Congratulations to 2026 Environment undergraduate award winners!
Join us in celebrating the outstanding undergraduate students who have received awards for their academic achievements at convocation. Read below on their cherished moments and their road ahead!
Emma LeCouffe
Emma received two awards for distinguished academic achievement. One for her academic achievement in Knowledge Integration and the University of Waterloo Alumni Gold Medal in the Faculty of Environment.
What is next for you?
After finishing my degree last August, I went on a 50-day trip around Europe to celebrate my graduation. I have since been working as the events coordinator at the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce, where I’ve had the opportunity to exercise the project management and collaboration skills I learned in my Knowledge Integration classes. I have also been working as a research assistant at the UW Future of Work Institute, where I worked with Dr. Katie Plaisance to design a workshop that helped interdisciplinary research teams create collaboration plans. While I am currently taking a short break from my studies, I plan to pursue a master’s degree in the near future. I am currently looking into programs related to education, educational psychology and design.
What will you miss about Waterloo?
I will miss the communities I was so lucky to be part of. I was part of a great group of friends that I met while living at United College in first year (shout-out to the Toast Time Troupe!). A handful of these friends became my roommates and closest friends, and I will forever cherish the memories we created in the three years we lived together. I will also miss the Knowledge Integration (KI) community. I am so grateful to have been part of such a tight-knit cohort and program, and I loved getting involved in the community by volunteering with the Knowledge Integration Student Society, working as a teaching assistant, attending weekly seminars and participating in social events. I learned so much from my KI peers and professors who are all such smart, caring and passionate people, and I will miss being a student in this brilliant program.
Abby La Chapelle
Abby received two awards for distinguished academic achievement. She received the President's Award and was recognized for her academic achievement in Environment, Resources and Sustainability.
What is next for you?
I am excited to share that I am working as a data associate at the Regional Municipality of York through their New Graduate Program. York Region was my employer throughout my co-op terms, and I am eager to continue building off that experience and develop new skill sets. From an academic perspective, I utilize the knowledge I gained while pursuing the Diploma of Excellence in Geographic Information Systems every day at work.
What will you miss about Waterloo?
I will miss the community at UWaterloo. I have met so many amazing people in the Faculty of Environment, especially my fellow ERS classmates. I have great memories of tackling complex environmental issues together in the classroom and supporting each other through exams with group study sessions. As I am moving on from Waterloo, I will miss spending time with my friends here, especially those that I have known since my first year at V1. However, it’s a great excuse to come back and visit.
Campbell Bowser
Campbell was recognized for his academic achievement in Geospatial Data Science (Geomatics).
What is next for you?
I’m happy to say I’ll still be at the University of Waterloo for some time. I’ll be starting in the Master of Science in Geography program this coming fall, where I hope I can use what I’ve learned during my undergrad to do some meaningful work and set myself up for more opportunities that I’m passionate about.
What will you miss about Waterloo?
I’ll miss the time spent with my friends mostly, especially with those who are moving away after graduation. It is not lost on me how meaningful the friendships, opportunities and moments I have had across the faculty were to my own personal growth over the past five years. I believe many of those friendships will last a lifetime, so I can only continue to celebrate that regardless of how things change after undergrad. I’ll also miss the atmosphere of being an undergrad student here, where the combination of academics, co-op and the community really allowed me to pursue what sparked a fire in me without fear of the consequences of failure.
Ealy Fong
Ealy was recognized for her academic achievement in Planning.
What is next for you?
After graduation, I hope to work in community planning, urban design or community engagement, whether in Toronto, Vancouver or abroad. Through my co-op experiences—from urban design to policy planning—I’ve had the opportunity to learn from many different areas of planning, which has shown me how impactful the profession can be. In the longer term, I’m interested in pursuing an interdisciplinary master’s degree in urban design, potentially abroad, with a focus on universal design and placemaking.
My exchange semester at the National University of Singapore was one of my favourite undergraduate experiences. It left me with a deeper curiosity about how cities function within different cultural contexts and how thoughtful planning and design can improve everyday life. There is always something new to learn. Before starting the next chapter, I’m hoping to visit Ireland and finally see the Cliffs of Moher!
What will you miss about Waterloo?
I will miss the small, everyday moments with my community in Waterloo, both at school and at church, who have been such an integral part of my time here. Whether it was spending long hours together in the urban design studio, trying new cafés across Kitchener and Waterloo, or visiting new exhibits at the Clay and Glass Gallery, the people I’ve met along the way helped make Waterloo feel like home.
