Each year, the Co-op Student and Employer of the Year are awarded, recognizing excellence in leadership, mentorship, and contributions to learning.

The 2024 Co-op Student of the Year is Priyansh Modi, and the 2024 Co-op Employer of the Year is Treaty One Nations Inc.

2024 Co-op Student of the Year – Priyansh Modi

Nominated by the Government of Manitoba Department of Families, Asper finance major Priyansh Modi is the 2024 Co-op Student of the Year.

Modi served as a Student Policy Analyst, supporting the work of fellow policy analysts, senior management, and the Minister of Families. His supervisors commended his ability to thrive, lead, and grow in a dynamic, high-stakes environment.

Tamsin Collings (Manager) and Joann Correa (Senior Policy Analyst) described how significant Modi’s work was during a time of transformation for the Strategic Initiatives and Program Support unit of the Child and Youth Services Division (Department of Families).

“The work is filled with pressure and high demands, and Priyansh took on the challenge with eagerness and curiosity,” they wrote in their nomination.

For Modi, seeing the impact and real-world application of his work was transformative.

“My co-op placement taught me to translate academic knowledge into meaningful real-world contributions. The impact of my work, which was even used by the Minister, was incredibly meaningful. This experience boosted my confidence in my analytical abilities as I witnessed how my efforts contributed to tangible change,” he wrote of his co-op experience.

Modi, who has since joined the Asper Co-op Student Association as the Director of Finance and the Price Student-Managed Investment Fund, shared how he is taking this newfound confidence into the future.

“Co-op education has taught me to focus on the process rather than the results. This mindset shift has empowered me to set higher goals and embrace challenges, knowing that growth comes from facing the unknown,” he wrote.

2024 Co-op Employer of the Year – Treaty One Nations Inc.

Nominated by Asper MBA co-op student Ryan Nykvist, Treaty One Nations Inc. is the 2024 Co-op Employer of the Year. Jolene Mercer (Executive Director) accepted the award.

Nykvist completed his co-op term as an Environmental Planner at Treaty One Nations Inc., a unique role in which he contributed to the organization’s sustainability initiatives and strategic planning. During his co-op term, Nykvist developed environmental policies, conducted impact assessments, and created a sustainability management toolkit.

In his nomination, he shared that he expected to apply what he had learned throughout his MBA and gain some experience in environmental planning. “But Treaty One surpassed these expectations by providing me with opportunities to lead initiatives, engage with diverse stakeholders, and contribute to high-level strategic planning,” he wrote.

Nykvist described a supportive environment that encouraged learning and a team that allowed him to take the lead but was always there if he needed guidance.

“Treaty One Nations Inc. is an organization where your ideas are valued, and you’re given a real responsibility to make an impact,” he wrote in his nomination. “The work is meaningful, contributing to important goals in sustainability and First Nations economic development.

“Co-op is an excellent opportunity to gain diverse skills, work with passionate professionals, and contribute to significant initiatives.”

Manitoba’s top business co-op program

Accredited by CEWIL Canada, the Asper School of Business Co-op Program is the largest business co-op program in the province. Co-op placements offer students a chance to gain practical experience in the workforce while pursuing their studies.

According to 2023 Asper Employment Report, 89% of BComm co-op students were employed full-time within three months of graduation, bringing their practical experience, strategic insights, and passion into the workplace.

The program is committed to connecting talented Asper co-op students and employers in Manitoba, Canada and around the world. Celebrating Co-op is an opportunity to renew this commitment and honour these connections.

The Co-op Student and Employer of the Year demonstrate the transformative experience of co-op. It’s not just about work experience. Co-op students get to see the impact of their work beyond their team, department, and the organization. Co-op employers connect with top talent, seeing them grow as leaders while making meaningful contributions to their organization.

Connect with the Asper Co-op Program today and learn what experiential learning can bring to your organization.

Michela has been working as a marketing and communications student in a joint role for the Asper School of Business and the James W. Burns Leadership Institute and recently started a second term with the Asper Marketing Office. She connected with the Asper School of Business Career Development Centre to describe her experience in her first co-op term.

