żě˛ĄĘÓƵ has recognized two exceptional student leaders for their innovation, leadership and commitment to community impact through work-integrated learning (WIL).
Sadia Tasnim (data science) and Brianna Nguyen (digital technologies) have been named żě˛ĄĘÓƵ’s Co-op and Work-Integrated Learning students of the year.
The Co-op Student of the Year award recognizes 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‑wide 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’ ongoing efforts to promote work-integrated learning within their campus, communities and industry.
Sadia Tasnim: Co-op Student of the Year
“For as long as I remember, I’ve noticed how numbers quietly dictate what the world pays attention to,” says Tasnim, a fourth-year data science student.
Long before entering York’s Data Science program in the Faculty of Science, she marvelled at the figures she saw in news headlines. She reflected not just on the response they generated, but on the hidden work behind them – who collected them, how they shaped decisions and how they drove outcomes.  
When she decided to pursue co-operative education as part of her undergraduate degree, instead of working at a large tech company, financial institution or consulting firm, Tasnim’s work term took her to an unexpected place: a local food bank.   
Working first in agency relations and then as a data administrator, she joined Food Banks Mississauga on a growing data team and found a space where her talents at interpreting and presenting data aligned with her desire for community impact.  
Among four student hires, she was one of two selected to co-lead the organization’s largest annual initiative: the Annual Visitor Survey. She led a team of 20 volunteers responsible for collecting data from food bank clients, assessing service satisfaction and gathering demographic information to help the organization better understand its community’s needs.  
One of her most significant contributions came as the result of an unexpected challenge, when she faced the sudden departure of a direct supervisor. Tasnim welcomed the opportunity to lead her team to the project’s completion on time. She helped compile and analyze the data to produce an exceptionally detailed report that her director described as “the first of its kind” for the organization.  
Tasnim also showed initiative by attending external workshops hosted by non-profits to understand how data can be 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 most rewarding part of her experience, she says, was knowing she had contributed to key food security insights that may guide future programs and resource allocation.
“From the moment I interviewed Sadia, what stood out most was that her values and integrity drive the work she does,” says Nicole Norris, director of programs and agency network, Food Banks Mississauga. “As a food bank, our organization has evolving data needs and seeks talented individuals to elevate our data approach. Her combination of technical expertise, leadership potential and commitment to the organization’s mission made her an asset to our team and left a lasting positive impact.” 
In addition to making a difference through her co-op role, Tasmin is an active leader in championing and contributing to WIL. She attended the 2025 CEWIL Canada Ontario Regional Conversation, where she helped surface challenges in the landscape of WIL with peers and leaders. She also represented York’s co-op program as an ambassador during the Ontario Universities Fair, where she shared her experiences with prospective York applicants.  
Tasnim also demonstrates leadership in her program as the founder of York’s Data Science Club.  In this role, she has established a membership of more than 120 students and secured sponsorships from local organizations to provide financial support for the club's growth. 
In recognition of her achievements and her work inspiring young women to pursue careers in technology, she has been nominated for CS-CAN-INFO-CAN's W. Powley Woman of Inspiration Award. 
Brianna Nguyen: Work-Integrated Learning Student of the Year
 Nguyen, a second-year digital technologies student at York’s Markham Campus and a Dev Degree intern at Shopify, has distinguished herself through initiative, persistence and a commitment to community impact. 
Her academic, professional and creative pursuits demonstrate her engagement and advocacy for WIL as a tool for empowerment, innovation and growth.  
In the fully work-integrated Digital Technologies program at 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.  
“I chose digital technologies because it offers a work-integrated experience unlike any other program,” she says. “Through this immersive program, I was pushed to take initiative, apply my knowledge in real-world settings and step into meaningful roles.”
As a Dev Degree intern, she has spent the past several months contributing to technical projects within Shopify’s Activation team. Her work helps support new merchants as they onboard and begin to use the platform.  
Early in her internship, she helped build back-end functionality for Shopify’s new Retail Yearly subscription, gaining foundational experience in shipping production code.  With more experience, skill and confidence, Nguyen moved to more complex challenges involving AI. She proactively sought opportunities for “pair programming” with senior engineers, data scientists and product managers – 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 contributed to development of Shopify’s 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 workflows.
Nguyen's manager acknowledged her performance, noting she exceeded expectations in her role. Despite being a first-year intern, her performance was recognized as demonstrating capabilities 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’s largest hackathon for women and non-binary students.
She also represented York and engaged in meaningful connection-building at the conference where she was sponsored by Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) at żě˛ĄĘÓƵ.
Her achievements reflect her advocacy for inclusive innovation and her belief in the power of WIL to build confidence and community.
“Work-integrated learning has been an integral part of my university experience and a model that I have continued to promote,” she says.