By Sarah Fullerton
Digital Communications Specialist
When Wendy (Xuewen) Guo arrived at the University of Waterloo, she was met with a blanket of snow and the politeness of Canadians; Yes, the "sorry" stereotype is real. But what she didn't know was that she would form meaningful connections and step into a leadership role on campus.
As part of the 2+2 program with Beijing Jiaotong University, Guo came to the University of Waterloo for years three and four of her degree in Materials and Nanoscience. She chose Waterloo for its top ranking in physics and its global reputation. Beyond academics, she also wanted to meet new people and experience what university was like in Canada.
In her first term, Guo learned about the Materials & Nanosciences Society (MNS Soc) through a classmate. She jumped at the chance to get involved when she saw the club was recruiting an Events Coordinator. Having done something similar in her first two years of university in Beijing, she thought it would be a perfect fit, and she was right!
As the Events Coordinator, Guo focused on inclusive programming, organizing welcome events and social gatherings for new 2+2 students to offer a sense of community and belonging.
“I made so many friends in the club,” she says. “The club room is always full of students chatting about coursework and life. It’s very welcoming and I wanted other 2+2 students to also experience this.”
In the Winter 2025 term, she welcomed a new leadership role within the club as the Vice President Internal and served on the Science Society Board of Directors, making her the first 2+2 student to hold an executive position and be a signing authority for the MNS Soc.
Her experiences in Science at Waterloo pushed her to step out of her comfort zone and grow as a person.
“University in Canada is quite different,” she says. “I’ve learned to be more independent through leadership roles and hands-on lab work. While I was given the freedom to work on my own in the lab, it was also reassuring to know that professors are approachable. It’s easy to ask questions and discuss assignments with them.”
Guo also took advantage of Waterloo’s unique course offerings, taking off the lab coat for THPERF 200, a drama course that teaches students how to communicate scientific knowledge through performance. “It was something completely new, and I loved it,” she says.
Guo is graduating with a degree in Materials and Nanoscience and already has her next big adventure planned: graduate school at UCLA for applied chemistry. She hopes to one day pursue a career in science communication, merging her background in science with her passion for connecting with others.
