U of G Co-operative Education Announces the Recipients of the 2025 Co-op Awards

In a year marked by exceptional achievements and dedication, the Co-op Awards celebrate the extraordinary efforts of students and employers who have significantly enriched the University community while delivering real-world impact in professional settings. 

Each nominee this year has made a unique impact on the Co-op program and the communities and workplaces they engage with. The award selection committee received a remarkable 96 student nominations from their employers, showcasing outstanding students who have made significant contributions to their workplaces in 2025. Additionally, the committee had the challenging task of considering 41 well-deserving employers and was impressed by the high calibre of the nominations.

The University of Guelph is excited to announce the following award recipients. 

Environment and Climate Change Canada, a leader in the protection and conservation of our natural heritage, has provided enriching work terms to multiple University of Guelph co-op students. Colton Falkenberg was so impressed by the growth reflected in his experience at Environment and Climate Change Canada and the unwavering support of his supervisor that he nominated the company for the National Co-op Employer of the Year award. 

Colton, a Protected Area Technician co-op student, highlighted the diversity of responsibilities he handled, from leading fyke netting for Species at Risk fish to supervising the operation of ATVs and vessels of researchers planning coyote kill expeditions. “Students are quickly immersed in … work, developing fundamental skills in Protected Areas Management and learning to problem solve,” he said. 

Environment and Climate Change Canada’s commitment to student growth and success makes it the epitome of co-op employer excellence.

Maeve, in her 2nd year of the Associate Diploma in Horticulture, was nominated for the Co-op Student of the Year Award by her employer, J.D Irving Woodlands Juniper Tree Nursery. Maeve exceeded expectations in her knowledge of plants, irrigation, the organization of seedling shipments and misting in the greenhouses, which provided major improvements. Her outgoing personality and positive attitude allowed her to easily engage with employees and learn from others. 

Maeve’s nominator, Evan Kilpatrick, expressed how her performance changed the way they will hire students in the future, stating that “Maeve is the smartest, brightest student [they’ve] had the privilege of working with.” Her drive, eagerness to learn, ability to observe and organization made her a valued member of the team, improving morale, seedling health, production and workflow.   

Maeve proved throughout her work term how committed and passionate she was about her responsibilities at the nursery. “She is one of the hardest workers …, and she showed her passion for plants,” Kilpatrick stated. 

Siya, a 5th year Management student, was nominated by her supervisors for her contributions during her work term at the College of Engineering & Physical Sciences at the University of Guelph for her strategic thinking and expertise in social and digital media content. Siya was instrumental in CEPS’ content strategy and marketing initiatives through her content creation, building monthly newsletters, tracking analytics, and supporting recruitment and outreach.  

In addition to Siya’s contributions making a significant impact, her supervisor, Alex Besszong, described her as invaluable to the team, and her impact has set a higher standard for future hires. Stating that, “she was a pleasure for the entire team to work with, and her presence improved staff morale and the quality of work. Siya's contributions have had a lasting impact on our organization.” 

Holly, in her 3rd year of Criminal Justice and Public Policy, was nominated by her employer, Stepping Stone. Holly exceeded expectations, demonstrating exemplary leadership, initiative, and organization through fundraiser planning, social media growth and strengthening community engagement. Holly’s contributions to Stepping Stone created new funding streams, expanded community partnerships and reduced operating costs, making her a valuable member of the team.   

Holly’s supervisor described her as “an outstanding co-op student whose impact extended well beyond our expectations.” Her positive energy and collaborative approach to work boosted team morale and reinforced teamwork in the company’s organization. Holly has been offered a part-time position after her co-op term, which she has accepted and will continue to make a positive impact at Stepping Stone.  

This award, established in 2018 by Tulip in honour and remembrance of exemplary co-op student Ian Pavlinic, recognizes a co-op student in the School of Computer Science who has demonstrated innovation and collaboration, and made a positive impact during their work term.  

Puneet, a 5th year Bachelor of Computing, Software Engineering student, was nominated by her supervisor at Munich Re for her exemplary work term as a DevOps Engineer Intern. During her term, Puneet successfully implemented Role-Based Access Control for Kubernetes namespaces, enhanced security posture, and designed and delivered a secure process for engineers to port forward to Hubble UI. She had a pivotal role in enhancing team culture and morale through project management changes she implemented, making meetings more engaging and increasing participation. Puneet played a pivotal role at Munich Re, according to her supervisor, Mathew Malkowski, “Puneet’s work has strengthened Munich Re’s infrastructure, improved developer efficiency, enhanced security, and elevated team morale. Her technical expertise, strategic mindset, and ability to inspire others will continue to deliver value long after her co-op term.”  

Kiana, a 4th year Biomedical Engineering student was nominated by her employer, for her exceptional work at Sonova. Kiana made impactful contributions to the team at Sonova through redesigning the sprint demo procedure, verifying the accuracy of the translation files used in their mobile applications, creating an improved translation workflow and taking the initiative to become the first co-op student to join the company's social committee. Kiana not only established great technical success, but she also fully immersed herself in the company and its values. 

Kiana’s supervisor, Tom Kalbfleisch, expressed how important she was to the team. “[Her] impact extended well beyond the daily tasks of her role. From week one with us, she volunteered for committees, cross-team initiatives and events. Often, Kiana acted as the binding between departments. She built strong connections across the organization, improving the collaboration of the team as well as further expanding her professional and school related goals.”

Kalyn, in her 4th year of Molecular Biology and Genetics, was nominated for the Co-op Student of the Year Award by her employer, The Crump Group Inc. During her work term, Kalyn exceeded expectations, especially in a process improvement project that increased oven efficiency, which bettered throughput productions and operations.  

According to Kalyn’s supervisor, Punyanit Siripun, what really set her apart was her personal qualities. “She is respectful, approachable, and an excellent communicator who gets along with everyone on the team. She willingly took the time to train new co-op students, always ensured her work was done to the highest standard, and never hesitated to take initiative. Her ability to manage her time and thrive in a fast-paced, constantly changing environment, while keeping a positive attitude, was especially impressive.” 

The Collin Cureatz Memorial award recognizes a co-op student who has contributed to the betterment of the University of Guelph co-op program or to co-op student life during 2025. Established in 1999, the award was renamed in 2008 in honour and remembrance of exemplary co-op student Collin Cureatz. During his years at Guelph, Collin achieved excellent marks, was an outstanding co-op student, an enthusiastic Peer Helper and a dedicated volunteer within the U of G community. This year’s award winner is Mackenzie Roberts, a 5th year Wildlife Biology and Conservation student who mirrors the outstanding qualities and talents that Collin possessed.  

MacKenzie has been a Career Peer Helper in the Experiential Learning Hub since Fall 2024 and has been exemplary in contributing to the co-op student community at U of G. From the beginning, MacKenzie has demonstrated enthusiasm and dedication for supporting fellow students, a true embodiment of this award. She is heavily involved in workshops and events, is a student mentee in the PrePAIR mentoring program and has been selected as a Senior Peer despite her short time as a Peer Helper. Nominator, Brittney Ogilvie, Coordinator of Student Programs at the Experiential Learning Hub, highlights her positive influence and involvement. “She builds rapport and relates to students effectively, in a way that is authentic and genuinely acknowledges their concerns. All student satisfaction survey responses for MacKenzie rate the quality of their appointment as ‘Excellent’, which demonstrates the strength of her support.”