Co-op and other experience-based work terms can take students to places they had never dreamed of going and provide inspiring and career-defining opportunities along the way. In fact, when students extend their education beyond campus, many people and organizations can benefit from their skills and knowledge.
Learning and working in the ‘real world’ not only engages students’ interest and encourages them to apply their classroom studies to solve challenges, these experiences also build cross-cultural awareness. Students are exposed to new ways of life, different languages, customs, attitudes and realities. This type of immersion helps develop empathy, understanding and compassion – traits that are most needed in the world and vital to social change.
It is no secret that UWaterloo makes experiential learning a top priority and encourages all students to pursue opportunities, including work with service-based and international programs. Such organizations, and the populations they serve, benefit from student involvement in numerous tangible ways.
Very often, however, organizations that provide rich and meaningful opportunities cannot, by their very nature, contribute the financial compensation that students need. Fortunately, generous donors have set the stage to help students engage and make a real contribution.
Winifred Hewetson Award in Community and World Service
The Community and World Service program’s Winifred Hewetson Award, established in 1999, by the Carold Institute for the Study of Citizenship in Social Change, helps undergraduate students in the Faculty of Arts or Environment to pursue a work term or field placement in a not-for profit organization that provides social services locally, nationally or abroad.
First-year co-op job inspires career
Recent BA Arts & Business graduate Lauren Duffy received the Winifred Hewetson Award in 2012. The award made it possible for her to travel to Africa, where she spent her first co-op term working for a non-profit called Art in Tanzania. In her role, she researched Fair Trade regulations and initiated the organization’s application to become a Fair Trade Support Organization. She also helped several groups of talented artisans acquire the funding and networking skills they needed to become self-sustaining.
“Without the Winifred Hewetson Award, I simply could not have taken on this work term,” says Lauren. The flight to Tanzania alone was expensive, and Art in Tanzania could only subsidize her room and board. Nonetheless, the position was very worthwhile. "It provided so many opportunities for me to put my education to use, learn to work independently and become confident in my abilities."
“The term also helped me recognize how much I value helping people and supporting the arts as part of my work."
Working independently in a foreign country with many objectives to reach in a short timeframe forced Lauren to plan ahead and stay focused. Not only did Lauren’s first work term build many useful skills, it also positioned her well for future co-op employment. In subsequent work terms, she broadened her experience through positions in direct marketing and sports marketing. After graduation, Lauren’s career has circled back to arts partnerships. In her current role, as Manager of Arts and Community Sponsorships for Scotiabank, Lauren is responsible for growing partnerships with Canadian arts organizations through integrated marketing and communications planning, as well as client hospitality and experiences.
Donors make a difference
Over the past fifteen years, the Winifred Hewetson Awards in Community and World Service have helped fourteen students participate in valuable learning placements in social service agencies. Recognizing the increased interest in volunteering abroad, The Carold Institute recently donated a further $10,000 to help more students take advantage of this incredible opportunity.
This award honours Winifred Hewetson’s vision and dedication to social change, and is a legacy of her life’s work. It was not surprising that she bequeathed a gift of $50,000 in her will. Both donations were received in 2017, more than doubling the endowment fund so that more students can benefit from this kind of hands-on experience in the field. With so many opportunities to support social service organizations around the world – and so many students eager to lend their skills and enthusiasm to worthwhile causes – demand for this award is strong.
For more information about how you can join in supporting students in their efforts to contribute through social service opportunities at home and abroad, please contact Nancy Mattes, Associate Director, Arts Advancement, at nmattes@uwaterloo.ca or 519-888-4567, ext. 38213.
