This issue highlights how work-integrated learning is shaping student learning across 91亚色 by connecting classroom knowledge with real-world practice.

The stories showcase students applying their skills through community-engaged projects, technology development, work-study roles and co-op pathways, while also exploring unexpected career directions. Together, these examples illustrate how hands-on learning supports personal growth, professional readiness and meaningful contributions beyond the University, reinforcing the value of learning by doing.

As Melanie Belore, executive director, experiential learning, notes: "Strengthening our work-integrated learning and co-op options is a strategic priority for 91亚色. These experiences give students the confidence, clarity and connections they need to thrive in a rapidly changing world."聽

In this issue:

91亚色 students find career inspiration through unexpected co-op paths
Innovative work-integrated learning programs help 91亚色 students develop skills, make connections and find meaning in the future 鈥� and discover new ways to apply their education in the workplace.

Student-developed app supports learners, earns recognition from Apple
A fourth-year student is improving access to quality education and breaking down barriers for students with limited resources.

91亚色 U students drive community change through experiential learning
91亚色 students are putting their knowledge to work in meaningful ways, helping local organizations respond to complex social challenges.

Work/study roles prepare 91亚色 U students for co-op success
Paid, on-campus employment opportunities drive co-op and career readiness for 91亚色鈥檚 undergraduate students.

91亚色's unique master鈥檚 program opens doors to biotechnology careers
91亚色鈥檚 Master of Biotechnology Management program develops job-ready talent through hands鈥憃n training, industry mentorship and paid internships, opening pathways to new careers.

91亚色 recognizes co-op and work-integrated learning students of the year
Meet two outstanding 91亚色 students who have been recognized with the Work-Integrated Student of the Year and Co-op Student of the Year awards for their achievements shaping communities and driving meaningful change.

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For 91亚色 student Sadia Tasnim, that moment came while completing her second co-op work term at Food Banks Mississauga as a data administrator. During a shift, Tasnim encountered a client asking for menstrual products. The food bank, however, didn鈥檛 have any available.

鈥淚 felt terrible that I could not help her in that moment,鈥� says Tasnim, an international student from Bangladesh who struggled with the idea of women who do not have access to essential products.

Tasnim knew her expertise in data science could help the organization respond to this need. Through her studies at the Faculty of Science, she has become adept at gathering, interpreting and presenting data 鈥� including using statistical methods, computational skills and data analysis techniques 鈥� and wants to apply that knowledge to create positive change.

鈥淎t 91亚色, I鈥檝e learned a variety of unconventional ways to extract and organize data,鈥� says Tasnim, a fourth-year student. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important to me to use this skill for a meaningful purpose.鈥�

During her Fall 2025 placement at Food Banks Mississauga, Tasnim worked on the agency relations team, helping to coordinate organizations that distribute food and essential items to roughly half a million visitors per year. When she was asked to analyze the organization鈥檚 historical data on female clients between the ages of 18 to 55 in response to the gap in feminine hygiene products available, she was thrilled.

She drafted a report of her findings, which was shared with Food Banks Canada 鈥� the parent organization that provides supplies to community sites. Tasnim says it was rewarding to see her data analysis shared with decision makers and help make a meaningful impact.

鈥淭hat is what pushed me to take on this project 鈥� making sure this need gets met,鈥� says Tasnim.

Addressing real-world challenges has long been a priority for Tasnim. As a teen, she co-founded her own environmental non-profit to plant trees in her home city of Dhaka, Bangladesh, to improve its air quality. She also volunteered for a social enterprise that delivers clean drinking water to underserved rural communities.

Thinking about her future, Tasnim is considering career roles in social finance 鈥� an investing approach that centres societal and environmental impact.

鈥淚 believe we have to use our talents for humanitarian causes,鈥� Tasnim says. 鈥淒ata can help drive smart decision-making in these important matters.鈥�

For Daisy Dang, a fourth-year environmental studies student, housing access is the issue that drives her commitment to work for change. She is completing a full-time paid co-op placement at the Toronto Region Real Estate Board (TRREB), a non-profit organization serving 70,000 realtors in the Greater Toronto Area.

