TDIMM Fellowships

CCAE and TD Insurance Meloche Monnex are thrilled to announce Suruthika Senthilkumaran, of the University of Guelph as a 2025 Fellowship recipient. Now in her final academic year at the University of Guelph, Suruthika is currently on the way to completing a BSc Bio-Medical Science degree with a minor in Psychology, with the highest of academic standing. Her scholarly aptitude is one of envy, Suruthika’s secondary school education earned her a $5000 scholarship as a Loran finalist while she maintained an exceedingly high GPA within the STEM+ program at Georges Vanier School in Toronto.

During her time at the University of Guelph, she has developed meaningful relationships within the UofG community and demonstrated remarkable leadership skills – both of which position her for a very promising career in advancement. Suruthika has held various roles within the Alumni Affairs & Development Office and as a volunteer in the broader community.

Suruthika was instrumental in organizing the 2024 annual Alumni Reunion Weekend at the University of Guelph. Her dedication and problem-solving skills shone through when there was a last-minute campus interruption which required multiple venue changes. Despite these challenges, Suruthika’s poise and composure ensured that the event ran smoothly by communicating and assisting participants, which resulted in a highly engaged and memorable weekend for all attendees. Most recently, Suruthika has demonstrated a commitment to developing her experience in engaging alumni and students through involvement in on-campus and virtual events and campaigns. These initiatives are designed to bring alumni back to campus, encourage giving, and initiate conversations. She intrinsically understands this will continue to improve life for her peers and for future cohorts of students and researchers at the University of Guelph.

“Suruthika first joined Alumni Affairs and Development in the Engagement Centre as a third- year student just over a year ago. In that role she served as an ambassador for the University of Guelph, calling alumni and donors to have meaningful conversations and to connect personally in order to strengthen their relationships with the institution. She also communicated key fundraising initiatives and made stewardship calls thanking donors for their ongoing support. Her success in this position showed both an aptitude and affinity for working in advancement.”
Duncan Malcolm, Director, Advancement Services, University of Guelph

Since January 2024, Suruthika has volunteered as a tutor and organizational team member for Guelph’s United for Literacy organization. In this position she fostered positive relationships among tutors, students, and parents. Utilizing her ability to connect with people and facilitate open dialogue has been key to building trust and collaboration within the team, which is essential in any educational setting.

“Suruthika is deeply committed to education and the advancement of others. She has mentored both students and fellow tutors, offering guidance and support to help them achieve their goals… Suruthika’s ability to inspire those around her is a testament to her leadership potential in the educational sector.”
Justine Head, Community Coordinator, Guelph and Waterloo United for Literacy

In the fall of 2024, Suruthika joined the Finance and Records team at the University of Guelph, where she is responsible for maintaining alumni and donor records. In this new role within Advancement Services, she demonstrates exceptional accuracy and attention to detail. Her expertise and dedication have quickly made her an invaluable member of the team.

During her fellowship year, she will have ample opportunities to engage and connect further with alumni and donors. Her mentors have plans to ensure she gains experience across multiple departments, and a variety of facets within the advancement sphere. These projects and initiatives will not only benefit Suruthika through a wide range of professional skill sets, but also stand to allow the university to achieve their long-term goals that align to their strategic plan, mission, and vision.

Suruthika’s impact at the University of Guelph and on the advancement sector is only just beginning. CCAE and TD Insurance Meloche Monnex are proud to provide this opportunity and cannot wait to see where the future will take her.

“My passion for advancement stems from the many alumni I have met and volunteering for a literacy organization that highlighted the transformative power of education and the importance of fostering strong relationships between institutions and their communities… This experience reinforced my belief in the critical role that advancement professionals play in securing resources, building alumni networks, and promoting the mission of educational institutions.”
Suruthika Senthilkumaran, 2025 TDIMM Fellowship recipient, University of Guelph

CCAE and TD Insurance Meloche Monnex are thrilled to announce Meg Winter, of the University of Victoria as a 2025 Fellowship recipient. A soon to be graduate of the university, with a Bachelor of Arts in English (and a minor in writing & journalism), Meg’s academic career has paved the way for a very bright future in the field of Advancement.

In her five years at the university she has been exposed to a variety of advancement functions and has harnessed a passion for digital story telling. Through volunteer and part-time student roles, Meg has already showcased great enthusiasm for the main motivation behind many advancement professionals – to bring her authenticity and sincerity in everything she does especially when it comes to connecting with alumni, donors, faculty and students.

