Mentorship program

What do you wish you had known as a first-year student? 

When I was a first year student, I wished I had known more about the co-op process. Since CFM students are in sequence 1, job search begins immediately after the second term (Dec - Apr) begins, which seems very intimidating, and could cause a lot of stress. However, looking back, most of that stress came from the lack of proper understanding of the process, which could have been easily avoided with some additional insight.

What was your favourite or most recent co-op work term?

My most recent and my favorite co-op work term was with BMO, where I worked as a quantitative analyst for the ETF sales and trading team. My main responsibilities was data analytics, writing code, as well as some operational duties. I really enjoyed actually working beside talented individuals who had worked in this field almost since its inception, and I had the opportunity to learn from them first hand about how the market operates as well as the thought processes that power each decision. What really suprised me was how much an intern could actually contribute to the team. I've always had the misconception that interns where just there to do the work that full time employees didn't want to do, but at BMO, I had a lot of freedom and time to work on projects that piqued my interest. Furthermore, the team was really supportive throughout the entire term, and always made me feel welcomed despite my initial lack of knowledge in this field.

What are your plans for life after CFM?

I plan to to (hopefully) get a job somewhere in North America, and work for a few years in the financial industry. After gaining some valuable work experience, I plan to complete a Masters Degree that would help me further extend my expertise in the field. Depending on my field of interest after I graduate, I'll be looking into areas such as Financial Engineering or Computational Finance.

What extra-curricular activities are you involved in on campus?

• Board Game Clubs
• Badminton Club
• KWCSSA (technically not a member, but pretty much all my friends are, so I free boot to all their events lol)

What are your hobbies or interests?

• Badminton

• Billiard Ball (still learning it haha)

• E-sports (didn't make the team last year :( , trying again this year)

• Board Games (Catan, Power Grid, Salem, etc.)

• Trying out new food

Where is your favourite place to study?

E6 4th floor is my personal go-to :)

Where is your favourite place to eat in Waterloo?

I personally really like japanese cuisine, and the one that I like the most is Watami.

Tell us one fun fact about you

My dog (German Shepherd)'s name is Money, and she is almost 3 years old. I wasn't able to bring her to Waterloo, so she is home with my Mom and Dad in Calgary. She is very lazy, but for some reason really hates our backyard window (barks at it a lot).

What do you wish you had known as a first-year student? 

In first year, I was stuck at home attending school online, since COVID lockdown was still rampant at the time (Glad everyone gets the in person experience this year)! I wish I would have joined and be apart of more clubs, whether they are academic related or not. Doing this during my 2nd year really helped me to meet new friends with similar interests and passions, which help me feel more supported during school terms.

What was your favourite or most recent co-op work term?

This past summer, I was interning as a Algo Intern on the Quantitative Research/Trading Team at Hudson River Trading. I mainly worked on various research projects, applying stats, algorithm design, coding, and financial knowledge on signals research. This was a really fun experience for me, since I was able to meet a lot of really cool people with various backgrounds and education levels. I also really enjoyed the challenge and problems that I worked on during the term. The highlight of the summer for me was definitely the events that I was still able to attend. I got the chance to visit many museums, the NYSE, and spent a lot of time exploring New York and Brooklyn!

What are your plans for life after CFM?

Theres still a year or two left before I graduate. The plan now is to just find work in a role and city that I enjoy, but also have the option to visit my family from time to time. I also am looking forward to getting a dog when I graduate (hopefully a retriever or border collie). I'm also looking forward to maybe a grad trip!

What extra-curricular activities are you involved in on campus?

I was a part of a few clubs my first few years at Waterloo: Student Investment Fund, 180 Consulting, Wat Street, UW Stats Club, EDGE Waterloo, UWFA, UW Poker.

What are your hobbies or interests?

Poker, Basketball, Guitar, Music, Singing, Skiing, Netflix.

Where is your favourite place to study?

J.R. Coutts Engineering Lecture Hall (RCH) - it's quiet sometimes haha.

Where is your favourite place to eat in Waterloo?

Ken's, Bao's, Watami in Uptown.

Tell us one fun fact about you

I was born in Canada but spent 8 years living in Shanghai!

What do you wish you had known as a first-year student? 

I wish I knew the timelines for job search and just how quickly everything started. I also really wish I knew that sleeping contributes to not just energy levels but more to happiness

What was your favourite or most recent co-op work term?