Etsubdink Addis Kasu
Etsubdink was recognized for her academic achievement in International Development.
What is next for you?
I have thoroughly enjoyed the past few years in International Development (INDEV), which has inspired me to further my studies in policy development. This includes completing my master's in International Public Policy at the Balsillie School. I hope to continue my interest in international affairs and sustainable development as these are the long-time things that have appealed to both my academic and career interests!
What will you miss about Waterloo?
Although I’ll still be close to campus, there will be many things that I’ll miss about Waterloo. This includes the many people that I’ve fostered friendships with and the many memories that were created in SLC. I will also dearly miss the general environment faculty, as I was surrounded by inspirational peers that were evidently passionate and radically motivated to make a positive impact in many ways!
Francesca Girmenia
Francesca was recognized for her academic achievement in Environment and Business.
What is next for you?
This summer I am working as a seasonal sustainability assistant for the Toronto Zoo, supporting its transition to net-zero emissions, waste and water. Afterwards, I hope to explore career opportunities in the sustainable tourism sector. In my spare time, I’ve been working on a video series called Sustainable by Design that explores the positive social and environmental impact businesses are creating in their communities!
What will you miss about Waterloo?
I’ll miss being surrounded by like-minded people every day. Everyone in the Faculty of Environment is connected by their vision for a more just and sustainable future. Before we have even graduated, my peers have founded their own businesses, reformed government policies and conducted research projects that are making a real difference. It’s an incredibly inspiring environment to be in!
Katie Croutch
Katie was recognized for her academic achievement in Climate and Environmental Change.
What's next for you?
After my undergrad, I want to continue to pursue research. I have applied for graduate studies both at the University of Victoria and Dalhousie University. I'm eager to study how climate change influences movement in marine species, specifically through range expansions and the potential ecological consequences of those expansions. I would eventually love to continue this research through academia or a research institution.
What will you miss about Waterloo?
I think graduating from Waterloo is a bittersweet experience, especially since I'm a Waterloo local. I will definitely miss going to class, hanging out with friends on campus and participating in my old research lab; however, I feel ready to move on to the next stage of my life.
Kirsi O'Quinn
Kirsi was recognized for her academic achievement in Geography and Environmental Management.
What’s next for you?
This summer I’m excited to have returned for my third field season as an Aquatic Invasive Species Technician for a non-profit organization called the Okanagan and Similkameen Invasive Species Society (OASISS). In this role, I help to spread awareness and monitor the lakes in the Okanagan-Similkameen regions for aquatic invasive species, with a particular focus on invasive mussels. Although I’m taking a break from school for now, I am open to the idea of one day returning to pursue a masters' degree.
What will you miss about Waterloo?
The thing I’ll miss most about Waterloo is the people as they truly shaped my undergrad experience. I’ve met my closest friends at Waterloo, and I wouldn’t have made it this far without them. From late-night study sessions to wandering around campus after exams, I’ll always hold those memories close. I’ll also miss the faculty whose support and guidance allowed me to explore my interests and helped shape me into the person I am today. Overall, I’ll miss the Environment community at Waterloo, but I’m excited to see where this next phase of life takes us!
Samuel Ferreira
Samuel was recognized for his academic achievement in Geography and Aviation.
What is next for you?
This summer, I’ll be working toward obtaining my Seaplane Rating and continuing to build experience as I pursue my goal of becoming an airline pilot. I’m also looking forward to spending time with friends and family back home in British Columbia, some of whom I haven’t seen since first year. Looking further into the future, I could see myself pursuing a master’s degree someday. While I haven’t settled on a specific field yet, there’s a good chance it would be connected to aviation and/or sustainability.
What will you miss about Waterloo?
Over the past four years, I’ve met some incredible people and made memories that I know will last a lifetime. Some of my favourite moments came from cheering on the Warriors at sporting events, playing intramurals, studying with friends outside of class and travelling across the world to participate in a Faculty of Environment-led field course in Singapore. However, nothing will top getting a group of friends together and spontaneously renting a plane from the Waterloo Wellington Flight Centre to fly over the CN Tower at night or head to Goderich for ice cream at sunset.
The recipients will receive their degrees on Tuesday, June 16 and will be among the 435 Environment graduates. Congratulations to the class of 2026! Best of luck for the future!
