settings, including malls, airports, large office buildings, hospitals, museums, and more. It is intended to benefit anyone who is facing challenges navigating through a complex indoor space. TapMaps also has the potential to impact communities by making indoor navigation more accessible, thereby encouraging more visits to local businesses and events. Amit and Amir are excited by the potential of revolutionizing indoor navigation, making it more user-friendly and accessible for a wide range of people, and ultimately enhancing the overall experience. By the end of their Wallace Internship, they hope to refine their business model and strategy, develop an efficient prototype (MVP), expand their user base, and establish partnerships with key stakeholders in the market. Within five years, Amit and Amir’s goal is to see TapMaps as the go-to solution globally, ensuring that indoor navigation is a seamless experience for everyone.
CM Marine Safety Equipment:
Ben Collings Mackay, BBA Accounting, 3rd Year
CM Marine Safety Equipment is a lifejacket company that will create life jackets specifically made for commercial fishing. The lifejackets will be made to meet the everyday needs of fishermen to ensure their safety. CM Marine Safety Equipment’s lifejacket differs than those on the market as it will be integrated into the oil gear that the fishermen already wear versus worn separately like other traditional lifejackets. Ben was inspired to create this product by the stories of his grandfather and great grandfather who both nearly drowned while fishing. By the end of his Wallace Internship, Ben hopes to have a working prototype and begin the patent process. Within five years, his goal is to be selling his product online and within retail stores across Eastern Canada.
Elwood Pens LTD:
Dylan Thompson-Mackay, BBA Accounting, 3rd Year
Elwood Pens LTD. is a handcrafted wooden pen and mechanical pencil manufacturer. The company officially began in March 2023 but is a continuation of the business Elwood Pens, which started in June 2016. The Elwood brand gets its namesake from Dylan’s grandfather, Elwood MacKay. His grandfather had a tremendous impact on others through his involvement with Alcoholics Anonymous, in addition to being a master machinist whose quality of work was impeccable. With his grandfather in mind, Dylan created his brand to inspire others to “write their own story” because no matter what hand we have been dealt, we can always aspire to be a better version of ourselves. Elwood Pens has historically sold to gift givers and tourists visiting the province, however, this new version of the company will include manufacturing of high-quality, sustainable goods that are produced in Nova Scotia. The goal is to have a larger impact and sell products globally online. Gift givers, corporations, and collectors of high-quality writing utensils will be the main customers of the business. By the end of his Wallace Internship, Dylan hopes to have at least 100 finely crafted pens available to sell and a fully workable production area. He is currently setting up a small space in Pictou County but hopes to have an additional area to work from in Antigonish before the end of August 2023. Within five years, Dylan’s goal is to have a full-time manufacturing facility in Pictou County with at least five other employees. In this time frame, Dylan also hopes to begin producing pens from materials other than wood.
Umage Creative:
Erica MacKeen, BA Psychology, 2023 graduate
Umage Creative is a social media marketing company with the goal of working with small businesses owned by Canadian newcomers. Umage hopes to assist new Canadian residents grow their customer reach through social media services. With many newcomers to Canada initially facing challenges finding meaningful employment, Umage’s services will help individuals starting a new business reach their target customer base with social media solutions tailored to their organization. Erica believes her studies and research in the anthropological field has provided her with the knowledge and skills to work with other groups of people respectfully; allowing for their history and personal experiences to be incorporated into promoting their business without exploiting their past. By the end of her Wallace Internship, Erica hopes to have the Umage Creative soft launch complete and will then focus on the continued support of newcomer entrepreneurs as they establish and grow their businesses.
Goin’ Mowin’ Lawn Care Services:
Hayden Payson, BBA, 3rd Year
Goin’ Mowin’ is a lawn care business based in Hayden’s hometown of Truro, Nova Scotia. Services provided include cleaning, fertilizing, mowing, and other individualized lawn caretaking activities as required by clients. The business is co-owned and operated by Wallace Intern Hayden Payson and his friend Isaac Fraser. Many clients of Gowin’ Mowin’ are seniors or individuals with busy careers who do not have the time or ability to care for their lawn. As the Truro area continues to grow, Goin’ Mowin’ aims to provide reliable lawn maintenance services that come with a personal touch. Hayden describes he and his business partner as, “just two guys offering quality lawn mowing.” Building their business from the ground up, he notes that people in Nova Scotia seem to have an appreciation for local startups and hard workers such as themselves. Although no firm plans as of yet, Hayden sees the potential for Goin’ Mowin’ to eventually grow to offer full lawn maintenance and landscaping services which would include planting, fertilizing, topsoil, aeration, liming, flower beds, gardens, pathways, and more.
Positive Placement:
Kali Beaton, BBA Marketing, 4th Year
Positive Placement is a marketing agency serving small businesses and Airbnb rentals in Atlantic Canada. Positive Placement will differ from competitors in that its focus is mainly on small business marketing, allowing Kali to specialize in highlighting what makes small businesses in our local communities so special. Kali Beaton grew up working at farmers' markets and small businesses, which made evident to her the importance of marketing in ensuring a business thrives. Coming from a small town in Cape Breton, Kali noticed a gap in the marketing services offered in her area. As she became immersed in the Atlantic Canadian business world, she realized that this isn’t just something small businesses in her hometown struggle with. Kali hopes to positively impact Atlantic Canadian entrepreneurs by providing cost-effective marketing services to small businesses in our communities. By the end of the internship, Kali hopes to see Positive Placement established online with a portfolio of work that she can showcase to new clients. Kali is excited to have the summer to work on learning the ins and outs of this field and establish herself as a marketing professional.