Going into 2A, for my first and most recent work term, I am working as a data analyst at the Ministry of Health. In my day-to-day tasks, I engage in activities that include extracting insights to contribute to policy decisions, collaborating with data scientists and economists on forecasts, and addressing ad hoc requests from both internal and external sources. What is particularly exciting for me is the opportunity not only to learn about new technologies and languages but also to engage with professionals from different sections of the unit. I often collaborate with pharmacists and policymakers, which has provided me with a broader perspective beyond the fields of computer science and finance. I have been pleasantly surprised by this diverse range of knowledge. In addition to that, I’ve also been provided the chance to take on extra projects I wish to do, where I started an automation initiative and led a dynamic long-term report. Some surprising additions but good ones.

What are your plans for life after CFM?

I am someone who longs for a relaxing and stable life but also provides me with enough time and money to travel around the world. Also really hope to keep the connections and friends I have made and will make along the way for the next few years.

What extra-curricular activities are you involved in on campus?

Data Science Club, Women in Computer Science (WiCS), The Chinese Student Association (CSA), and maybe more to come.

What are your hobbies or interests?

Traveling, driving, karaoke, working out, cafe hopping, Netflix/kdrama/cdrama, dance.

Where is your favourite place to study?

The Science Teaching Complex (STC) but the Davis Centre (DC) cubicles for cramming.

Where is your favourite place to eat in Waterloo?

Starbucks/Chatime (they have good cakes).

Tell us one fun fact about you

Always binge a show/drama within 2-3 days.

What do you wish you had known as a first-year student? 

I wish I had known earlier about the various academic resources available to me such as the Math Tutoring Center.

What was your favourite or most recent co-op work term?

My most recent co-op work term was at a startup company where I worked as an Implementation Analyst. Here, I worked closely with the implementation team to gather finance system requirements, which were then used to tailor solutions and configure software modules. I particularly enjoyed engaging with clients directly and I was pleasantly surprised by the close-knit startup environment, allowing my contributions to make a direct impact on the company's success.

What are your plans for life after CFM?

Not quite sure yet! I would love to travel around the world for a bit after graduation and then hopefully secure a job in the fintech industry.

What extra-curricular activities are you involved in on campus?

• UW Product Management Club
• Data Science Club
• Women in Computer Science (WiCS)

What are your hobbies or interests?

Traveling, Hiking, Swimming, Badminton, Shopping, Trying new foods!

Where is your favourite place to study?

Science Teaching Complex (STC) - near the Starbucks!

Where is your favourite place to eat in Waterloo?

Nuri Village.

Tell us one fun fact about you

I used to play curling!

What do you wish you had known as a first-year student? 

I wish I had known about the amount of cool activities and services available at Waterloo that I could take advantage of. Also that it's important to take courses that you know would like and not be afraid of its difficulty.

What was your favourite or most recent co-op work term?

My most recent coop term is also my first one. I worked at RBC with my role being Software Engineer - Cloud Security. As the title suggests, I worked on creating tools and pipelines that ensured security for the Azure cloud. An example of such cool tools was using python to automate ChatGPT to detect changes in cloud services and create reports for them. I enjoyed the team events such as going to arcades and kayaking. The most surprising thing to me was how kind my manager and everyone was. I basically missed my first day at work when I overslept and my manager calmed me down plus helped me set everything up remotely.

What are your plans for life after CFM?

I plan to go on a nice relaxing vacation then spend a quarter of my lifespan slaving away at some tech job while trying to create my own startup.

What extra-curricular activities are you involved in on campus?

• Math Volunteer
• CFM volunteer
• Badminton Club
• Tetris Club

What are your hobbies or interests?

Basketball, Gym, Video Games (rhythm/fps), Playing Music (piano/guitar), Improvising.

Where is your favourite place to study?

Earth Sciences Museum (EIT) lecture halls.

Where is your favourite place to eat in Waterloo?

Gol's Lanzhou Lamian (beef noodles).

Tell us one fun fact about you

Starbucks once creatively misspelled my name as "Phillans".

What do you wish you had known as a first-year student? 

Looking back at my own first year, there are a few things I wish I had done differently. The best advice I can share is to embrace the fast-paced UW environment and hone your organizational and time management skills early on. With the array of opportunities and challenges UWaterloo offers, mastering how to efficiently juggle your studies, projects, and personal commitments will empower you to make the most of your university journey. Alongside this, I wish I knew that being open to exploring diverse subjects and activities can lead to unexpected passions and personal growth. There's a lot about yourself that you don't know yet!

