Internship program helps UCalgary alum streamline fast-growing national franchise

When UCalgary alum John Evans, BA’11, describes growing EverLine Coatings and Services, he says it felt like “building the plane as we flew it.”  

The line painting and pavement maintenance company expanded rapidly across North America after he founded it in 2012, but with that growth came complexity. 

To streamline EverLine’s operations and strengthen support for its franchisees, Evans hired graduate students Damilola Akintan and Marc Raranggor, BSc(Eng)’23, through the Transformative Talent Internship (TTI) program — which, in partnership with the UCalgary Alumni Office, offers a special wage subsidy and additional support to participants in the Alumni Built Business community. 

“Marc and Dami have done tremendous work here with us,” says Evans. 

“Not only are you getting fresh ideas at the forefront of academia, but also young, bright minds eager themselves to get experience.” 

Making complex business operations clear 

As process streamliner interns, Akintan and Raranggor refine training systems to match how franchise operators learn to deliver EverLine services such as line painting, concrete sealing, asphalt repair and floor-coating applications. 

For instance, they refined the company’s manual detailing how to run an EverLine franchise from start to finish, reorganizing information like what materials to use and how to apply them. 

“It was a 1,100-page behemoth when we wrote it,” says Evans, adding the interns “trimmed the fat,” making it easier for franchise owners to train teams and build their businesses more effectively and efficiently. 

Students gain professional experience 

Although Akintan and Raranggor are working toward master’s degrees in chemical engineering, both say the internship shows how transferable their skills are beyond a lab. 

For Akintan, it’s been a chance to apply technical thinking and learn new skills like process design in a new context.  

Raranggor says the experience has built his confidence in a professional setting, learning presentation and other communication skills.  

“It helps you prepare and gives you the opportunity to see what you can do after you graduate,” he says. 

A bridge from graduate studies to the workforce 

Evans says the TTI program is a “win-win” for students and businesses. 

Lorelei Lachambre, MC’05, graduate work-integrated learning specialist with the Faculty of Graduate Studies, says the program was designed to give both domestic and international graduate students access to paid work opportunities. 

“They are getting career-building experience that could change the trajectory of their whole lives,” she says, adding some companies have hired UCalgary interns on as full time employees and have even requested more students to expand upon the ideas their predecessors brought. 

Lachambre encourages businesses to participate in the TTI program. 

“It's very exciting for students to be able to see alumni who started where they are right now and look at their trajectory to see where their entrepreneurial spirit took them,” she says. 

While the program is open to all organizations, wage subsidies for interns and additional support with matching applicants can be arranged for members of the Alumni Built Business directory, which features businesses founded, owned or operated by a graduate of UCalgary. 

“Joining the Alumni Built Business directory isn’t just about listing your business — it’s about joining a thriving community,” says Jeff Wallace, BCS’10, business development lead with UCalgary Alumni Engagement.  

“It’s a place to share your journey, connect with fellow entrepreneurs who understand the highs and challenges of building something meaningful, and tap into exclusive resources that can help you grow.

"At its heart, our program is about more than business — it’s about community, connection, and creating space for discovery and collaboration.” 

After growing EverLine to 125 locations across Canada and the U.S., Evans says having the TTI program match ideal candidates to further support the company’s expansion has been an awesome experience. 

“I would absolutely encourage alumni business owners to take part in this program,” he says. 

“It's underutilized but has tremendous potential.”