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Co-operative Education

Co-op Student of the Year

Each year, we recognize three co-op students who have made outstanding achievements in their academic achievement, workplace performance and community involvement. Winners are announced in November.

One student is selected from each of our three major program areas:

  • Business
  • Engineering and Computer Science
  • Optional and Professional Programs (all other programs)

One recipient each year is also nominated for the provincial and national awards:

Nominations

Each UVic Co-op program area will nominate a Student of the Year each fall. To be eligible, students must have completed at least ONE co-op work term during the current calendar year. Co-op staff will contact students about nominations in the fall.

Nomination packages include:

  1. A copy of the student's transcript.
  2. A copy of the student's résumé.
  3. A testimonial from an employer stating how the student demonstrated initiative and/or contributed to the workplace's organizational goals.
  4. A testimonial from the student outlining how co-op enhanced their career development, personal development and academic experience.
  5. A testimonial from the student's co-op coordinator supporting the student's nomination.

2023 winners

Isabel de Verteuil (Business - MBA)

Isabel de Verteuil spent last summer working as a strategic planning analyst co-op student with the British Columbia Environmental Assessment Office, where she designed methods to assess the organization’s progress towards its strategic goals and created an organization-wide management data plan. Isabel was also nominated for the BC Public Service Student Employee of the Year Award. 

Ethan Barillo (Engineering - civil engineering)

Ethan Barillo was hired by Bird Construction to work on LEED-certified plans for a new HandyDart Bus Station here in Victoria. Barillaro helped procure and set up agreements with trades and vendors and was a stand-out employee recognized for his initiative and positivity. He has also become a mentor for his cohort, offering support to students who apply to work at Bird, which has led to two more students being hired over the past year. 

Toby Murray (Engineering - software engineering - entrepreneurial)

A software engineering student who launched his own video game studio during an entrepreneurial work term, Toby Murray worked with a mentor to develop a marketing plan and fine-tune a playable demo of his game called Random Access Mayhem, which made its debut at an in-person event the week after his co-op ended. Toby has been an incredible advocate of entrepreneurial co-op, presenting to students about his experiences in classes, forums and to student clubs. 

Nina Kanapi (Optional and Professional Programs - MEd in educational psychology)

A mother of two with thirteen years of teaching experience who moved to Canada from the Philippines to pursue her Master of Education in Educational Psychology, Nina Kanapi completed her first co-op at Broadmead Care Society, a non-profit long-term care home for seniors, veterans, and adults with disabilities. Although Nina was hired as an activity worker, she became the first co-op student at Broadmead Care to lead a quality improvement project where she created a Participant Audit Tool to assess resident program engagement. 

Read longer stories about our 2023 Co-op Student of the Year recipients.

Past winners

Lauryn Orme (Business - commerce) 

Lauryn Orme brings her passion for continuous learning to everything she does, and her co-op placement at Workday Inc. was no exception. By providing strategic guidance for internal initiatives, Lauryn tackled challenges like supply chain impacts and changing client needs. Her ability to leverage her communications skills, reflectiveness and strategic thinking to adapt to a changing climate made an impact on her organization, where she went above and beyond to plan events like a lunch and learn and a Movember campaign.

Muskan Hans (Engineering and Computer Science - computer science)

When international student Muskan Hans began her studies in Canada in 2016, she struggled with physical and mental health issues while far from her home in India. While Muskan had doubts about whether she would succeed in co-op, her first work term with BC Pension Corporation built her confidence and communication skills as she brought her adaptability and technical expertise to the team. Initially hired in quality assurance, Muskan’s diligence and eagerness to learn led to her taking on more responsibility across a number of job roles, from quality assurance to business analyst.

Camas Ussery (Optional and Professional Programs - law)

During her three years in UVic’s law program, Camas Ussery spent countless hours studying the Canadian common law system. So, when she began a co-op work term with the South Island Indigenous Authority (SIIA), she committed to learning about Coast Salish/Nuu-chah-nulth law and culture through community engagement at craft nights, youth dinners and a ‘Gathering of Aunties.’“I’ve witnessed the human impact of the law with SIIA,” she says. “It can seem very abstract in law school. I’m motivated to understand why legal decisions are made and who they impact.” 

Read longer stories about our 2022 Co-op Student of the Year recipients.