In her role as a policy analyst in TRREB鈥檚 government relations unit, she contributed to the organization鈥檚 2026 Market Outlook and Year in Review event. As part of that work, she conducted extensive research on the efficacy of the current private and rental housing supply in the city. She also gathered data on trends and metrics related to housing affordability, residential zoning practices and homelessness.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a need for a greater variety of the right types of housing and more density,鈥� Dang says. 鈥淲e should be building more up than outwards and building more units with two and three bedrooms.鈥�

As a student at 91亚色鈥檚 in the Cities, Regions, Planning (CRP) program, Dang is well-positioned to understand and address Toronto鈥檚 diverse urban planning challenges. This interdisciplinary program teaches sustainable, inclusive practices to manage growth, adapt infrastructure, welcome newcomers and mitigate environmental impacts. She has critically examined urban planning through courses exploring sustainable design, regional governance, migration patterns and political ecology.

Dang is also applying her growing knowledge at TRREB in other ways. A core part of her job involves researching housing-related programs offered by the municipal, provincial and federal governments to include as resources on the organization鈥檚 website. Her research also helps shape TRREB鈥檚 advocacy responses in its interactions with government representatives.

Through her combined co-op and academic experiences, Dang has a deeper understanding of the complex dynamics driving urbanization in Toronto and is particularly interested in its impacts on residents who live at the margins of society.

After completing her degree in 2027, she hopes to support municipal government decision-making in addressing housing issues affecting the unhoused and low-income citizens.

鈥淚 think a city works when you put people first,鈥� Dang says.

With files from Sharon Aschaiek

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The 91亚色 computer science student was one of 50 winners of Apple鈥檚 Swift Student Challenge. As part of the global coding competition鈥檚 prize, Worku was flown to Apple鈥檚 California headquarters, where he showed CEO Tim Cook how the app supports a variety of learning and academic planning functions, all completely offline.

鈥淗e said, 鈥業 wish I had this when I was growing up鈥�,鈥� says Worku, who is in his fourth year of studies at 91亚色鈥檚 .

Raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Worku recalls how inadequate classroom facilities and spotty internet service affected his learning. After moving to Scarborough with his family in 2017, he became more aware of the disparities in educational opportunities across different countries.

In the summer of 2023, Worku began a co-op placement with Lassonde鈥檚 kindergarten to industry (k2i) academy, which offers STEM programs to local youth. As a mentor in k2i鈥檚 Work-Integrated Learning program, Worku guided five high school students in developing an app to address the United Nations鈥� Sustainable Development Goal 4 on quality education.

Combining that experience with his education and previous co-op role developing iOS apps, he took the lead in advancing the work on SDG 4. As part of this mission, he volunteered as an instructor for Black Boys Code, a non-profit focused on closing the diversity gap in the technology sector.

鈥淚 want to give students everywhere an even playing field,鈥� he says.

Then, he came across a social media post about Apple鈥檚 coding challenge.

He spent the next six months building a prototype of AccessEd using AI and machine learning capabilities. He designed the app to review uploaded course materials and answer questions about the content. It can analyze photos of class notes to generate flash cards and suggest high school courses that match a student鈥檚 interests. It also features a task management system to track assignments and tests.

AccessEd aligns with the rise of offline e-learning apps focused on improving equity for learners in environments with limited infrastructure and unreliable internet service. Worku says Apple鈥檚 recognition of his app provided important validation for his idea, and he continues to refine the app, which is now publicly available on Apple鈥檚 App Store.

鈥淢any students don鈥檛 have access to high-quality educational tools,鈥� Worku says. 鈥淢aybe this app can help solve this problem and allow more students to succeed.鈥�

With files from Sharon Aschaiek

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This might sound like the stunt of a thrill seeker, but it was just another day at work for Sahai in his role as a ride engineering intern at Canada鈥檚 Wonderland in Vaughan.

For the student, the unusual co-op work term offered an exciting way to apply and develop what he learned at 91亚色.

鈥淚n school, we learn about mechanical design, forces, safety factors and how systems behave on paper, but seeing those ideas come to life on a full-scale roller coaster like Leviathan made everything click,鈥� says Sahai, a fourth-year student at the .

During eight months as a paid co-op student working on the rides maintenance mechanical team, Sahai was responsible for upkeep of both the Leviathan and Vortex roller coasters as well as some smaller rides. His work involved checking the functionality of mechanical components such as bolts, panels, sensors and restraints, and making needed repairs. Sahai says a highlight was helping to redesign, fabricate and install safety components for the rides.

鈥淪eeing something I worked on being used on a major roller coaster was a huge moment for me,鈥� Sahai says. 鈥淚t made the whole experience feel real and showed me that even as a student, my work could have a meaningful impact.鈥�

The role helped him develop technical expertise and improve teamwork and administrative skills. Sahai says the experience translates well to in-class studies, where he is learning about designing, manufacturing and testing space equipment such as satellites, rovers and rockets.

More importantly, the co-op gave him confidence in his abilities.

