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The EWO 2009 Co-op Student of the Year Committee has now concluded its review of the nomination packages for our annual award.
We are delighted to declare Ms. Lori-Beth Pentsa, a Business Administration (Marketing) Co-op student from Conestoga College, as the Co-op Student of the Year in the College category. Lori Beth was nominated by Atria Networks, of Cambridge, and is the first co-op student ever hired by that firm. Her outstanding work-related achievements in her 8 months at Atria include single-handed management of their entire events and tradeshow calendar, providing key strategic contributions to the company’s direct-mail campaign which resulted in more than doubling of the expected revenue, acting as a main organizer of a very successful employee golf tournament, and numerous other feats. Lori-Beth has actively supported her co-op program by sharing her marketing co-op expertise with other students, is a Peer Tutor, is the recipient of the Conestoga Marketing Program Committee Advisory Award, and has participated in the Ontario Colleges Marketing Competition (OCMC) for the past two years, earning a Gold Medal and a Silver Medal. In addition, she is a high academic achiever who is involved in the Kitchener community as a Sunday School teacher, head of the Lighthouse Afterschool Youth Program, and has been a participant in foreign mission and humanitarian work in Brazil, Papua New Guinea, and Chile. Congratulations, Lori-Beth!
We are also thrilled to announce that Ms. Siaw Yun Poi, a Bachelor of Mathematics (Honours Actuarial Science/Finance Option) co-op student at the University of Waterloo, has won EWO Co-op Student of the Year for 2009, in the University category. Siaw made incredible strides in her work with Sun Life Financial, of Waterloo, and maintains an astoundingly high cumulative average of 97%. In a complex work environment, Siaw successfully developed a robust software-based tool which helped to reduce the portfolio interest rate risk exposure of certain company assets, reduce turnaround time and eliminate errors. She was also a major contributor to a British-based team which launched an Asset Liability Management (ALM) framework for their portfolio, resulting in a very positive effect on the company’s bottom line. This exceptionally sharp student also participated in a research team which developed a bond optimization model, resulting in significant cost savings. Siaw is a recipient of the Sun Life Financial work term report award from the University of Waterloo, serves as a first year student advisor for the Actuarial Science Club, actively assists in leading the Out of the Cold program, and devotes time to St. John’s Soup Kitchen in downtown Kitchener. She also assisted the Waterloo Centre for the Advancement of Co-operative Education (WatCACE) with the completion of a study which they conducted regarding International co-op students. Congratulations, Siaw!
Each of these exceptional and deserving students will receive a certificate and cheque for $500 during ceremonies to be held at their respective institutions, during National Co-op Week. Our committee wishes to thank all the nominees and their supporting employers and institutions for their participation! Sincerely,
Your EWO 2009 Co-op Student of the Year Committee
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