Waterloo Engineering in one word:
Limitless
I choose Waterloo Engineering because:
I wanted to combine my interests in managerial business, engineering, and coding – the three disciplines that I was very interested and passionate about in high school. Combined with the co-op program, Waterloo Engineering seemed like the perfect fit for me to develop in these areas whilst gaining practical experience!
The best thing about my program is:
It is so open-ended that I have been able to work in a variety of fields and learn about a diverse set of subjects! We get the chance to explore lots of different areas and this has been super helpful in understanding the big picture during my co-ops!
About my Co-op experience:
I’ve worked in a variety of roles such as a Chartered Professional Accountant, Software Engineering, and Data Scientist at both large companies and small start-ups! I enjoy co-op because it gives me an opportunity to explore different interests and see what it is like to work there full-time. My last coop was at Microsoft as a Data Scientist, and I worked with really talented engineers on their Yammer product. In this position, I leveraged my learnings in Machine Learning and Data Mining courses to improve their recommendation model.
I wish I had known before I came:
It’s okay to be unsure and to try different fields! I struggled so much in high school because I was worried that I would be forced to specialize in one area and I would be closing the door to other industries. This was DEFINITELY not the case and I got to explore most of my interests and more!
Outside the classroom, I’m involved with:
Currently:
- Women in Engineering Outreach Squad
- Mentor for Ontario Network of Women in Engineering
- Mentor for Future City Experience
- Mentor for First-year Management Engineering students
- UW Engineering Ambassadors
In the past, I was the Co-President of the Entrepreneurship Society at UW and participated in volleyball intramurals. I also volunteered as an Engineering Orientation Leader, an Online Regional Ambassador for WUSA Co-op Connection, a Consulting Director for the Waterloo Engineering Competition, and a Senior Events Coordinator for Crafts 4 Charity. I’ve also been involved in WatSub, a design team that makes submarines for racing!
A fun project I’ve completed:
In my second year, I went on an exchange program to Austria and I participated in a Smart Object competition with some of the other international students. It was super fun and I learned loads about Arduino, hardware, and smart objects in general. It was incredible being able to make a smart mug from scratch!
One more thing about me:
I am passionate about helping others and giving back in any way that I can. Feel free to reach out anytime with any questions! :)