What was your favourite or most recent co-op work term?

During my most recent co-op work term, I had the opportunity to work as a Web Migration Specialist at Parachute, Canada's national injury prevention charity. My role involved renewing and migrating content from the Fall Prevention Month website to the main Parachute website. The goal was to repurpose and eventually redesign the website's content while maintaining a consistent and organized structure for improved user experience. The complexity of content migration surprised me, especially in terms of adhering to taxonomy and bilingual requirements. Overall, the experience enriched my technical skills, project management abilities, and commitment to meaningful work.

What are your plans for life after CFM?

Navigating the post-CFM path is an exciting prospect, even though I'm still exploring various options. At the moment, I'm particularly drawn to the fields of quantitative analysis, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence. While I'm yet to finalize a definitive plan, these areas resonate with my interests and strengths. They offer a dynamic blend of data-driven decision-making, technological innovation, and safeguarding digital landscapes. As for the future, well, who knows what it holds? The idea of pursuing a master's degree is certainly a possibility, but it's a decision I'll make with careful consideration as I continue to shape my professional journey.

What extra-curricular activities are you involved in on campus?

• Data Science club (DSC)
• Women in Computer Science (WiCS)
• Muslim Student Association (MSA)
• Rec Badminton
• GO club

What are your hobbies or interests?

Reading, Badminton, Volleyball, Philosophy, Baking, Gardening, Photography, Hiking, Chess.

Where is your favourite place to study?

The Dana Porter Library for individual studying, and the SLC for group study!

Where is your favourite place to eat in Waterloo?

Williams Café, Shawerma Plus, or Ken Sushi—can't choose just one.

Tell us one fun fact about you

I can speak five languages fluently, and I'm currently working on my sixth!

What do you wish you had known as a first-year student? 

As a first-year student, I wish I had known that working from home without stepping outside all day was actually not productive :-)

What was your favourite or most recent co-op work term?

I recently completed my first work term as a data solutions developer for a consulting group. My job was to assist in developing a real-time critical healthcare solution. I worked across all parts of the data team, including analytics, integration, and client-side stuff, along with a solo project near the end. It was a ton of fun being able to work towards building something with a real impact, and the people were great. I love coding, so it was pretty cool to get paid to do it!

What are your plans for life after CFM?

I have no idea what I'll be doing after CFM. I'm still testing the waters, and seeing what I like. There's probably an equal possibility that I'll be working as a dev at a hedge fund, as a data scientist at a startup, or as an entrepreneur in Europe haha.

What extra-curricular activities are you involved in on campus?

Other than the mentorship program, I'm a quant dev with Wat Street (quant club), a TA for CFM 101, and a shawarma taster for a one-man shawarma tasting club (just me).

What are your hobbies or interests?

Lifting / Gym / Health, Poker, Investing, Golf, Podcasts, Indie Music, YouTube, the irreversible passage of time and its implications for a meaningless society, Gym x2 :-)

Where is your favourite place to study?

DC library for grind mode, Hagey Hall common area otherwise.

Where is your favourite place to eat in Waterloo?

Phillip's Shawarma, hands down.

Tell us one fun fact about you

I deadlift 315 for reps.

What do you wish you had known as a first-year student? 

I wish I knew how important it was to balance different aspects of life as a student (social life, academics, sleep, etc...)

What was your favourite or most recent co-op work term?

For my first (and only) work term, I worked as a software developer for a startup called Tablz. I did a lot of web development and data migration. I really enjoyed the work environment that was fostered, and I was surprised that everyone was so friendly and encouraging.

What are your plans for life after CFM?

I'm not sure! Probably find a job and adopt many dogs.

What extra-curricular activities are you involved in on campus?

• The Accounting and Financial Student Association (AFSA)
• Chinese Student Association (CSA)
• The Mathematics Society (Math Soc)

What are your hobbies or interests?

Badminton, music, sleeping, shopping, travelling, going out with friends

Where is your favourite place to study?

The egg chairs at the Student Life Centre.

Where is your favourite place to eat in Waterloo?

Wherever is closest to me at the moment.

Tell us one fun fact about you

I once jumped off a ladder and bashed my shin into a glass table and permanently dented my leg bone.