June 25, 2025
The team at Brant United Way is the very definition of “small but mighty.”
Despite being the largest non-governmental funder of programs and essential services in Brantford-Brant, the organization’s executive director, Beth Noble Luciani, is supported by just one full-time and one part-time employee. That’s why, in the summer of 2024, Noble Luciani partnered with Wilfrid Laurier University's Brantford campus to explore opportunities for hosting a student placement.
Although she imagined a Laurier student could assist with marketing duties, the support she ultimately received from Marianna Labib – then in her final year of the Combined Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws program offered in partnership with University of Sussex in England – surpassed all expectations.
“Marianna had as much of an impact on our organization as a full-time staff member,” says Noble Luciani. “Having her on board was a game-changer.”
The paid placement was made possible through Laurier’s UU400 Internship, an elective experiential learning course that connects Brantford campus students with community and employer partners for meaningful, hands-on workplace experiences. Students earn a course credit for their participation, which includes a minimum of 40 hours (unpaid) or 60 to 80 hours (paid) in the workplace setting. Offered for the first time in fall 2024, UU400 is unique among Community and Workplace Partnerships opportunities in that it is open to students in their final year of 14 different Laurier Brantford programs.
Labib’s education in both Law and Human Rights proved a perfect fit for Brant United Way.
“When we found out Marianna had this extensive legal knowledge, we reworked the position entirely based on her skills,” says Noble Luciani.
Over the course of the fall 2024 term placement, Noble Luciani tapped Labib’s legal expertise in drafting eight organizational policies, which Labib presented to the Brant United Way board of directors for review. In addition to providing the much-needed legal support, Labib streamlined the non-profit’s social media strategy and not only redesigned its website, but reduced operating costs by sourcing a more economical online publishing platform.
“If you’re interested in a career path, a placement like this is a great way to dip your toes in before committing long-term.”
Beth Noble Luciani, executive director, Brant United Way
Noble Luciani was also grateful for the fresh perspective Labib brought to the 76-year-old organization.
“It’s really helpful to have new eyes on your messaging,” says Noble Luciani. “As someone who hadn’t worked at a United Way before, Marianna gave us valuable feedback about how things might read to people from outside the organization.”
Labib says she felt comfortable making those contributions from day one, encouraged by the warmth with which her input was received. In the office, she joined Noble Luciani and Cheryl Wiacek, Brant United Way’s director of development, at a communal round table, an arrangement that encouraged the sharing of ideas as equals.
“I felt very welcome and I was never afraid to put my two cents in,” says Labib. “They’re a great group of people. When you speak, they listen.”
In turn, Labib found herself deeply invested in Brant United Way’s mission, as well as inspired by her new colleagues.
“I’ve never seen two people that care about an organization more than Beth and Cheryl do,” says Labib. “They work incredibly hard and put their hearts into what they do. As someone who was about to graduate and enter the workforce, it was inspiring to see.”
For Labib, whose first several years at university had consisted largely of remote learning in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the opportunity to make meaningful, in-person connections was one of UU400’s biggest draws.
“My last year at Laurier was my chance to get involved in the community and really network,” she says. “At Brant United Way, you get to know every organization they help and sponsor by working closely with them through the grant application process. You get to know the community.”
While excited to gain practical experience, Labib also found the in-class component of UU400 rewarding. Led by Laurier Liberal Arts faculty members, the weekly sessions encourage students to apply course concepts in a real-world context and reflect on learnings at their placements.
“The assignments posed simple questions, but ones you might not think to ask yourself, like what you had learned, what challenges you had encountered and how you overcame them,” says Labib. “The reflections really helped me get more out of my internship.”
That reflective component is central to UU400, says Sara Darling, Laurier’s Community Service-Learning coordinator, who has been instrumental in the course’s implementation alongside faculty and works closely with professors and community partners to coordinate experiential learning opportunities.
“Sometimes you’ll see students undervaluing their own skills until they can put them into practice,” says Darling. “This experience, from placement to reflection, really validates what they bring to the table.”
Labib’s contributions to Brant United Way were so valuable she was invited to stay on in a paid part-time capacity after the end of her placement. On her last day with the organization, she joined in a grant luncheon that celebrated 30 charitable programs that would be receiving funding through Brant United Way’s Community Grants Program.
“I got to meet everyone from the community organizations who benefit from the work we had done through the year,” says Labib. “It was a real full-circle moment.”
The same week she crossed the stage at Laurier Brantford’s spring 2025 convocation, Labib began an articling placement at Ogwadeni:deo, a child welfare agency at Six Nations of the Grand River. Her application for the position included a glowing reference from her supervisor at Brant United Way.
“She helped us so much, we wanted to help her get where she wanted to go,” says Noble Luciani. “That’s rewarding in itself.”
Laurier Brantford’s Community and Workplace Partnerships team is currently recruiting experiential learning opportunities not just for UU400, but for more than 20 Community Service-Learning and practicum courses offered throughout the academic year. These partnerships reflect Laurier’s ongoing commitment to meaningful community engagement – supporting local organizations in meeting their goals while giving students the chance to gain experience, reflect on their contributions and apply what they learn in the classroom. Organizations interested in hiring a student part-time or hosting a student placement are encouraged to reach out to cwpartnerships@wlu.ca.