Tell me about your role as a co-op student this summer.

Right now, I’m working in a shared role between the Asper School of Business and the James W. Burns Leadership Institute.

Marketing wise, I take care of all the social media marketing. This includes running the Asper Instagram account, content creation, engagement monitoring, analytics, as well as interacting with students.

On the communications side, I work on project plans and briefs for the various units in Asper, and try to suggest creative ways to market them. As a marketing major, it has been interesting to see how crucial this aspect is. I’ve also written three articles for UM Today so far, which has been a great way for me to practice my writing skills!

It must be interesting to be an employee of the University of Manitoba, as well as a current student. What has been exciting about this experience so far?

I feel so much pride towards my school, both the Asper School of Business and the University of Manitoba as a whole, so it is extremely rewarding to be in this role and feel like I’m contributing to my own education. I really feel like I have a voice. I’m able to provide student insight that the U of M may not have had access to if I weren’t in this role, for example current issues that students, as well as my generation, are passionate about. I really feel I can make a difference for not only myself but for the people around me.

Why did you choose marketing as your major?

I find the psychology behind marketing fascinating, and I changed my major right after I was introduced to my first marketing class. I was truly excited to go to class every day. I’ve always enjoyed helping people, and I love that marketing helps people get the information they need to make important decisions.

Also, this type of career puts me in front of people which is what I love – and I truly feel there is no better major for me in terms of my skill-sets.

Michela was the Director of Public Relations for Shinerama 2019. Pictured here with Asper Alumnus, Kelsey Benson [BComm (Hons.)/20] (right).

I’m sure you didn’t anticipate remote work when you first joined the co-op program, how have you adapted?

As an extrovert, the idea of working from home was disappointing of course, but I’ve been able to test my capabilities and I’ve amazed myself with what I can accomplish.

It’s important to make the best of things and find ways to make your work day exciting and stay on task. I try to create “little wins” for myself as much as possible. For example, whenever I finish a task I might make myself a coffee or take a quick break. I try to connect with my colleagues even though we aren’t working together face to face – my boss and I have even had a virtual “cake day” together which was really fun.

Why did you decide to apply to the Asper Co-operative Education Program?

In my first year at Asper, I attended the BComm dinner, where I was fortunate to be seated next to Kelly Mahoney (Director of the Asper Career Development Centre and Co-op program). It was great because I had heard a little about co-op through friends, but Kelly was able to clarify many of the misconceptions I had about co-op. For example, she explained how I could work three work terms into my degree, since I had always thought it would add a year to my graduation date (which it does not!).  She talked to me about how many job opportunities it can provide you, how it can make the jump from graduate to the workplace a lot easier, as well as your schoolwork. As a co-op student, you automatically have a great understanding of what you are studying because you are practicing it. 

Knowing how high the employment rate is for co-op students when they graduate also helped. It’s important to find ways to stand out as a job seeker, especially among your fellow students.

The chance to get your dream job before you graduate is such an amazing opportunity. I honestly couldn’t think of any reasons not to apply to the co-op program!

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If you have questions about the Asper Cooperative Education Program or wish to hire a co-op student, contact the Co-op Office at 204-474-8521 or aspercoop@umanitoba.ca.

In response to the COVID-19 threat, the University of Manitoba is minimizing contact between people and as of Wednesday March 18^th, has moved all classes to an on line forum. The University is still open. 

To support UM’s initiative, the Career Development Centre and Co-op Office is implementing a modified work schedule and work location.  We will be rotating team members to be either in the office or at home.  All staff members will be available from 8:30-4:30 Monday to Friday as usual.  However, all appointments and meetings will be held either over the phone or via Zoom.

Please note: we will not be offering in-person appointments at this time. 

Students/alumni:

Appointments for career counselling can be made through the Career Portal.  When booking an appointment, please ensure your phone number is up to date in the Career Portal so we are able to call you at your allocated time.  All workshops and events have been postponed until further notice.

