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Lenora Fleming knows how important the co-op experience can be. She watched how her daughter Charlotte's confidence soared during her first work term. But finding that first co-op job wasn't easy.

Charlotte (BSc ’21), now a graduate of ��ݮ��Ƶ’s biology program, remembers applying for dozens of roles but not securing many interviews. She persevered and found a position — in Thailand. Charlotte wasn’t sure if she could afford to travel, but fortunately, she received a student award that made the trip possible. She went on to complete a successful work term, gaining valuable skills that led to subsequent co-op jobs.

While most ��ݮ��Ƶ students find co-op positions each year, it can be challenging. Employers may prefer candidates with more work experience. Jobs may require travel that students can’t afford. Students may encounter other financial pressures that force them to drop out of co-op — or even university entirely.

To ensure students can take advantage of co-op’s career-boosting advantages, ��ݮ��Ƶ donors are providing support. They are creating awards to open doors to experiences that might not otherwise be possible. And they are supporting WE Accelerate, a program that provides skills training and work experience to students who don’t find a job in their first work term.

Knowing how co-op helped Charlotte to flourish, Lenora and her husband Ivor created the Fleming Family Co-op Biology Award to assist students during their first work term.

“I hope this award eases students’ financial burden and opens up more opportunities for them. And once they get their education, I hope they share their ideas and help other people,” Lenora says.

The Fleming family’s generosity certainly helped biology student Emilie Richard (pictured above). She landed a job in an optometrist’s practice for her first work term. Then disaster struck. “I needed surgery and then I fell ill with COVID,” she says.

Emilie worried that she wouldn’t make enough money to pay the next term’s tuition. Then — just as they had for Charlotte — donors made the difference. Emilie learned she was the first recipient of the Fleming Family award.

Today, Emilie looks forward to continuing her studies and exploring a potential career in health care, an interest sparked by her co-op experience.

“This job showed me that I love working with patients,” she says, “and the Fleming Family award is motivation to keep working hard. I’m so grateful for this support.”