2012 Co-op Student of the Year Awards

University of Waterloo (Waterloo) Co-op students could receive the Waterloo Co-op Student of the Year Award for their faculty, the Education at Work Ontario (EWO) Student of the Year Award, and the Canadian Association for Co-operative Education (CAFCE) Student of the Year Award. In order to be considered for these awards, students may apply on their own behalf or be nominated by a co-op work term employer, a fellow student, faculty, or Waterloo staff.

A selection committee comprised of a representative group of Co-operative Education (Co-op Education) staff and three students reviews applications and nominations for the awards and selects the winners.

Waterloo Award

The 2012 Waterloo Co-op student of the year (faculty) award will be presented to students who have best proven their abilities in the way of an exceptional contribution to one or more of their work term employer(s) in the year 2012.

Candidates will not have graduated and will preferably have an academic term at Waterloo in either Winter or Spring 2013.

Candidates will be judged using the following weighting for a total of 50 points:

  • 15 points - contribution to employer
  • 15 points - evaluations received from employers (must be "Outstanding" for at least one work term in the award year, and preferably "Excellent" for all other work terms in the award year and previous years)
  • 10 points - marks (candidates should have a minimum 75% overall average, but those with lower averages are welcome to apply)
  • 5 points - contribution to co-op
  • 5 points - volunteer and/or community involvement

This award of a gift certificate redeemable at Waterloo's Retail Services is given to the top candidate from each faculty as well as a framed recognition plaque. A photograph of one or more of the award recipients accompanied by an article will also appear in various publications.

If an insufficient number of applicants are received from any given faculty, or if applicants are not suitable, no prize will be awarded to a student from that faculty.

The names of each year's recipients of the Co-op Student of the Year Award will also be displayed on a plaque which will be mounted on a wall on the ground level of the Tatham Centre. The plaque will remind people using the facilities of the financial contribution that co-op students are making (over a 25 year period) to assist with the construction costs of the building.

Two names chosen by the selection committee from the recipients of the Waterloo Co-op Student of the Year Award will also be submitted to both the EWO and CAFCE 2012 Co-op Student of the Year Awards. Nominations for the EWO and CAFCE awards may not be made by students or employers.

CAFCE Award

The recipient of the CAFCE award is chosen from post-secondary co-op students nation-wide based on their standing in the following areas:

  • Workplace achievements (including mostly “Outstanding” ratings on work term evaluations)
  • Academic achievements (80% average or above)
  • Contribution to the community and extra-curricular activity
  • Contribution to co-operative education

For more information about the CAFCE award visit the CAFCE Website.

EWO Award

The recipient of the EWO (university) award is chosen from post-secondary co-op students attending Ontario universities based on the same criteria as stated above under the CAFCE Award. The recipient of the EWO award will be presented with a certificate and $500.

Past Recipients of the Co-op Student of the Year Awards

Read Inside sCo-op articles about the students who have won the awards in previous years:


Required Documents for Application to the Waterloo Co-op Student of the Year Award

  • Up-to-date résumé of applicant .
  • Applicant's personal statement (1 - 2 pages, single spaced, not to exceed 900 words)
    • explain why the applicant should win the Student of the Year Award (include how the applicant performed above and beyond your employer's expectations or job description)
    • format the statement so that each of the judging criteria (see above) is addressed under its own heading
    • translate technical information into language that anyone can understand. People without knowledge of the applicants' background may be reviewing the statement. They should be able to appreciate the meaning and significance of the applicants' accomplishments in order to make a fair assessment.
  • Supporting statement (up to 1 page, not to exceed 500 words) from one or more of the applicant's 2012 co-op employers describing
    • the outstanding contribution the applicant made to the employer's operation (saved a phenomenal amount of money, discovered a new process, etc.)
    • how the applicant performed above and beyond the employer's expectations or job description

Conditions

  • Please submit only the documents requested above.
  • If you are an employer recommending a co-op student for this award, we need only the name of the student and your supporting statement. Co-op Education will contact the student to ask for their résumé, records, and personal statement.
  • If you are an employer, please limit your recommendation to one student for our consideration.
  • The decision of the selection committee is final and may not be appealed.
  • Winners agree to allow Co-op Education to use their names, profiles, and photographs for publication and promotional purposes.

Deadline for applications or nominations

If you believe your achievements or those of a student you know warrant consideration for a co-op student of the year award, please submit the required documents to Olaf Naese, Co-operative Education via e-mail by 5:00 p.m. on or before December 14, 2012.