Stream of study: Co-op
Favourite co-op: Working at a small planning, urban design, and landscape architecture consultancy firm in Downtown Toronto. The firm consists of 12 full-time staff members so we were a very tight-knit group. This has been my favourite co-op experience because of the positive/fun work culture and the ability to interact with my co-workers every day in the office.
Are you involved in any campus clubs?
On campus, I am/have been involved in the Planning Students’ Association (PSA), Ambassador team, Orientation week, and UW Habitat for Humanity. I definitely recommend everyone, especially new students, to attend Clubs Fair which occurs at the beginning of each term so that they can learn about all the different clubs that Waterloo has to offer year-round. Did you know we have clubs like cheese club, dragon boat club, bubble tea club, and so much more?
Why did you choose to study in the Faculty of Environment at Waterloo?
I chose to study in the Faculty of Environment here at Waterloo because of the uniqueness of the faculty and the programs it has to offer. The Faculty of Environment is the largest of its kind in Canada but it is also the smallest faculty here at Waterloo. We are a very tight-knit community and it is very likely that we get to interact with other students in other programs within the faculty. The small programs/class sizes allow us to get to know everyone including professors and other students. Waterloo is one of the few universities to have a faculty specifically dedicated to the environment and I think this is a huge step in dealing with the climate crisis by changing the perspective we approach solving problems.
What do you love most about your program?
The thing that I love most about the Planning program is that it is an accredited program taught by Registered Professional Planners. Being taught by professors who have technical experience working in the planning industry allows us to understand how the theory we learn in class is applied in the real-world. This practice knowledge is also further explored through the program’s partnership with many fantastic co-op opportunities where we get to work in the planning industry alongside full-time working professionals for 4 months at a time. The planning industry is not that big either so a previous co-op employer or company could be your future client or full-time boss.
What problem would you like to solve?
I did not know what planning was before applying to university. Looking for different programs, I knew I was interested in exploring how things worked and I always had a passion for building things. The problem that drew me to the Faculty of Environment was that cities are growing rapidly and they are occupying more land than we can offer. Cities are beginning to expand outwards into rural areas and soon we will experience a lack of green spaces and not enough affordable homes for families. The planning program here at Waterloo approaches city building with multiple perspectives. By looking at different perspectives, we determine how decisions can be made to balance the public’s interest and look at issues like housing affordability, climate change, accessibility, walkability, etc.