In 2023, Meg began her journey as a co-up student social media coordinator within the Faculty of Education at UVic. In this role, she managed the faculty’s social media presence, created high-quality and engaging posts and interactive weekly stories. To develop these stories, she held interviews with donors, alumni, faculty members and graduate students, to create strategic and authentic content that not only aligned with institutional goals, but also significantly enhanced digital presence and engagement. Eager to participate further in university activities, Meg held two volunteer positions as a UVic Co-op Program Ambassador, and an event volunteer for their 2023 Giving Tuesday activities.

“Meg has a warm, welcoming personality. She seems to find immense fulfillment in collaborating with others and cultivating meaningful connections and narratives. This is evident in both her work and interactions. She consistently approaches her work with professionalism while remaining approachable and down-to-earth. As a collaborator, she excels in fostering positive relationships, and her interpersonal skills allowed her to connect directly with students, colleagues and community members—a tremendous asset to our team.”
Michelle Butterfield, Digital Media Officer, Faculty of Education, University of Victoria

In 2024 she stepped into three new roles, where her inherent aptitude for writing and digital content creation flourished. She continued assisting the Faculty of Education with social media and video editing, and took on a social media ambassador role within UVic Libraries, where she reinvigorated their Instagram account with 500 new followers in just three months. Towards the end of 2024, Meg took the annual Alumni and Development department’s Giving Tuesday campaign to new heights as a content creator. The Instagram reels she created for the UVic Giving Tuesday campaign got over 40,000 views and created digital experiences for current students to learn about and participate in philanthropy.

Through this fellowship, her mentors have great plans to ensure she will become a bright new star in advancement. Meg will gain the experience of working alongside the Alumni & Development and Marketing and Communications teams, to assist in their first ever comprehensive fundraising campaign, where she will play a significant role in the university’s donor cultivation and stewardship efforts.

“I envision myself thriving in the area of advancement as I deeply value community engagement, innovative solutions, and helping my university reach its fullest potential as a vibrant institution. With my sincerity and dedication, I am eager to make a lasting impact.”
Meg Winter

For all of Meg Winter’s remarkable achievements, CCAE and TD Insurance Meloche Monnex proudly welcome her as a 2025 TDIMM Fellowship recipient. This fellowship recognizes her exceptional commitment and potential to make lasting contributions to the advancement of education and philanthropy.

CCAE and TD Insurance Meloche Monnex are thrilled to announce Venna Penney as a 2024 TD Insurance Meloche Monnex Fellowship recipient. Venna’s unparalleled ambition and drive have proven to be successful on all fronts, both academically as a student at Mount Allison University and in her early career within the Office of Advancement at Dalhousie University.

Venna’s past accolades further highlight her strength and drive. She has received the Charlie Hunter Award for exemplary student leadership from Mount Allison University, The Roland F. Surette Indigenous Leadership Award, and is a Rising Youth Grant recipient, among many of other certifications and accomplishments.

As an alumnus of Mount Allison University, she successfully completed a Bachelor of Science degree with majors in Biochemistry & Psychology and a minor in Chemistry. During her academic career at MtA, she held the position of Vice President Student Life, chaired the Shinerama Campaign and was a campus ambassador at Mount Allison’s Student Union (MASU).

Through her roles at MASU, Venna furthered programs for accessibility, mental health, harm reduction, and sexualized violence prevention.  Programs and projects were created to improve the student life experience, including several initiatives related to EDIA, such as hosting MtA’s first-ever Pride Week, the addition of a disability representative on the student council, facilitating bystander training to student leaders, and advocating for the addition of cultural competency training.

Her  natural leadership and passion for her work at Mount Allison did not go unnoticed, Carolle de Ste-Croix, Director of Alumni Engagement, Mount Allison University notes:

“Venna’s exemplary performance at Mount Allison University, coupled with her passion for community engagement and fundraising, makes her an ideal candidate for the TDIMM Fellowship in Advancement at Dalhousie University. I am confident that her skills, dedication, and innovative thinking will contribute significantly to the success of the fellowship.”

In the fall of 2022, Venna took on the role of Manager, Annual Giving Digital at Dalhousie University’s Office of Advancement. In November 2023 she moved to the role of Project Officer in Annual Giving.

