Co-op and Experiential Education

On October 9, 2024, during the fifth annual awards ceremony, Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE) recognized co-op employers as award recipients and honourable mentions in six categories. Each of the winning employers shared insights into how their organizations impact student experiences while benefiting from Waterloo’s co-op student talent. 

Benjie Thomas (PDAcc '98), is the new CEO of KPMG in Canada and his path to getting there is a testament to the power of education, determination and the opportunities that lie within Waterloo’s co-op program. Thomas’s journey from the School of Accounting and Finance (SAF) to one of the most influential figures in Canadian business is a story of dedication, leadership and commitment to excellence.

Thomas's decision to pursue his studies at Waterloo was driven by two key factors: The University's renowned reputation for CPA success and its robust co-op program.

Cancer is the leading cause of death in Canada. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, more than 100 different types of cancer-related diseases are diagnosed annually.

Asia Maheu laughs when she remembers young visitors’ squeals of excitement on entering the Dino Pit in the University of Waterloo’s Earth Sciences Museum. 

“They see the T. Rex skull and the Albertosaurus skeleton and they freak out,” said the fourth-year geology student. 

It’s an excitement that Maheu shares. Growing up, she also loved dinosaurs and has fond memories of collecting fossils with her dad. But it wasn’t until Maheu arrived at Waterloo that she discovered Earth Sciences, a program that would allow her to pursue her passion.  

Traditionally, the faculties at Waterloo can seem quite siloed in terms of their organizational structure, but last year the faculties of Environment, Engineering and Math teamed up to break the mold. Together, they offered the first interdisciplinary undergraduate capstone project at the University of Waterloo.

The University of Waterloo has profoundly shaped every aspect of Ruhuni de Alwis’s (BA ’89, BMath ’89) life, from career foundation to personal relationships.

Through Waterloo’s co-op program, de Alwis built a thriving career, met her partner, Barry Matsui (BMath ’89) and forged lifelong friendships. But when de Alwis first arrived on campus in 1984, she was uncertain about her future.

“Kids today seem to have a clearer idea of what to expect, but back then, it was a leap of faith,” she said.

The University of Waterloo has long been renowned for entrepreneurship and innovation and for providing co-operative education (co-op) and work-integrated learning at scale with impact.

Margaret Dalziel, professor emerita and Nada Basir, professor of strategic management at Conrad School of Business and Entrepreneurship

The University of Waterloo is at the forefront of developing future-focused solutions by investing in experiential education and boundary-breaking research to lead innovation for real-world impact.

This summer, the Faculty of Science allocated more than $260,000 in new funding to support undergraduate research assistantships. This investment provides Science students with invaluable hands-on experience, enabling them to work closely with renowned researchers at Waterloo.

Panama is considered a water-abundant nation, but last year a severe drought caused the Panama Canal to run out of fresh water. This crisis had critical consequences and forced officials to cut operations that disrupted worldwide shipping. The shortage underscored the complexities of water management in Panama during the age of climate change and raised important questions about water security that graduate students in the Faculty of Environment were looking to unpack.

When Victoria Ventura discovered that Waterloo didn’t have a Mock Trial Club, she decided to start her own. Having done mock trials in high school, she knew how valuable an experience they were. “Since our BA degrees are more focused on the theoretical side of law and society, mock trials are the best way to get practical law experience and apply some of the concepts you've learned in class,” says Ventura, now a third-year Legal Studies student.