Student Achievement Awards

CEIA recognizes distinguished achievement and excellence by annually recognizing outstanding undergraduate, post-secondary students who have excelled in or made significant impact in work-integrated learning between September 1^st of the previous year and August 31^st of the nominating year.

The selected Student Achievement Award winners receive a plaque and $500.00 presented at the Awards Banquet during the annual CEIA conference. CEIA recognizes outstanding students in four categories, including:

The Cooperative Education Student Achievement Award

Student nominees must be enrolled in four-year or five-year degree program who has participated in a Cooperative Education Program between September 1 of the previous year and August 31 of the nominating year. 

The nominated student must have been officially registered as a cooperative education student through the University or College’s formalized cooperative education program.  The nominated student must have completed at least one co-op, but may be on an additional site at the time of nomination.

Current Recipient: 

Julia Hellquist, University of Wisconsin-Stout

Click here to view more information on the current award recipient

Past Recipients

The Internship Student Achievement Award

Recognizes an outstanding student enrolled in a four-year or five-year degree program who has participated in an Internship Program, paid or unpaid, between September 1 of the previous year and August 31 of the nominating year. 

The nominated student must have been affiliated with an internship program that is recognized by the college or university, whether for academic credit or otherwise under the guidance of a faculty or staff member. The nominated student must have completed at least one internship, but may be on an additional internship site at the time of nomination.

Current Recipient:

Joni McCawley, Texas State University

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Past Recipients

The Peggy Jarvie, University of Waterloo, International Work Experience Award

Recognizes an outstanding student who has had an international work experience through a Cooperative Education Program, outside of the country they are studying in.  Student nominees must be enrolled in a two-year, four-year or five-year degree program and have participated in an international co-op work experience between September 1 of the previous year and August 31 of the nominating year. 

The nominated student must have been officially registered as a cooperative education student through the University or College’s formalized cooperative education program.  The nominated student must have completed at least one co-op, but may be on an additional site at the time of nomination.

Current Recipient:

Samantha Kremer, University of Waterloo

Click here to view more information on the current award recipients

Past Recipients

The Two-Year College Student Achievement Award

Student nominees must be enrolled in a two-year degree program and have participated in a Cooperative Education or Internship Program, paid or unpaid, between September 1 of the previous year and August 31 of the nominating year. 

The nominated student must either have been affiliated with an internship program that is recognized by the college or university, whether for academic credit or otherwise under the guidance of a faculty or staff member, or have been officially registered as a cooperative education student through the University or College’s formalized cooperative education program.   The nominated student must have completed at least one internship or cooperative education experience, but may be on an additional site at the time of nomination.

Current Recipient: 

Pamela Alverado, Cincinnati State Technical and Community College

Click here to view more information on the current award recipient

Past Recipients

Award Submission Process:

A student must be nominated by a CEIA member school or employer. Each member school or member employer can only nominate ONE student per award. A student nominee can only be considered for one award – be sure to select the award that aligns with the student nominee’s degree program type as well as the work integrated learning experience type.  Nominated students must have been enrolled at a college or university in an undergraduate program at the time of the work experience, between September 1 of the previous year and August 31 of the nominating year. 

Click here to view a sample PDF of the nomination form.

The following information and supporting document is required to complete and submit a Student Achievement Award nomination:

1.        CEIA Member:

•  Student Achievement Award Nominees must be nominated by a CEIA member with current, active membership.
• Nominators will be asked to provide the contact information of the individual CEIA Member (name, title, institution/employer name, email address and telephone number) sponsoring the nomination.

2.       Co-op/Internship Site Sponsor Statement of Support:

• Nominators will be asked to provide the contact information of the professional that wrote the Co-op/Internship Site Sponsor Statement of Support.
• Nominators will upload the Site Sponsor Statement of Support during the nomination submission process.
• The Co-op/Internship Statement of Support must be submitted on company/organizational letterhead.
• The judges will be reviewing each nomination for details/examples of how the student’s work-related duties as well as both the quantity and quality of their work positively impacted the company/organization.
• Specific examples demonstrating the student’s initiative and creativity in approaching their assigned work tasks/projects as well as commentary on the student’s drive, professionalism or attitude are recommended for inclusion.  It will be helpful to include a detailed description of what makes this student outstanding.  If the student was bestowed any company/organizational awards/recognition or extended an offer of continued employment (another internship/co-op or full-time employment) with your company/organization, be sure to share that information.

3.       Student Statement and Resume:

• Nominators will be asked to provide the contact information of the student nominee including full name, major, anticipated graduation month and year, email address and telephone number.
• Nominators will upload the student nominee’s resume during the nomination submission process.
• Nominators will upload the Student Statement during the nomination submission process.
• The judges will be reviewing each nomination to see how well the student integrated the experiential learning opportunity into their academic and career pursuits.
• Emphasis for the Student Statement should be on reflection and application versus the nature of the work or the industry where the student participated. The judges will be reviewing the Student Statement for examples and descriptions of insights the student gleaned into the company, industry and/or occupation/profession that they would not have had without this specific internship/co-op experience:
  – How did the student grow from the experience?
  – Did the experience confirm or shift the student’s intended career plans?

Nomination Deadline:

November 1^st