Completing
an
undergraduate
degree
in
the
Faculty
of
Mathematics
is
a
journey.
For
Victoria
Novakovskaya,
the
valedictorian
for
the
fall
2021
cohort,
it
was
a
journey
with
highs
and
lows,
and
one
that
led
to
a
deeper
appreciation
for
the
beauty
of
math.
“I don’t know how to phrase it,” she said. “It’s a field I’ve been studying for years, but I feel like it’s something I keep discovering all over again. It’s such a beautiful science.”
Novakovskaya completed the double degree program, splitting her time between mathematics courses at Waterloo and business courses at Wilfrid Laurier. Shuttling back and forth between the campuses, she developed a wide circle of friends among her classmates and a deep bond with her fellow double degree students.
“We had this little squad, and we were always together,” she said. “There was always someone you could turn to and lean on. I know the Faculty of Mathematics can sometimes seem like a big place, but I hope everyone got to experience what we had in the double degree program.”
Along with the course work, study and dedication that went into being a consistently excellent student, Novakovskaya looked for every opportunity to get involved in the university’s cultural life. Whether it was student societies, sports or social events, she was someone who always showed up.
“I was a first-year Waterloo representative in the double degree club,” she said. “That was an amazing way to get to know people in the program and to help out. I was in the Women in Computer Science Committee, and then when I switched to math, I was in the Women in Math Committee. I was the director of finance for MathSoc for a term, and then I was also in a bunch of intramurals. I played volleyball, basketball and ultimate frisbee. We were awful in every section, but it was just so much fun to be involved.”
“The pandemic definitely put a damper on things,” she continued. “But if anything, I think it makes me appreciate my classmates and the things we did all that much more.”
While the pandemic was one of the hurdles she faced as an undergrad student, Novakovskaya also had to contend with a personal tragedy.
“My mother got very sick, and so a big motivation became to continue on in her name. When she died, it was life-altering, and the sadness of it affected me deeply. As part of dealing with things, I developed this mindset where I wanted to succeed. I needed to push through, and I think that funnelled my life trajectory into completing the program. I want to dedicate this moment to her and to thank her for supporting me along the way.”
Novakovskaya said she also owes gratitude to her friends and classmates, family members, instructors and mentors. In the Faculty of Mathematics, she specifically mentioned the support of the math business academic advisor Keith Freeland.
“He was just a phenomenal help throughout my entire university experience. He’s an amazing person, and he was with me through difficult times. Other students in the double degree program said the same thing. He really gave good advice.”
Asked what’s next, Novakovskaya said she expects to start a full-time job with Scotiabank in the new year, drawing directly on her newly minted math and business degrees. She hopes to be working in sales and trading as part of the company’s full-time rotational program for new graduates. She also expressed interest in possibly taking a master’s degree in finance at some point.
For the time being, Novakovskaya’s thoughts are with her fellow graduates and the closing of this chapter of her university career.
“It’s hard to express the deep appreciation I have for the Faculty of Mathematics at Waterloo. It makes it possible for students to study this beautiful thing that they love so intensely. It’s something I will never forget.”