Co-op Student of the Year Awards Celebrated

The University of Prince Edward Island celebrated three of its top Co-op students at this year's Co-op Student of the Year awards presentations on Thursday, April 27 in the W.A. Murphy Student Centre. Every year, they are awarded to a Co-op student in each of Business Administration, Computer Science, and Physics based on employer recommendations.

The recipient of the award for Business Co-op Student of the Year was Brad Colwill, nominated by Wayne Beaton from the chartered accountant firm of Beaton, Fitzpatrick, and Murray. He won the award because of his professional abilities, congenial personality and strong work ethic, combined with the enthusiasm of his employer.

"Brad has the personality to fit with co-workers as well as the professionalism to deal with clients and he possesses an eagerness to listen and learn," said Wayne Beaton in his nomination application.

Yan Jiang, Computer Science Co-op Student of the Year, was nominated by her supervisors within the IT Security Section of Veterans Affairs Canada for her accomplishments in analyzing email for the purpose of identifying and blocking spam email. She has completed her final year at UPEI and will receive her Bachelor of Science degree, Majoring in Computer Science with Co-operative Education. Besides her three work terms with Veterans Affairs Canada, she also completed a four-month work term with the Canada Revenue Agency in Summerside.

In Physics, the Co-op Student of the Year honour was awarded to Evan O'Connor, a fourth-year student in a combined Honours Physics and Co-op program. He worked at the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory at the NRC Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics in Penticton, BC. His supervisor, Dr. Sean Dougherty, was very impressed with his work and felt the nomination was well deserved. O'Connor was studying the structure and dynamics of colliding-wind binary star systems and plans to return to Penticton for another work term in January 2007.

Co-operative Education offers students combined academic studies with practical work experience. About 160 students are enrolled in the Co-operative Education Program at UPEI. Students have the opportunity to work in PEI, across Canada, and in international placements. For information about the Co-op Education program contact co-op@upei.ca.