The Majurity Trust, Singapore
For the first six weeks of my summer, I was a corporate intern at The Majurity Trust (TMT), a philanthropic organization in Singapore that manages nine grants across various causes. During my time at TMT I worked directly with the CEO, with support from the other TMT staff members.
I spent most of my summer working on two projects. The first was Tangent, an initiative started by TMT to encourage employers in Singapore to hire differently and foster a more inclusive approach to employment. After a brief hiatus due to Covid-19, the initiative has been revived with the release of two podcast episodes and one short documentary. I worked on organizing and compiling social media content to promote the podcasts and documentary, and I even got to experience the podcast recording and editing process, which has been an incredibly useful skill post-internship. This research felt especially interesting to me as a rising senior, as I also gained a lot of insight into how many Asian employers approach their work.
In addition to Tangent, I did research on the current philanthropic scene in Singapore. I was able to experience the philanthropic sector in Singapore at a very interesting point in time because of its fast-growing philanthropy and corporate giving. Although the U.S. has always been positioned as an influential leader in philanthropy, I learned about increasing patterns of giving in Asia, within which Singapore is slowly positioning itself to be a central figure. I enjoyed my research because it allowed me to have some insightful conversations with people in the office about their views on Singaporean philanthropy. Although Singapore is perceived as a wealthy country, the importance of the charitable sector was apparent in the research and grants administered by TMT, such as the BlueStar* Grant for youth mental health initiatives.
Since my last internship based in the U.S. was also related to philanthropy, it was interesting to see the specifics of how cultural considerations play into attitudes toward giving and philanthropy. My time at TMT exposed me not just to a different culture within philanthropy but also allowed me to form a better understanding of what work could look like for me in Asia and in Singapore. My time at TMT was exciting because of the high caliber work and how innovative the staff are. Everyone in the office had so much energy and passion for what they were doing. Ultimately, my internship and experience with TMT has affirmed my wish to incorporate a socially oriented mindset in whatever work I end up doing, even if it is outside the philanthropic sector. Although social work necessitates a lot of empathy and emotional resilience, TMT has shown me how crucial it is and how enjoyable it can be.
I am so grateful to the Class of 1974 as well as to the ’68 Center, without whom I would not have been able to experience a wonderful six weeks with TMT.
Megamenu Social