Christina Medor ’25 Harnesses Public Relations, Passion and the Power of Good Business

When Christina Medor ’25 was in fifth grade, she applied to be a part of Steppingstone Foundation, a Boston-based nonprofit that prepares students from historically marginalized communities to access, navigate and graduate from college. “I’ve been with Steppingstone for essentially half of my life; they have always been holding my hand and still continue to hold my hand,” she says.  

Now, Medor is finding ways to extend her hand to others, including through a fall 2022 public relations (PR) internship at Global Smile Foundation, which provides comprehensive cleft care for patients born with cleft lip and palate in underserved communities throughout the world. 

“I see the work that nonprofits do for people like me and for people who are not like me, and it’s really inspiring,” says Medor, who is a first-generation student from Boston. “Sometimes when people think of business and business schools, they think a lot about catering to the financially elite 1%, but we forget that not all businesses are like that. Many are doing work that positively impacts many different communities.” 

After finishing her first year at Bentley, Medor began her internship; working with the marketing team, she developed a social media campaign for “Giving Tuesday.” The 10-day fundraising campaign ran on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn and focused on stories about the impact of donations and the behind-the-scenes work being done by the foundation. In November 2022, Medor attended the organization’s annual fundraising gala held in Boston.  

“It was crazy to see the collective impact that donations have,” she says of the event that raised approximately $85,000. “It was a reminder that there are people who really do things for good and don’t expect anything in return. They believe in the mission.”

LIFE LESSONS 

Medor was young when she learned about the importance of giving back. A major lesson came from her parents’ personal sacrifice immigrating to the U.S. from Haiti before starting a family. Growing up in America, they knew, would provide more opportunities and a better chance for their children to have access to education and attend college. 

“My parents have always told me that my intelligence and my knowledge is something that nobody will ever take for me,” Medor says. “So, I’ve always wanted to focus on school and do the best that I can. It’s important to want that for yourself.”

In addition to her PR internship, Medor has found other platforms for learning and for community building. One, the Caribbean Ancestry Student Association (CASA), is the reason she chose to attend Bentley in the first place.  

“Growing up in Boston, I've been around a lot of Caribbean people, so coming into college, I was looking for cultural organizations where I could still have that community,” Medor says. “I found the Caribbean Ancestry Student Association on Instagram and started following them as soon as I got my Bentley acceptance letter. I saw some of the events they offer, and I knew this was a place where I could see myself.” 

Today, Medor serves on the events committee for CASA and the African Student Association, whose annual gala is one of the university’s most popular student events. The committee work allows her to lean into her passion for people. “I love talking to people and making connections.” 

When she participated in the MOSAIC Experience — a pre-orientation program for students of color and their allies to move onto campus sooner and start adjusting to life at Bentley — a conversation with a student in the Information Design and Corporate Communication (IDCC) major helped Medor confirm her plan to formally declare the major. Another conversation, this time during a Career Development Introduction course, led Medor to the Pulsifer Career Development Center and the James G. Maguire Nonprofit Internship Program, which funded her Global Smile Foundation internship. 

“I knew I wanted a career where I could connect with people and had landed on public relations, but I wanted to get out into the field to confirm my decision,” Medor says of her work with Global Smile Foundation. “The world is an oyster; take it and learn from any aspect — whether it’s an internship or another way. I learned a lot of life skills from my parents, who didn’t attend college but gained so much knowledge through their experiences. They worked hard so I would have more opportunities and taught me to think about more than just myself.”