鈥淲orking in the amusement ride industry showed me how much engineering goes into creating experiences that are both thrilling and completely safe,鈥� Sahai says. 鈥淚 hope to continue contributing ideas that make technology safer and more accessible for everyone.鈥�

Fatimah Mufti is also taking a creative approach to work-integrated learning experiences.

A student in the Bachelor of Arts in Law & Society program, Mufti plans to be a lawyer 鈥� a decision influenced by her long-time interest in true-crime documentaries. But, when it came time to choose co-op work terms, she saw wisdom in exploring options outside of the law.

鈥淚 determined that I鈥檓 going to do something that I completely don鈥檛 expect myself to be doing to get out of my comfort zone,鈥� says Mufti, a fourth-year student in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS).

Her first co-op in September of 2024 was an eight-month paid role as a research analyst at the Ministry of Infrastructure in the Ontario government, where she conducted risk assessments, technical research and data visualization for a variety of projects.

For her second work term that began last fall, Mufti pursued another position outside of the legal field and joined ventureLAB, a technology non-profit in Markham that helps hardware and software startups expand globally. The opportunity was supported by the Infuse Program, offered through LA&PS in collaboration with TECHNATION. The program provides funding for employers to hire co-op students from liberal arts disciples into tech-adjacent roles.

Working as a member of the external relations team, Mufti is involved in everything from presenting to business leaders on the organization鈥檚 services, to using Salesforce software to support customer engagement, to taking minutes at leadership meetings.

鈥淭his role helped me see myself as someone who can operate at the intersection of business and technology, which I never envisioned for myself,鈥� Mufti says. 鈥淚 am learning how to navigate fast-paced projects, analyze data and improve my public speaking skills. I鈥檓 also forming so many useful connections.鈥�

Mufti says it has been illuminating to observe the intensity of the work environment at ventureLAB, which operates six programs that help 100 ventures annually with raising capital, retaining talent, commercializing products and acquiring customers. She says colleagues value her contributions and encourage her to share her ideas.

鈥淢y professional identity has evolved from thinking of myself mainly as a student to seeing myself as a contributor who can support decision-making,鈥� Mufti says.

Mufti is preparing to apply to law school in Fall 2026 and hopes to study at . Her co-op experiences, she says, will serve her well on her career path.

鈥淚鈥檝e gained a lot of hands-on experience that has built my confidence and showed me the skills I need to succeed in a professional environment,鈥� she says.

With files from Sharon Aschaiek

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Through four paid work/study jobs and 16 months of paid co-op, the international student from India developed vital skills and useful contacts for his future career.

Narechania recalls arriving at 91亚色 feeling a mix of nervousness and excitement at the idea of entering university and the Canadian workforce. 91亚色's 鈥� paid, on-campus job opportunities for eligible undergraduates 鈥� offered him a way to build connections and skills and helped him prepare for work-integrated learning in future years of study.

Through the program, students gain work experience at one of 91亚色鈥檚 three campuses during full-time study, and can apply as early as first year. These opportunities offer a way to develop essential professional competencies with the support of a supervisor鈥檚 one-on-one coaching.

In his first year, Narechania worked at the Centre for Student Community & Leadership Development, which helps new students transition to university life. As a student engagement ambassador, he provided information about the University to students, guided student clubs on their operations and developed social media content to promote the centre鈥檚 offerings.

Each week, the centre鈥檚 team members met to discuss their plans and progress, and Narechania was given an opportunity to lead one such meeting.

鈥淭hat was important, because it helped me build my abilities at communicating and presenting, as well as my social skills,鈥� he says.

The positive experience led Narechania to subsequent work/study positions with 91亚色 International, the Office of Sustainability and the Office of the University Registrar. In these roles, he applied his technical skills to help build data analytics dashboards, track service interactions and improve process workflows.

During his final work/study employment, his supervisor Tom Osborne, assistant director, academic scheduling at the Office of the University Registrar, encouraged him to think about the future. 鈥淭om was my biggest cheerleader,鈥� says Narechania. 鈥淗e introduced me to people who might help me find a full-time role after graduation.鈥�

Narechania leveraged his experiences and network to apply for his first co-op job, successfully earning a 12-month position as a business analyst with Hydro One.

鈥淭he skills I developed through my work/study roles supported me throughout the co-op application process,鈥� Narechania says. 鈥淚 was able to confidently share real examples during interviews.鈥�

That confidence translated to on-the-job impact, where he helped lead an end-to-end legacy system upgrade project that impacted over 9,000 field staff users. Working closely with his project manager, Narechania was involved in the project from its initial planning stage to the project鈥檚 development, UAT (user acceptance testing) and its launch. Work-integrated learning, he says, prepared him for these real-world challenges.

