Nicole Naccarato, a student in Brock’s Master of Business Administration and Master of Public Health concurrent degree program, has been named Brock’s graduate Co-op Student of the Year and has also received the Co-op Student of the Year award from Experiential and Work-Integrated Learning Ontario for her time working with the President and CEO of Grand River Hospital.The virtual stage is set to celebrate experiential learning at Brock.
To coincide with Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada’s (CEWIL) celebration of National Co-op and Work-Integrated Learning Month, Brock will roll out an online celebration to showcase the many students, employee and community partnerships that encompass co-op and experiential learning at the University.
Hosted by Brock’s Co-op, Career and Experiential Education (CCEE) team, a new website will highlight various award winners, including Co-op Student of the Year, Experiential Education Student of the Year and the Sohaib Chilmeran Scholarship recipient.
Among the honourees is Nicole Naccarato, a student in Brock’s Master of Business Administration and Master of Public Health concurrent degree program, who has been named the University’s graduate Co-op Student of the Year in addition to receiving the Co-op Student of the Year award from Experiential and Work-Integrated Learning Ontario for her time working with the President and CEO of Grand River Hospital.
During her co-op work term, Naccarato contributed to several major projects in areas such as finance, strategy and clinical operations. She also presented recommendations to the senior executive team on future directions for the hospital based on her analysis of the qualities of world-class health-care systems.
“My co-op was such a validating experience,” she said. “Going into it, I felt a bit out of my comfort zone, but I viewed it as a learning experience, and I found that having a positive mindset and drawing on the lessons from Brock’s co-op staff helped me to succeed. These awards really validated that I am on the right path.”
Julia Zhu, Interim Director of CCEE, said Naccarato and all of the honourees highlight Brock’s continued leadership in work-integrated learning in Canada.
“Through our many co-op and experiential opportunities, and the support of so many employer and community partners, Brock students are actively helping businesses to develop and thrive, while also caring for people in the community.”
Award winners will begin to be announced on the site beginning Monday, March 18 with the final award being revealed on Wednesday, March 27.
A formal awards ceremony will also follow Monday, April 15.
To learn more about Brock’s Co-op, Career and Experiential Education opportunities, visit the CCEE website.
