Originally from Gujarat, India, Shrina Shah is a fourth-year student in the Bachelor of Commerce Co-op program, majoring in Marketing. “I chose Dal because I wanted to learn through real-world experiences, not just textbooks. The co-op program was exactly what I needed—it’s where learning really comes to life.” Halifax’s mix of small-town warmth and big-city ambition has been the perfect backdrop for her academic and professional development.

Shrina’s co-op journey provided her with hands-on experience in three different roles. Her first role was at Traffic Tech Inc., where she worked in customer service support. Though not marketing-focused, this role gave her valuable insight into how client communication impacts brand perception. “I learned how important customer relationships are to a brand’s image,” Shrina shares. This experience helped develop her communication and problem-solving skills, which would prove useful in her future roles.

For her next co-op, Shrina worked as a Digital Marketing Assistant for Dalhousie’s Management Career Services, managing social media content and contributing to marketing campaigns. “This role taught me how to craft messages for different audiences,” she says. “Data doesn’t lie—it’s essential for measuring success and making adjustments.” Shrina refined social media strategies, created compelling content, and analyzed digital engagement. This role solidified her passion for digital marketing, showing her how creativity and analytics come together to drive business results.

However, it was her role at Myra Media for her third and final co-op that truly solidified her desired career path. As a Digital Marketing & Analytics Specialist, Shrina had the opportunity to build marketing strategies from the ground up. “Myra Media was where everything clicked for me,” she explains. “I wasn’t just following instructions; I was creating solutions.” In this position, she took ownership of projects like market research, content creation, and campaign optimization. One of her key accomplishments was building a LinkedIn sales pipeline from scratch, which significantly improved lead generation. “Being the first co-op student at Myra meant I had to prove my value, and I embraced that challenge,” Shrina says. Her initiative and work ethic earned her a nomination for the Faculty of Management’s 2024 Co-op Student of the Year. “From day one, I acted like a full-time team member,” she reflects. “My manager gave me the confidence to share my ideas, which made a huge impact on the projects I worked on.”

Looking ahead, Shrina is eager to pursue a full-time role in digital marketing, ideally as an Account Coordinator or Digital Marketing Specialist. “I want to analyze data, understand why campaigns succeed or fail, and adjust strategies to drive results,” she says. With her co-op experiences shaping her professional growth, Shrina is excited to continue her career in digital marketing.