Today, Narechania reflects on how much he has changed since his arrival at 91亚色 four years ago. 鈥淢y work experiences complemented each other. I feel skilled, more confident and more comfortable entering the job market.鈥�

With his sights set on a career as a business analyst or tech consultant, he鈥檚 keen to use the technical expertise he acquired through experiential learning opportunities at 91亚色.

鈥淭he work/study roles gave me knowledge and confidence to be ready for employment,鈥� Narechania says. 鈥淭hey were nurturing spaces to learn how to meet the expectations of employers.鈥�

With files from Sharon Aschaiek

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91亚色鈥檚 Master of Biotechnology Management (MBM) program provided an answer. One of a kind in Canada, the program offers students training in biotechnology theory and practice, a diploma in business management and two to three terms of paid internship experience. The double credential offered at 91亚色鈥檚 Markham Campus allowed Fazeli to maximize career options by adding business to her STEM background.

What she didn鈥檛 yet know was the MBM program would give her multiple meaningful points of access to the biotechnology industry. Hands-on projects, immersive technical training and mentorship from a 91亚色 alum during her internship shaped Fazeli鈥檚 confidence, skills and career exploration.

鈥淢BM is designed with sustained industry interaction throughout the student journey,鈥� says Jade Atallah, graduate program director, biotechnology. 鈥淭hrough internships, interdisciplinary capstone projects and industry-centred work-integrated learning experiences, students graduate with partner collaborations on their CVs, an expanded professional network and professional credibility that strengthens future employment outcomes.鈥�

Capstone and experiential learning projects in the program鈥檚 curriculum give students a chance to build a practical foundation while engaging with real-world initiatives. For Fazeli, this included a work-integrated learning project during her first term at 91亚色 exploring regulatory frameworks for alternative proteins.

The project was a collaboration with 91亚色's Co-op & Career Centre with support from a Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada (CEWIL Canada) grant.

Fazeli also participated in a project to design a business case for a smart-model prototype for a health care equipment company, offering her meaningful exposure to regulatory frameworks. She notes this knowledge and experience were relevant to subsequent work she undertook with a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO).

The capstone experiences reconfirmed her interest in working at the intersection of science, technology and business as she began her search for an internship, a second foundational component of the MBM program. The competitive process inspired Fazeli to network, attend conferences and actively pursue opportunities.

At 91亚色鈥檚 Markham Campus, internship placements are supported by faculty members and a dedicated employer partnerships team that works closely with organizations to align students with roles that support their goals.

鈥淚 submitted my resume and cover letter through the portal. It was easy,鈥� she recalls. 鈥淎 coordinator got back to me quickly and connected me with the employer.鈥�

That employer was Dalton Pharma Services and the hiring manager was Saif Mia, a 91亚色 alum who is the associate director, informatics and technology services at Dalton Pharma Services, a CDMO that leads pharmaceutical development and manufacturing services for the biotechnology industry.

Mia graduated with a BSc in chemistry from 91亚色 and says his degree was an entry point to the biotechnology and biomanufacturing industry. 鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 be in this industry if I didn鈥檛 study chemistry,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he technical foundation I learned at 91亚色 still applies now.鈥�

Today, he passes his support and expertise forward by mentoring 91亚色 students who are entering the field. Mia and his team engage students in collaborative, problem-solving roles that expose them to the complexities of a highly regulated environment. 鈥淚t鈥檚 our goal to shape future science students that are entering this field during their work terms with us,鈥� says Mia. 鈥淥urs are typically short-term projects, which are well supported by 91亚色鈥檚 co-op program since it offers a flexible hiring timeline.鈥�

In May 2025, Mia hired Fazeli as a digital systems implementation and data migration intern to support his team with implementing a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system and to work closely with the organization鈥檚 Electronic Quality Management System (eQMS). She worked with Mia and Huyen Bui, senior specialist, QMS and lab informatics, to help design and troubleshoot workflows, migrate data and translate calibration forms.

Fazeli says she was thrilled to benefit from mentors closely connected to 91亚色 and committed to developing student talent.