For Co-op Students – please book appointments by email as usual with your co-op coordinators. 

For Graduate students – please book appointments by email as usual with Career Advisors. 

Employers:

We are still approving and posting job positions at this time.  Employer information sessions and in-person interviews are cancelled for the immediate future. We strongly encourage you to continue to interview students by phone or through video channels. 

Staff members who are at home will be checking voice messages and emails regularly to ensure prompt response times.

This is a rapidly evolving situation. Please stay informed. The following are reliable links to information:

• Health Canada – https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection.html
• Manitoba Health- https://www.gov.mb.ca/health/coronavirus/
• University of Manitoba – dedicated UM Today page

Thank you for your patience as we work to maximize safety for our students, staff and employers throughout this challenging time.

The CDC/Co-op team

2019 Co-op Student of the Year: Calvin Loi

Co-op student of the year – Calvin Loi

Calvin has been recognized for his outstanding contributions in the workplace as a CPA student at The Canada Life Assurance Company and for his dedication to the community and the Asper School. He has performed above expectations and made meaningful contributions to the workplace by designing a new internal Sharepoint site for the department to improve collaboration and knowledge transfer amongst team members, led the quarterly global financial close for one of the organization’s subsidiaries and took the lead on a number of reporting tasks.

In addition to his strong work performance, Calvin was on the Dean’s Honours List with a 4.35 GPA.  He is also the recipient of numerous scholarships including the Frederick Johnson Scholarship in Accounting, the Robert Syme Memorial Scholarship and the Tallman Foundation First Degree Scholarship. 

In 2019, Calvin was selected as one of only 28 students from a variety of Faculties and programs to participate in the inaugural President’s Student Leadership Program through the James W. Burns Leadership Institute.

He has demonstrated outstanding community involvement as a founding member of the Westland Foundation with its mission of empowering inner city youth through education. Calvin has also served on the CSA’s First Year Council as the Co-Chair for Charity spearheading initiatives to raise money for a number of Winnipeg charities. 

2019 Asper Co-op Employer of the Year: Women’s Enterprise Centre of Manitoba

Co-op employer of the year – Women’s Enterprise Centre of Manitoba

Women’s Enterprise Centre of Manitoba (WECM) serves as a resource for entrepreneurs looking to start or expand their businesses in Manitoba. By regularly adding, assessing and revising programs, they have continued to guide, encourage and support clients in their entrepreneurial journeys. As a co-op partner, they have provided an outstanding mentoring experience and exposure to core principles of entrepreneurship and marketing. Asper co-op student Sarah Holtmann, who nominated the company for the award, identified several key qualities that made her co-op experience there an exceptional one:

 “WECM contributed to my professional growth by teaching me so much about entrepreneurship in Manitoba. As an aspiring entrepreneur, this experience will help me when I start my own business. To come to a workplace that values your contributions, celebrates your successes, and challenges you to learn more and grow beyond what you ever thought you could, is really the best experience and this organization fosters all this so well. ”

The Co-operative Education Program at Asper is an experiential learning program which allows students to transform academic theory into real world knowledge, in a productive work setting. Students have the opportunity to explore different career paths, professions, industries, companies, majors and build a professional network to kick-start their career. 97% of Asper Co-op graduates go on to immediately secure full-time work, with 80% working for one of their three Co-op employers.

Interested in hiring top talent this summer? Hire an Asper Co-op student!

For more information contact:

Meredith Bara
Co-op Coordinator, Asper School of Business
Meredith [dot] Bara [at] umanitoba [dot] ca or 204-474-6673

Holly Klann
Co-op Coordinator, Asper School of Business
Holly [dot] Klann [at] umanitoba [dot] ca or 204-474-8118

The Asper CDC executed the campaign by encouraging students to fill out brightly coloured post-its and stick them to the walls outside the Albert D. Cohen Management Library.

“Kudos to all the students who were brave enough to participate in the program,” says Kelly Mahoney, director of the Asper Career Development Centre and Co-operative Education program.