8 minute read
Class Acts
Meghan Rose ’02 & Robert Salomon ’88
Meghan Rose ’02
Making This Odd World a Better Place
BY CAROLYNE VAN DER MEER,COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANT
When Meghan Rose ’02 graduated from LCC, she wasn’t exactly sure about the path forward. But she was clear on two things: that she wanted to give back and that LCC gave her the confidence to find her way.
After earning a philosophy degree from McGill University in 2007 Meghan moved to Toronto, where she worked for a public relations firm for a few years before deciding to embark on an MBA at York University’s Schulich School of Business. At that point, she knew she wanted to come back to Montreal after graduate school, so she decided to accelerate the process, quit her job and returned to class full time. And when she came back home, many of the puzzle pieces fell into place.
“I wasn’t entirely sure of what I wanted to do, but things have a way of coming together,” she says. A good friend and LCC schoolmate, Natanya Khazzam ’02, asked her to come on board at her home textile firm, where Meghan has been handling marketing and product development for 10 years now. It was the right fit.
“Apart from having children—which was very important to me—finding other ways to make this odd world we’re living in a better place has always been at the top of my list.”
Since 2016, Meghan has been working with the Young Professionals Group at St. Mary’s Hospital, helping organize large fundraising events such as the annual Wonderball. “My sister Caitlin ’99 is on the board there and I was happy to get pulled in,” Meghan explains. Of course, events came to a standstill due to the pandemic and Meghan looks forward to this event gaining momentum again.
And then, a couple of years before the pandemic hit, Meghan was approached by the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) to be on the organization’s regional Quebec board. “One of my responsibilities is to manage a young offshoot committee of the board—the Emerging Leaders Circle—where we encourage the 20s and 30s age group to get involved. They might not have money to donate but they have time, and we encourage them to learn and take initiative.” Meghan believes deeply in the NCC’s goal of conserving 30% of Canada’s lands by 2030 and wants to see territories and animals across the country protected. She has networked extensively for the NCC, resulting in increased awareness and significant financial support.
When she considers LCC in the grand scheme of things, Meghan knows her education has played a huge role in who she has become. “I had some great teachers who really inspired me,” she says, “and I was also very involved in sports. The confidence I gained showed me that I can do anything I want to do. LCC helped me truly define and follow my path.”
Meghan also credits a supportive family and is working hard to create the same environment for her own kids, Joey, 5 and Julian, 18 months. “I am a fortunate person,” she says. “And when you come from a place of privilege, it’s important to think about how you can make a difference. Try to use your privilege for the greater good—that’s the advice I’d give to today’s LCC graduates.”
Robert Salomon ’88:
Perseverance & Dedication Line the Road to Success
BY DANA KOBERNICK, COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
Unwavering perseverance has been the guiding principle for Robert Salomon ’88, through what he describes as a tumultuous personal and professional journey. His father, always seeking the best for him, sent Robert to LCC in grade 5. While he flourished in the athletics program, it became clear that he lacked discipline and some of the skills needed to thrive academically. However, with support from faculty, he quickly learned what it takes to be successful in the classroom and, at the end of that first year, received the award for most improved.
Despite the solid foundation built during his years at LCC, the road ahead was not smooth for Robert. Following grade 11 he went to a college preparatory school where he captained the football and hockey teams, and was poised as a top hockey recruit for two Ivy League universities. Unfortunately, a difficult senior year hockey season quashed these possibilities and led Robert to a small liberal arts college in the US, where he descended further into a state of anxiety and depression.
ROBERT SALOMON ’88 AT THE EMMY AWARDS IN 2022
But Robert persevered, intent on reevaluating and redefining his sense of value. “Until that point, my self-worth was based on my athletic prowess and the potential to attend a Division I school and play professional hockey,” he says. “With that identity beginning to fade and my mental health taking a hit, I decided it was time to come home to Montreal to focus on my well-being and, through therapy, explore some of the issues that I had been struggling with.”
While at McGill University, the ambition to play competitive hockey was still alive, but eventually was extinguished when he sustained an injury that ultimately required back surgery. Robert found himself at a crossroads after graduation and joined with a partner in launching a promotions and marketing company. Though experiencing moderate success, a large business deal went south, shattering his self-esteem once again. He forced himself to take an acting class in the hopes that it would help him to regain his confidence and bring him out of his depression, and that is where he crossed paths with a professional in the film industry. This connection was the impetus for what has since become a successful and fulfilling career in film and television production. Now living in Los Angeles, Robert has experienced many of the ups and downs that are typical of the entertainment field. Starts and stops, triumphs and successes, alongside rejections and dead ends have characterized his professional life as a writer and producer. He has won TV festival writing and directing awards, and collaborated on a television project with Tom Hanks and HBO, which unfortunately didn’t make it to air. He was also involved in numerous projects optioned by production companies, such as Lorne Michael’s Broadway Video (Saturday Night Live), Sugar23, founded by Academy award-winning producer Michael Sugar, and Muse Entertainment, launched by Michael Prupas, father of fellow alumni Jesse ’95 and Aren ’98. His career has included forays into both scripted and non-scripted productions, and he is now experiencing a professional high point. Not only is he developing his own projects and working on a steady flow of network shows, the non-scripted television series, Love on the Spectrum, for which he serves as senior field producer, won three creative arts Emmy awards in 2022.
ROBERT SALOMON ’88 AT THE EMMY AWARDS IN 2022
Robert hopes to shed light on mental health issues through this show and others. To this end, he also launched a mental health podcast called mindframe: where shift happens, about shifts in perspectives and serendipitous experiences that change people’s lives. “I want to add value by giving hope to people who feel that they are in hopeless places, destigmatizing mental illness, and spreading awareness of inclusion,” he says. “In this respect, I am most proud of the ability I have developed to connect with people and make them feel comfortable enough to be vulnerable and share their stories.”
Robert says that he has finally found a real sense of peace and happiness, particularly given that he is creating meaningful projects and has a rich and fulfilling family life with his wife and two children.
“At a time when most people around me thought I should simply give up and move to a more stable and secure career, I forged ahead,” he says. “I was knocked down so many times and my limits were tested, but I got back up again, experienced significant growth, and discovered a life of meaning and purpose.”