鈥淢entorship played a significant role in shaping my experience,鈥� she says. 鈥淲orking at a CDMO is very dynamic 鈥� there was always something I had a question about. Huyen and Saif always met me with guidance and support. I鈥檓 grateful for such a collaborative and supportive team.鈥�

Mia echoes gratitude and says the benefits go both ways. 鈥淣ot only do 91亚色 students like Ida bring value to Dalton Pharma, but we also learn from them, based on the new teaching methodologies and techniques they鈥檙e getting from their curriculum.鈥�

鈥淪tudents come into their roles very curious, which is important,鈥� adds Bui. 鈥淭hey鈥檒l ask questions that inspire us to think of things in a different way, resulting in a process improvement or a modification in the way we do things.鈥�

Early in her role, Fazeli was invited to join four other 91亚色 students for a week in Montreal to participate in the CASTL BioBridge Co-op Training Program. Delivered by the Canadian Alliance for Skills and Training in Life Sciences (CASTL), the program provided hands-on training in Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)-simulated facilities to boost students鈥� technical and compliance skills. It gave her another access point to industry and expert instruction in the field.

鈥淭here were many connections to my work experience, including the chance to go into the labs and see the cleanrooms,鈥� Fazeli recalls. 鈥淲hile I鈥檇 come to understand regulatory processes in my job, I got to experience them first-hand at the training facilities.鈥�

Now in her final semester of the MBM program, Fazeli is preparing to graduate with both a professional master of biotechnology management and a graduate diploma in management. She comes away with career-defining insights, confidence and professional connections gained from her mentors and industry experiences.

Programs such as BioBridge, and support for students like Fazeli, advance the Co-op & Career Centre and Markham Campus鈥� commitment to developing industry-ready talent and delivering value to employers.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a win-win,鈥� says Mia, of experiences like Fazeli鈥檚. 鈥淲e gain fresh perspectives from the students and they get a head start experiencing cross-functional collaboration on the job. In class, everyone studies the same thing. Coming into an environment where there are different departments working together on challenges is a great advantage and an opportunity to learn.鈥�

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Sadia Tasnim (data science) and Brianna Nguyen (digital technologies) have been named 91亚色鈥檚 Co-op and Work-Integrated Learning students of the year.

The鈥疌o-op Student of the Year award鈥痳ecognizes an outstanding student who has made a significant impact during a co-op work term in the 2025 calendar year. This year marks the inaugural launch of the award as an institution鈥憌ide competition, and invited nominations from students across all programs.

The Work-Integrated Learning Student of the Year award recognizes an outstanding student who has made significant impact in an activity defined by (CEWIL) as work-integrated learning in the 2025 calendar year.

Both awards acknowledge students鈥� ongoing efforts to promote work-integrated learning within their campus, communities and industry.

Sadia Tasnim: Co-op Student of the Year

鈥淔or as long as I鈥痳emember, I鈥檝e noticed how numbers quietly dictate what the world pays attention to,鈥� says Tasnim, a鈥痜ourth-year data science student.

Long before entering 91亚色鈥檚 Data Science program in the Faculty of Science,鈥痵he marvelled at the figures she saw in news鈥痟eadlines. She reflected not just on the鈥痳esponse they generated, but鈥痮n the hidden work behind them 鈥� who collected them, how they shaped decisions鈥痑nd how they drove outcomes.鈥��

When she decided to pursue co-operative education鈥痑s part of her undergraduate degree, instead of working at a鈥痩arge tech company, financial institution or consulting firm,鈥疶asnim鈥檚 work term took her to an鈥痷nexpected place: a local鈥痜ood bank.鈥���

Working first in鈥痑gency relations and then as a data administrator,鈥痵he joined Food Banks Mississauga on a growing data team and found a space where her鈥痶alents at鈥痠nterpreting鈥痑nd presenting data鈥痑ligned with her desire鈥痜or community impact.鈥��

Among four student hires, she was one of two selected to鈥痗o-lead鈥痶he organization鈥檚 largest annual initiative: the Annual Visitor Survey.鈥疭he led鈥痑 team of 20 volunteers responsible for collecting data from food bank鈥痗lients, assessing service satisfaction and gathering demographic information to help the organization better understand its community鈥檚 needs.鈥��

One of her鈥痬ost significant contributions鈥痗ame as鈥痶he result of an鈥痷nexpected鈥痗hallenge, when she鈥痜aced鈥痶he sudden鈥痙eparture鈥痮f a direct supervisor. Tasnim welcomed the opportunity to lead her team to the project鈥檚 completion on time.鈥疭he helped compile and analyze the data to produce鈥痑n exceptionally detailed report that her鈥痙irector鈥痙escribed as 鈥渢he first of its kind鈥� for the organization.鈥��

Tasnim also showed initiative by attending external workshops hosted by non-profits鈥痶o understand鈥痟ow data鈥痗an鈥痓e communicated effectively. By the end of her co-op term, she had completed nine reports, including a comprehensive organizational analysis, and presented her findings at a board meeting.

