Stream of study: Co-op
Favourite co-op: My second placement with the EDI-R office on campus. I worked as the educational programming assistant, and because, at the time, the team was still small, I could sit in on meetings and understand how projects are implanted at an institutional level.
Are you involved in any campus clubs?
Currently, I am an ESS Coffee Shop volunteer. Previously I worked with RAISE, a WUSA student service.
Why did you choose to study in the Faculty of Environment at Waterloo?
At the time, I had just moved to Canada, and I knew that environmental work would be a part of whatever I chose to do. And searching for programs, the University's Faculty of Environment piqued my interest. As it was a faculty solely dedicated to environmental programs and I had envisioned that this was the place that would offer me the most growth in my knowledge and work experience through the co-op.
What do you love most about your program?
I love the flexibility. I am doing Joint Honours in Geography and Environmental Management with a minor in Political Sciences and taking several GIS courses because I love maps and the (untold) stories they tell. With this program, I have learned from professors whose work I appreciate and select courses that will develop my knowledge - outside of the required courses. It is also a small program that makes classes intimate and allows for more conversations.
What problem would you like to solve?
I understand that people know what they need and that the solutions already exist at the community level and outside of institutions. Unfortunately, resources, time and opportunities are often gatekept from communities. And I would like to act as a connector and work with people outside the boundaries that institutions create to exclude the most marginalized. All this to say that I want to use the knowledge, connections and experiences offered through my time as an undergrad student in service of my people and towards Environmental Liberation.