Alumni entrepreneurs turn $30,000 into paid internships for Beat the Odds students

When Daniel Di Loreto, BComm 09, began thinking seriously about giving back, he wanted the impact to be tangible.

Together with fellow John Molson School of Business alumnus Patrick Desrochers, BComm 12, the co-founders of Ubiweb digital marketing agency have committed $30,000 to establish the Ubiweb Beat the Odds Internship Fund at Concordia.

Beginning in the 2026-27 academic year, the fund will support one paid internship for a John Molson student through Beat the Odds, Concordia’s inclusive program designed to provide meaningful, hands-on professional experience to students who face obstacles to opportunity.

“I’ve been looking at ways to give back to the community for a while,” says Di Loreto. “It’s one of our core values at Ubiweb. When we learned more about Beat the Odds, it really stood out.”

Desrochers says the decision was rooted in gratitude for their own student experience.

“Concordia played an important role in shaping our careers,” he says. “We’re grateful for the education we received at John Molson, and this felt like a meaningful way to pay it forward and support students who just need that extra boost.”

Launched by Concordia in 2020, Beat the Odds provides flexible, paid internships to students most likely to encounter challenges entering the workforce. The program serves historically underserved communities, including equity-seeking students, those with disabilities, international students, student-parents and others facing financial or academic pressures.

For Di Loreto, the appeal was also deeply personal.

“For the level we were comfortable starting at, we felt it would go much further supporting a student directly,” he explains. “When you’re deciding where to donate, it has to be something that moves you. Hearing about the challenges some students face made this an obvious choice.”

The fund will provide up to $6,000 per year to support one internship through 2030-31. Internships typically run 10 to 17 weeks at 10 to 20 hours per week, allowing participants to gain professional skills while balancing their studies and other commitments.

Now leading a growing agency that employs close to 100 people — including several Concordia graduates — and has been named one of Canada’s top growing companies for multiple consecutive years, Di Loreto has seen first-hand how early opportunities can shape a career trajectory.

“Access to opportunity changes everything,” he says. “Not everyone can afford to take an unpaid internship or cut back work hours just to gain experience. If we can help even one student a year get that stepping stone, that’s meaningful.”

Di Loreto hopes to meet future recipients of the fund and follow their progress. “For us, this isn’t just about writing a cheque,” he says. “It’s about being part of someone’s journey.”