Carlee Knight, BES 2018, chose to study
international development at the University of Waterloo. One of the biggest draws of the undergraduate program was the option of an eight-month overseas work placement. Other universities providing international placements offered four month placements, but Carlee felt she would get the most out of her experience abroad by living and working in Nepal for the longer duration. She gained first-hand development experience, cultivated life-long friendships, and finished her placement feeling assured that international development was the right path for her. Carlee believed the highlight of her undergraduate degree was her experience of working abroad.
Carlee was also enticed to the University of Waterloo and the Faculty of Environment because of the wide range of courses offered in the international development program: GIS, geography, planning, environmental assessment and business. She chose to pursue a minor in peace and conflict studies, and was able to study agriculture and food security, environmental assessment, and field ecology, which, as a farm girl from Manitoba, gave her unique insight into other issues relating to development. Carlee found the Faculty of Environment to be a smaller faculty, which allowed her to establish strong collections with peers in different ENV programs, and more personal interactions with faculty and staff.
Lastly, and most importantly, Carlee felt the best part of her experience at the University of Waterloo was the people she met and the lifelong connections she made. Coming from a small town in rural Manitoba, she was able to interact with a diverse student population allowing her to meet people from all over the globe. She enjoyed having motivating and thought-provoking conversations with people who had vastly different backgrounds and perspectives from her own. Carlee felt that her time at Waterloo changed how she viewed the world and has empowered her to be better prepared for her goal of working internationally.
