Platinum Recruiting has had a long association with the Otago Medical Research Foundation, and has more recently formalised that by supporting a student in the annual summer scholarship programme.
Platinum’s Founder and Managing Director Daniel Harmes and Director Dean Delaney agree partnering with the Foundation delivers lots of positives.
“We believe all businesses should find some way to give back to their community. The Foundation’s values align with our own, so we are proud to make them one of the not-for-profits we actively support within the community,” says Dean.
“A small investment in a student’s summer studies could have far-reaching consequences for human health.”
While they enjoy a strong relationship with the Foundation at a governance and operational level, Dean says they genuinely love giving back via the summer scholarship programme. “Everyone benefits – us, the students, the Foundation, the University, the region, and the health and wellness of the community.”
“We as sponsors love seeing the young person grow into their project We see them do the work and perhaps to discover something new in their research that we didn’t know before. But it’s also about learning soft skills like communication so they can present their results in a way that we as laypeople can understand,” he said.
Platinum has funded two students over the last two years, and is now following the progress of these incredible young people with pride:
- Bonnie Huang, who worked with Dr Sarah Diemeier at the University of Otago Biochemistry Department on a project evaluating therapies to treat breast cancer.
- Yani Remoto who worked with Dr Andrew Reynolds, Fiona Hood and Professor Jim Mann at the Otago Medical School on comparing healthy eating options as a way of treating Conary Heart Disease (CHD).
“We are thrilled to know we had a small part to play in setting these two up to be great contributors and potential leaders in their chosen industry and to have stellar careers. And at the same time, we’re proud to be using this as a way of supporting the Otago region. It’s a phenomenal programme,” says Daniel.
Platinum looks forward to sponsoring another student in this year’s round of summer scholarships.