Fiona Dunn – 2020 Co-op Student of the Year
Celebrating Asper Co-op Success
Announcing the 2020 Co-op Student of the Year and Co-op Employer of the Year
On February 5, close to 200 Asper co-op students and employer partners attended the Celebrating Co-op event. The annual event sponsored by the Associates, celebrated the business community’s dedication to providing career-building experiences for Asper students. With 273 successful job placements in 2020 and a recent report indicating that 100% of co-op employers would recommend the program to their peers and 100% of students would recommend their employer, the program continues to demonstrate a strong commitment to connecting talented Asper co-op students and employers in Manitoba, Canada, and around the world.
Fiona Dunn – 2020 Co-op Student of the Year
Asper Co-op Student of the Year, Fiona Dunn, left a valuable impact on her workplace. Dunn was recognized for her meaningful contributions as a Business Development Intern at Economic Development Winnipeg, for her dedication to the community and to the Asper School of Business. As part of the YES! Winnipeg’s Talent Team, Dunn coordinated employer information sessions and helped the team plan meetings for an effective recruitment campaign. She worked directly with clients, participating in discussions to identify potential leads. During the Winnipeg Calling campaign, she became the primary contact point for employers; ensuring job postings were accurate and tailored to more than 20 employers.
“Dunn was asked to help organize and co-facilitate a presentation to 180 skilled professionals considering Winnipeg as a new home. The majority of attendees rated the presenters with five stars,” said Corinne Gusnoski, Talent and Workforce Development Coordinator, Economic Development Winnipeg, Asper Co-op alumna and coincidentally a past nominee for this award.
In addition to her strong work performance, Dunn demonstrated outstanding community involvement. She is active in fundraising for charities, student leadership, competitions, and mentorship. She served as a VP-Philanthropy and New Member Experience at her sorority and participated at JDC West 2021 as part of the HR team. She is also an active member of Asper Students’ Co-operative Association (ASCA), University of Manitoba Human Resource Association (UMHRA), and the Commerce Students’ Association (CSA), serving in an executive role and as a mentor to other students.
Innovair Group – 2020 Co-op Employer of the Year
The 2020 Co-op Program would not succeed without the ongoing support of Asper’s valued employer partners. Among those, Innovair, in their first year as an Asper Co-op employer, received the 2020 Employer of the Year award for their multi-aspect support for their co-op student.
Reflecting on her co-op placement at Innovair, Asper student Aimy Johnson, recalled her first meeting to discuss Innovair’s new website where she connected with the organization’s leadership team. The welcoming first day empowered Johnson to pitch new initiatives to the team and receive constructive feedback from the managers.
Going through a branding transition, the company included Johnson in every stage of the process, including updating the new website, managing a digital marketing campaign, and new product development. Johnson said that these responsibilities enriched her understanding of her marketing major and increased her confidence.
“I was able to work on all these projects because of the leaders that strive to see their team members succeed. They provided encouragement, support, and, most importantly, freedom,” said Johnson. “Even now, I cannot believe how much of an impact this experience has had on my life and career.”
The 2020 Celebrating Co-op was a perfect closing to a year of transformations. With Asper Co-op students demonstrating outstanding work ethic and performance alongside the support of Asper’s employer partners creating meaningful experiential learning opportunities – all in the face of the ever-changing challenges of the pandemic.
Hear more from our students in this testimonial video.
Are you interested in hiring an Asper co-op student? Visit the Career Development Centre to learn about wage subsidies, recruitment fairs, and more.