“One of the most valuable things I carried during my co-op term at Sistema Toronto was not my laptop or my notebook,” says Aminah Anjum, “but a stack of survey papers smudged with pencil marks, tiny fingerprints, and the faint smell of polished wood floors from elementary school gymnasiums across the GTA.” 

These pieces of paper looked ordinary but to Aminah, they “told stories of access, confidence, and possibility - and it became my responsibility to listen to them carefully.” 

As an international student and a recipient of York University’s prestigious Presidents’ International Scholarship of Excellence, Aminah has built her academic journey around a belief she has held since childhood: that education is a powerful tool for dignity, opportunity, and social mobility. That conviction led her to study economics and to recently pursue a four-month co-op role at a non-profit organization providing free music education to children in underserved communities across the Greater Toronto Area. 

In her role as a Fundraising and Marketing Assistant, Aminah recalls mornings spent synthesizing survey data in Excel were often followed by afternoons helping children rehearse, setting up classrooms, or transporting musical instruments. During her work term she visited seven schools across GTA neighbourhoods including Jane and Finch, Yorkwoods and Scarborough. She helped administer and analyze program surveys while observing the environments that shaped student experiences. This on-the-ground proximity, she noted, helped her anchor her analytical work in lived context. 

Drawing on her background in economics and statistics, Aminah synthesized the survey findings into a comprehensive Impact Report designed to support fundraising and communications goals. Her insights informed internal presentations and were adapted into social media content, strengthening the organization’s ability to articulate its impact to donors and stakeholders. 

Aminah also conducted market research in support of fundraising and identified grant opportunities that opened two successful funding leads. She executed a full-cycle digital media campaign in support of the Summer Music Camp Fundraising initiative, helping the organization raise $15,000 ahead of its deadline. 
 

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"This co-op profoundly shaped my personal, academic and professional development. It reinforced my passion for data-driven decision-making rooted in human impact."

For Aminah, seeking any opportunity to learn, grow and expand her skills was as formative as it was rewarding.  

“This co-op profoundly shaped my personal, academic and professional development,” she says. “Over time, I learned to write professional media releases, liaise confidently with external stakeholders in the political and nonprofit landscape, and represent Sistema Toronto with care and clarity.”  

The role also helped her draw connections to her academic foundation gained through York’s Economics program.  

“Academically, my co-op experience deepened my understanding of how economic analysis functions in real-world, resource-constrained environments,” she says. “It reinforced my passion for data-driven decision-making rooted in human impact.”