As the Project Officer, Venna oversees projectDAL, Dalhousie’s peer-to-peer crowdfunding website, which included the opportunity to work as the development officer on the Woman, Life, Freedom Scholarship. This scholarship supports Iranian women and equity-deserving gender identities in accessing graduate programs at Dalhousie. Venna was instrumental in this program, which surpassed  its goal of $30,000. In addition, Venna manages the Digital Engagement Centre, where she has onboarded a new calling software program that allows for the improvement of engagement techniques and fundraising methods.

As an Indigenous woman, Venna is wholeheartedly impassioned about incorporating EDIA into her advancement work. She currently sits on the Office of Advancement’s Anti-Oppression Working Group, and co-chairs their Sexualized Violence Prevention & Response Working Group. Her work within these areas has been recognized by advancement colleagues; she and her co-chair have been selected to present at the upcoming 2024 CCAE National Conference.

“Venna embraces responsibility and proves that she can be relied on to achieve her goals and objectives. She provides a unique perspective and gives input that adds value to the team and department… As a member of the Advancement profession for 26 years, I cannot think of anyone more committed and passionate than Venna to represent the profession as a fellowship recipient. She has demonstrated her interest and commitment to developing a career in Advancement and has the determination and collaborative approach to make a difference in our profession and for Dalhousie University.”

Kimberly McDonald Winsor, Assistant Vice-President, Alumni and External Engagement (Acting) Senior Director, Annual Giving, Dalhousie University

A remarkable individual, Venna Penney solidifies the essence of what it means to be a TDIMM Fellowship recipient. For these accomplishments and more, CCAE and TD Insurance Meloche Monnex proudly welcome her to the fellowship family – where her future will undoubtedly be bright and long-standing with the sector.

CCAE and TD Insurance Meloche Monnex are thrilled to announce distinguished alumna of Ontario Tech University, Michelle Yearwood, as a 2024 TD Insurance Meloche Monnex Fellowship recipient. In her short time within the field, she has shown an unequivocal passion and aspiration for the field of advancement. This prestigious accomplishment acknowledges her outstanding contributions and commitment to advancing education, alumni engagement, and the empowerment of women in STEM. In all essence, she exudes the humanity that the world and the advancement sector need right now.

Michelle Yearwood’s academic journey at Ontario Tech University culminated in the successful completion of a Bachelor of Commerce in Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management. Her academic achievements laid the foundation for her exceptional start to a career in the field of educational advancement.

Joining the Advancement department at Ontario Tech University in 2022 as a Program Coordinator, Michelle quickly became an integral part of the university’s success story. Her contributions in the Women for STEM program showcased her dedication to fostering diversity and inclusion in the STEM fields. In addition, Michelle was able to hone her skills in program planning, volunteer management, communications, stewardship, and project management.

Through the women in STEM program, Michelle was responsible for organizing the Women for STEM Summit that attracted over 200 guests, including industry leaders and partners. Michelle’s commitment extended beyond administrative duties, contributing significantly to the empowerment and encouragement of women pursuing STEM careers.

“Michelle has been instrumental with our team’s Women for STEM program and our events and stewardship activities. She has also been engaged in our alumni relations responsibilities. She demonstrates interest in all aspects of her role and remains keen to learn more. With growing knowledge and experience, Michelle has been providing meaningful input and guidance where appropriate and contributed to the success of our team.”
Yvonne Stefanin, Director, Philanthropy, Ontario Tech University

Lisa McBride, Country Leader, Small Modular Reactors, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy President, Women in Nuclear Canada, and Co-Chair, Women for STEM Council, Ontario Tech University, further highlights Michelle’s integral role, stating:
“Michelle’s attention to detail, organizational skills, and ability to follow through on priorities has been instrumental in ensuring the smooth execution of Council and program activities.”

Through this fellowship, Michelle will play a significant role in the university’s donor cultivation and stewardship efforts – allowing her experience and passion for donor relations and engagement to flourish even more.

“I am honored to receive the 2024 TDIMM Fellowship. Receiving this fellowship is an exciting opportunity that will enable me to continue to learn, embrace challenges and grow alongside a community dedicated to innovation and progress.”
Michelle Yearwood, 2024 TDIMM Fellowship Recipient

For all of Michelle Yearwood’s remarkable achievements, CCAE and TD Insurance Meloche Monnex proudly welcome her as a 2024 TDIMM Fellowship recipient. This fellowship recognizes her exceptional leadership, commitment, and potential to make lasting contributions to the advancement of education and philanthropy.