As part of National Co-op Week activities, Conestoga College
will recognize the outstanding college co-op student of the year, who
has earned excellence awards from provincial and national groups. 
Marisa Havens of Guelph, a co-op student in Conestoga's baccalaureate Architecture - Project and Facility Management program, will be honoured for winning the $500 award from Education at Work Ontario (EWO) as the province's college co-op student of the year and the $1,000 Emery-Dufault Award from the Canadian Association for Co-operative Education (CAFCE) as Canada’s outstanding college co-op student.
The awards will be presented at a National Co-op Week reception on Wednesday, March 21 from 3-4:30 p.m. the Blue Room at Conestoga's Doon campus in Kitchener.
Marisa Havens has completed co-op terms with Bruce Power in Tiverton, as a facilities and services specialist, and with Sun Life Financial Canada in Waterloo, as a space design and planning coordinator.
With her third work-term employer, Aecon Industrial of Cambridge, she coordinated a project involving construction of a used fuel dry-storage facility at the Bruce A nuclear plant.
Academically, she has received a number of awards for excellence - an entrance scholarship, awards in her program for academic proficiency in the first year and for highest academic standing in the second year, plus an award for outstanding studio work and the Peter Finn Award from the Ontario Building Officials.
She
is also a member of Conestoga's varsity fastball team and of the Guelph
Ladies Softball Association. A member of the Royal Academy of Music, she
performs with the University of Guelph Concert Winds Orchestra.
National Co-op Week (March 19-23) recognizes the value and importance
of co-operative education at Canada's colleges and universities. Co-operative
education gives students the opportunity to work in paid employment related
to their chosen fields of study, combining periods in college or university
with real-world experiences and situations.
CONTACT: Mary Wright, 519-748-5220, ext. 3219, mwright@conestogac.on.ca.