The鈥痬ost rewarding鈥痯art of her experience, she says, was knowing she had contributed to key food security insights that may guide future programs and resource allocation.

鈥淔rom the moment I interviewed Sadia, what stood out most was that her values and integrity drive the work she does,鈥� says Nicole Norris, director of programs and agency network, Food Banks Mississauga.鈥�淎s a food bank, our organization has evolving data needs and seeks talented鈥痠ndividuals to elevate our data approach.鈥疕er combination of technical鈥痚xpertise, leadership potential and commitment to the organization鈥檚 mission made her an asset to our team and left a lasting positive impact.鈥濃��

In addition to making a difference through her co-op role,鈥疶asmin is an active leader in鈥痗hampioning and contributing to WIL. She attended the 2025鈥疌EWIL Canada鈥疧ntario Regional Conversation, where鈥痵he鈥痟elped surface鈥痗hallenges in the landscape of WIL鈥痺ith peers and leaders. She also represented 91亚色鈥檚 co-op program as an ambassador during the Ontario Universities Fair, where she shared her experiences with prospective鈥�91亚色鈥痑pplicants.鈥��

Tasnim also demonstrates leadership in her program as鈥痶he founder鈥痮f鈥�91亚色鈥檚 Data Science Club.鈥� In this role, she has鈥痚stablished鈥痑 membership of more than 120 students and secured sponsorships from local organizations to provide financial support for鈥痶he club's growth.鈥�

In recognition of her achievements and her work inspiring鈥痽oung women to pursue careers in technology,鈥痵he鈥痟as been鈥痭ominated鈥痜or CS-CAN-INFO-CAN's W. Powley Woman of Inspiration Award.鈥�

Brianna Nguyen: Work-Integrated Learning Student of the Year

鈥疦guyen, a second-year digital technologies student at 91亚色鈥檚 Markham Campus鈥痑nd a Dev Degree intern at Shopify,鈥痟as distinguished herself through initiative, persistence and a commitment to community impact.鈥�

Her academic,鈥痯rofessional鈥痑nd creative pursuits demonstrate鈥痟er engagement and advocacy for WIL as a tool for empowerment, innovation and growth.鈥��

In the fully work-integrated鈥疍igital Technologies program鈥痑t Markham Campus, Nguyen dedicates 80 per cent of her time to working full-time at Shopify, and 20 per cent to completing her academic courses in intensive five-day blocks.鈥��

鈥淚 chose digital technologies because it offers a work-integrated experience unlike any other program,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hrough this immersive program, I was pushed to take initiative, apply my knowledge in real-world settings and step into meaningful roles.鈥�

As a Dev Degree intern, she has spent the past鈥痵everal鈥痬onths contributing to technical projects within Shopify鈥檚 Activation team. Her work helps support new merchants鈥痑s they onboard and begin to use the platform.鈥��

Early in her internship, she helped build back-end functionality for Shopify鈥檚 new Retail Yearly subscription, gaining foundational experience in shipping production code.鈥�疻ith more experience, skill and confidence, Nguyen moved to more鈥痗omplex challenges involving AI.鈥疭he proactively sought opportunities for 鈥減air programming鈥� with senior engineers, data scientists and product managers 鈥� a practice in which one developer writes code and another provides review and feedback. This initiative accelerated her learning, she says, and grow her relationship with different members of the organization.

Nguyen is proud to have鈥痗ontributed to development of Shopify鈥檚 AI-powered voice assistant, as well as a new tool that enables non-developers to quickly test prompts across AI models, reducing iteration time and improving鈥痺orkflows.

Nguyen's manager acknowledged her performance, noting she exceeded expectations in her role.聽Despite being a first-year intern, her performance聽was recognized as demonstrating聽capabilities聽equivalent to a full-time junior developer.

Beyond her technical skills, Nguyen has shown leadership by building inclusive spaces for peers. She has hosted Lightning Talks for Shopify staff and interns, presented openly about overcoming imposter syndrome, mentored new Dev Degree cohorts and served as a student executive for ElleHacks, Canada鈥檚 largest hackathon for women and non-binary students.

She also鈥痳epresented 91亚色 and engaged in meaningful connection-building at the conference where she was鈥痵ponsored by鈥疻omen in Science and Engineering (WISE) at 91亚色.

Her achievements reflect her advocacy for inclusive innovation and her belief in the power of WIL to build confidence and community.

