“Striving to do better” together
Warner says it’s hard to describe, but he had a good feeling about Waterloo from the beginning. Being on campus, talking with professors, and meeting future and upper-year students during his first visit — all of it “lit something underneath me. It made me feel excited to be here.”
In the School of Accounting and Finance, he’s found a community of peers with “similar passions and things that motivate us to want to keep striving to do better.”
Warner says when you grow up on a farm, teamwork comes naturally. He’s found lots of opportunities on campus to channel and grow those collaborative skills — and even take on leadership roles.
In first year, he joined the University of Waterloo Accounting Conference (UWAC). Members of the club are responsible for planning and coordinating UWAC each year.
“I come from Port Perry, two hours north east of Waterloo. No one from my high school went to Waterloo, so I came here not knowing anyone. I was fortunate to be selected for UWAC. They pair you up with a mentor, an upper-year student, who coaches and guides you along.”
Connecting with peers through UWAC and the Accounting Living-Learning Community gave Warner “a sense of family.” In both instances, he paid it back in second year as a mentor, helping first-year students build confidence, connections and community, just like he did.
