Yanan Liu (MBA ISP ’25) says it wasn’t easy to leave everything behind — her hometown, a well-paying job and a network of family and friends — to travel to Canada and study at Brock University.

But when she reflects on all she’s gained over the past two years, she knows it was worth it.

An international student from Jiayuguan City in China, Liu earned her MBA during Brock’s 118th Convocation on Friday, Oct. 17. She crossed the stage with not only with a new degree, but also a full-time job as a Portfolio Administrator at CIBC Mellon thanks to her positive co-op experience with CIBC Mellon’s Cash and FX Operations team.

“Honestly, it was such a relief — I’m not exaggerating when I say I actually cried,” Liu says. “I took a big risk coming here to start over and receiving that offer was more than just career progress, it was a real validation of my abilities.”

During her co-op work term, she was responsible for managing investment cash flows for fund managers.

With an undergraduate degree in sociology and previous work experience in the technology and government sectors, Liu says learning the ins and outs of a new industry came with a steep learning curve. She also had to overcome a language barrier, embracing any opportunity she could to improve her spoken English.

She credits her Goodman School of Business professors and strong curriculum with equipping her with the core knowledge needed and her co-op with allowing her to hone her social and professional skills in the workplace.

“It helped me strengthen my technical, analytical and problem-solving skills while also learning to communicate effectively in a fast-paced, collaborative environment,” Liu said. “I discovered that I really enjoy financial operations and process transformation and want to continue developing my career in the financial industry.”

Olivia Barnes (BPH ’25), who graduated during Brock’s 118th Convocation on Friday, Oct. 17, has secured a full-time job with Dykstra Greenhouses thanks to her co-op work term.

Olivia Barnes (BPH ’25), who came to Brock from Pickering, Ont., will also be making the Niagara region her permanent home after landing a full-time job as a Quality Assurance Assistant with Dykstra Greenhouses.

Barnes, who graduated with a Bachelor of Public Health and a Minor in Labour Studies, completed her first two co-op work terms at Pestalto Environmental Health Services and Norgen Biotek.

She then secured her final placement with Dykstra Greenhouses after connecting with the company at the Experience Expo hosted by the University’s Co-op, Career and Experiential Education (CCEE) team. She began working for the licensed cannabis producer in October 2024 and was offered a permanent position after completing her co-op in the Spring and Summer Terms.

“There’s always a fear about finding a job after you graduate, and it was because of Brock University and the co-op team’s network that I was able to meet my future employer,” Barnes says.

In her role, she approves incoming and outgoing products as well as managing adherence to Health Canada regulations and internal standard operating procedures.

Barnes says this work, along with the other co-op roles she held during her Brock journey, helped her connect her education to work she is passionate about.

“People might not realize it, but a lot of jobs contribute to public health, even if that’s doing unseen work in the background,” she says. “I learned that I am really passionate about doing work that helps communities, even if it’s behind the scenes.”

The connections she made during her time at Brock were also key to helping her feel at home in the Niagara region, she says.

“The friends I’ve met at Brock — and the employers in the community that have become like friends — will be with me for the rest of my life,” she says. “Those connections definitely contributed to me loving Brock, helping me spread roots in Niagara and wanting to stay here long-term.”

Director of CCEE Julia Zhu says that the integrated CCEE unit provides students with the opportunities, training, resources and connections to explore career options and demonstrate their abilities in the workplace.

“Our co-op programs are among the most powerful ways for students to build confidence, gain experience and develop the professional networks that prepare them to be truly career ready,” says Zhu.

For students setting out to complete their own co-op experience, Liu says the key to success is to hold themselves to the same standards as full-time employees, actively connect with colleagues and managers, and consider how they can add value or show impact beyond what’s expected.

“If you practice these three things consistently, you won’t just complete a co-op, you’ll truly launch your career,” Liu says.