鈥淲ork-integrated learning has been an integral part of my university experience and a model that I have continued to promote,鈥� she says.

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This month,聽滨苍苍辞惫补迟耻蝉听spotlights 91亚色鈥檚 efforts to advance teaching, learning and research through the use of artificial intelligence. This issue showcases four stories that reflect 91亚色鈥檚 leadership in AI, and how it's being innovated with to empower faculty and students with professional development and transformative learning experiences.

In this issue:

Experiential learning meets AI in undergraduate design courses
Faculty members Wendy Wong and Andrew Maxwell are bringing artificial intelligence into design and engineering classrooms at 91亚色. Through hands-on projects and AI-guided learning, students are developing creativity, critical thinking and real-world problem-solving skills. These experiential approaches are preparing learners for a future shaped by emerging technologies.

How 91亚色 U is using technology to protect Indigenous languages 
Instructor Andrew McConnell is leading a groundbreaking initiative to preserve Anishinaabemowin and Indigenous cultural traditions using AI tools rooted in Indigenous knowledge systems. The project prioritizes ethical design and community ownership, exploring how technology can respectfully support language revitalization and Indigenous sovereignty.

GenAI training helps 91亚色 faculty boost classroom innovation 
Teaching Commons has launched two flexible certificate programs to help faculty navigate generative AI in education. With curated resources, workshops and capstone projects, the training supports instructors in making informed, strategic decisions about AI use in their teaching practice.

New eClass tools support teaching, student success
91亚色 faculty now have access to AI-powered tools within the eClass platform, including the AI Course Assistant and AI Learning Companion. Developed by University Information Technology, these tools offer automated syllabus support, personalized tutoring and secure, ethical integration to improve course communication and student learning outcomes.

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This fall, students enrolled in 91亚色鈥檚 Bachelor of Design program will have an opportunity to realize their creative ideas with the use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI).

Wendy Wong, a professor in the Department of Design, offers students an AI learning experience in the first-year course Understanding Form and Context. The course introduces semiotic terms and communication theories that explain images and meanings in graphic design.

The course鈥檚 key project tasks students with using Adobe Photoshop to develop an integrated pixel-based promotional campaign for 91亚色鈥檚 (AMPD). In Winter 2025, Wong will introduce a new component of the project that encourages students to use GenAI platforms such as Midjourney, Adobe Firefly, ChatGPT or Google Gemini to visualize concepts across multiple touchpoints.

鈥淪tudents still need to know how to use the standard tools to create professional, sharp designs,鈥� says Wong, an internationally renowned expert in Chinese graphic design history who has taught at 91亚色 since 2002. 鈥淏ut these AI tools provide a faster way for them to bring their creative vision to life. It鈥檚 my responsibility to make sure students are aware of emerging AI tools that can support their design practice.鈥�

Wong is among the growing number of educators responding to the rising prominence of AI in higher education. In December of 2024, the Conference Board of Canada released the results of research it had conducted with the Future Skills Centre on how AI will change post-secondary teaching and learning. Interviews with 42 individuals fostering AI integration at their post-secondary institutions found that GenAI can help students with higher-order learning, including making connections between distant concepts, challenging their existing ways of thinking and generating novel ideas or content.

Meanwhile, a recent KPMG survey revealed that GenAI is reshaping how students learn. The survey of 3,804 Canadians ages 18 and up found 73 per cent use GenAI tools for academics, including research, generating ideas, editing and reviewing assignments, writing reports and creating presentations. The same survey found 77 per cent want their educational institution to teach them how to use AI.

The Office of the Vice-Provost Teaching and Learning at 91亚色 supports faculty members adapting to the emergence of GenAI by providing resources on how to adapt teaching and assessment strategies and offering self-paced AI learning modules, including two Certificates in Artificial Intelligence pedagogies.

鈥淎I has caused a rupture between the past and the future of education. It fundamentally changes how and what we teach, how we interact with our students and how they learn. I think it鈥檚 transformative,鈥� says Andrew Maxwell, a professor at the , where he leads the Bergeron Entrepreneurs in Science and Technology program.

Maxwell鈥檚 contributions to AI-enhanced learning includes the award-winning UnHack initiative, an AI-guided structured experiential design sprint for first-year undergraduate engineering students and students in other disciplines.

Students work in teams over three days to address environmental issues, such as reducing food waste, lowering carbon emissions or enhancing access to education.

This year鈥檚 event took place Oct. 31 to Nov. 2, and for the first time, students were encouraged to use generative pre-trained transformers (GPTs) trained on Maxwell鈥檚 extensive research and experience. These AI tools guided students in thinking critically when identifying their problem, as well as the problem鈥檚 root causes and its impacts on different members of society.

