This summer, Mount Allison Commerce student Lexi McGrath is getting work experience with a small organization, KAAMP Software Innovations Inc, through Mount Allison University’s summer internship program. McGrath, who is from Dieppe, NB, is also working in an area she is passionate about, marketing.

KAAMP Software Innovations markets educational technology products for children and was co-founded by Mount Allison Commerce alumnus, Peter Hess. McGrath works for one of their product lines, disruptED Canada, which creates augmented reality and virtual reality learning tools for children ages pre-kindergarten to the third grade.

“It is a very interesting, innovative company,” says McGrath.

This is McGrath’s second internship with the company. She had a part-time social media marketing internship in her winter semester, where she created and managed the organization’s social media content. Her goal was to build brand awareness.

“Now, I am doing a full marketing internship. I was very excited when I was given this new opportunity. With such a small team, we get a lot of freedom. There are more responsibilities, which I love. And I am able to work from home during the pandemic!”

McGrath particularly appreciates the opportunity to see what it is like to work for a small organization, where she is responsible for a diverse variety of tasks. According to McGrath, her day can include anything from graphic design to looking at qualitative and quantitative data to see if the company is generating more sales with their marketing efforts.

All these responsibilities mean she is learning a lot.

“It is a bit of creative design, and PR and looking at the numbers all at the same time. I am learning video productions, photography, and graphic designing, but I am also working on the core parts of the business,” she says. “It is a great opportunity, especially if you have an interest in entrepreneurship like I do.”

McGrath says there have been some challenges.

“The hardest thing with any startup is that everything is new. The most difficult part is trying to figure out what is going to work and what is not going to work and continually modifying your process until it clicks, and you see the sales you were looking for.”

Although the courses McGrath has taken have given her foundational knowledge to refer to in her job, she says university as a whole is a learning experience. “It is not just what you learn in class. I think it is also the connections you make, the extracurricular activities you do, and your own interests, all contribute to your preparation for your career.”

One of the most important things she has learnt from the internship is how important it is to ask for feedback. She says getting someone else’s insight, can identify things that you were not aware of. This is something she feels will help her with course work as well.

McGrath, who started university as a Science student at another school and later transferred to Mount Allison to do Commerce, is glad for the experience in marketing. “I am very grateful for the opportunities Mount A has given me.”