HINF Co-op Student of the Year

Mary Ziel Boncajes, a fourth-year Health Information Science student at the University of Victoria, has been chosen as the HINF 2020 Co-op Student of the Year.

Building practical work experience since her second year, the now fourth-year student has found co-op to be invaluable in complementing her academics. From the start of her co-op as the Data Coordinator for BCCA’s Integrating Newcomers program, to Information and Operations Co-op Student for the University of Victoria, and lastly, a Clinical Application Analyst co-op for Island Health’s IMIT, Mary is thankful for the incredible opportunities and relationships she’s fostered throughout her academic and work-integrated learning journey.

In Mary’s words: “The co-op experience has been truly rewarding. Throughout co-op, I've been able to network with other professionals who've encouraged my growth and success, all the while developing my skills in a field I'm so passionate about. Work-integrated learning has also provided me an avenue to help my community, such as my participation in COVID-19 Call Centre training. I'm incredibly appreciative of the opportunities co-op has opened for me, but most importantly, I'm thankful for those who support co-op, that make stories like mine, possible."

Congratulations Mary! We look forward to following your career path and seeing how you transform and improve the way health care uses data.