Using the GPTs, students accessed immediate feedback early in the process, which Maxwell says is an efficient way to support 800 students working on a time-sensitive project. Faculty were also available to provide guidance on more complex aspects of the students鈥� process.

Maxwell says incorporating AI tools helped students formulate meaningful problem statements and comprehensive practical solutions, which they pitched to judges at the event鈥檚 conclusion.

Another initiative led by Maxwell helps to enrich AI-enabled student learning through a 12-week experiential online course called Innovation & Creativity. First-year students address complex workplace problems or identify new business opportunities in the course, which traditionally concluded with a reflective journal. Now, students interact with a GPT that asks them increasingly relevant and deeper questions about what they learned and what they would do differently next time.

The way Maxwell sees it, the potential for AI to enhance undergraduate education is vast, and university educators have a duty to provide this benefit to students while familiarizing them with these capabilities.

鈥淗ere we have technology to help students make better decisions, learn at their own speed and personalize their experience,鈥� Maxwell says. 鈥淎ny job these students are going into they are going to use AI tools in some way, so we need to explore them in our classrooms.鈥�

With files from Sharon Aschaiek

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McConnell is an Anishinaabe of Nipissing First Nation who is on secondment from his role as an Indigenous education coordinator at the 91亚色 Region District School Board. At 91亚色, he is exploring how to develop a large language model (LLM) 鈥� a type of AI trained on vast amounts of text data to understand and generate human-like language 鈥� with an information base about Indigenous languages that is produced entirely by members of Indigenous communities.

He wants to ensure the tools can be collaboratively developed and owned by Indigenous community members and respect Indigenous ways of knowledge sharing. 

鈥淎 major concern in the Indigenous community is language loss聽鈥撀爓e don鈥檛 have many first-language聽speakers left聽to teach the next generation,鈥� says McConnell,聽who is also pursuing聽a聽PhD in digital media at the . 鈥淎I has been designed to be useful for the dominant society and particularly for corporate culture, which tends to be at odds with Indigenous culture.聽We need a distinctly Indigenous process for the development of AI.鈥澛�

McConnell is experimenting with this idea using 91亚色鈥檚 Automated University Response Assistant (YU AURA) research GPT for building custom AI solutions. He uploaded a variety of scholarly materials produced exclusively by Indigenous people. He also programmed the tool to respond in ways that respect Indigenous people and 鈥� in keeping with Anishinaabe tradition and to avoid the problem of false AI-generated output 鈥� to refrain from responding when it lacks sufficient information. 

鈥淎s proof of concept, it worked 鈥� and there鈥檚 where I stopped, because I hadn鈥檛 gotten permission from any of the scholars to add their work, a courtesy that is essential in our culture,鈥� McConnell says. 鈥淲e need an Indigenous council 鈥� people in the community who can think through the next steps together.鈥�

To this end, McConnell is participating in Abundant Intelligences, a global Indigenous-led research program focused on designing and developing AI technologies based on Indigenous knowledge systems and practices. Through the program鈥檚 Toronto pod, which includes 91亚色 and OCAD University, he connects with Indigenous knowledge-holders, cultural practitioners and language keepers to conceptualize and prototype new AI practices and tools in partnership with scientists, artists and engineers.

The next step in developing the tool involved testing the capacity of AI chatbots 鈥� such as ChatGPT鈥檚 Indigenous Language Supporter, Claude and Microsoft Copilot 鈥� to interact with him in Anishinaabemowin, the main language of Anishinaabe people. He found all AI models tested have significant limitations on how accurately they could communicate in the language.

鈥淭hese LLMs process words through a linguistic model that is Anglo colonial and not properly trained on a good Ojibway dictionary and robust grammar rules,鈥� he says.

As the project continues to unfold, McConnell and his collaborators prioritize the First Nations principles of ownership, control, access and possession to ensure the Indigenous community maintains sovereignty over all development processes, computer hardware and resulting data. He says this approach could lead to the establishment of an independent server farm on an Indigenous reserve, but he is still exploring the idea. 

Throughout the process, he says, the team is taking a slow-and-steady approach so it can carefully consider the ethical dimensions of AI, including its intensive use of energy that contributes to carbon emissions.

鈥淲e want to approach this in a way that is sustainable and is respectful to our relations with others, which is core to our way of being and seeing the world, and to our mindset of how to be a good human being.鈥�

With files from Sharon Aschaiek

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