Sheridan graduate, student win national awards for co-op and internship

Sheridan graduate Eidah Jauforally and student Quinlin Lawrynowicz have been named Canada’s co-op and work-integrated learning (WIL) college students of the year, respectively — the first time that both winners in the annual Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada (CEWIL Canada) competition’s college category represented the same institution.

Jauforally and Lawrynowicz’s wins add to Sheridan’s rich history of success in co-op and WIL contests. Sheridan entrants have now won a CEWIL Canada co-op or WIL award in three of the last five years, seven of the last 10 and nine of the last 13. Since 2013, 27 Sheridan students or graduates have been recognized at the national or provincial level for exceptional contributions to co-op, WIL and experiential learning.

“Our students' remarkable achievements are a testament to (our) dedication to work-integrated learning and further cement Sheridan's reputation as a leading institution for career-integrated education.”

– Joanne Islip, Director, Career-Integrated Learning

“Sheridan is proud to be a trailblazer in WIL and co-operative education, providing students with invaluable work-related experiences that enhance their academic and professional growth,” says Joanne Islip, Director, Career-Integrated Learning. “Our students’ remarkable achievements are a testament to this dedication to work-integrated learning and further cement Sheridan’s reputation as a leading institution for career-integrated education.”

Jauforally, who graduated from Sheridan's Business Administration - Accounting program last year, was named CEWIL Canada’s top co-op college student for her experience with global accounting firm PwC. She also received an honourable mention in Experiential & Work-Integrated Learning Ontario (EWO)'s co-op college student of the year contest, as did Computer Systems Technology - Software Development and Network Engineering graduate Dylan Law.

Lawrynowicz, a fourth-year Creative Writing & Publishing student, was recognized as the top WIL college student for their internship with national charitable organization Inflamed Brain Alliance. EWO also named Lawrynowicz as its internship college student of the year.

The CEWIL Canada Emery-Dufault Student of the Year Awards recognize outstanding achievements of co-op and WIL students from both colleges and universities. Named after two of the founding fathers of co-operative education in Canada, Dr. Charles Leslie Emery and George Joseph Dufault, the awards recognize each winner with a commemorative certificate and a cash prize of $1,500.

Eidah Jauforally

Jauforally, who came to Sheridan's Pilon School of Business in 2021 as an international student from the Republic of Mauritius, persistently networked for more than a year before securing a coveted co-op position with PwC — one of the world's 'Big Four' accounting firms, alongside Deloitte, KPMG and Ernst & Young.

"I've been in Canada for just four years, so winning a national award this quickly is a proud feeling and a humbling feeling," she says. "This award is not just for myself. It's for my parents, my friends, my mentors, and everyone who has supported me."

While with PwC, Jauforally contributed to audit engagements and financial analysis across the real estate, insurance and banking industries. She also played a key role in PwC's Muslim Inclusive Network, organizing events to promote cultural awareness and inclusion, and represented the company as a guest speaker at a CPA Discovery Days event last spring.

"The auditing experience I gained through my co-op has already helped me in my career," says Jauforally, who graduated in December and is now employed as an accountant. "Knowing the expectations of auditors has established the grounds for me to deliver what's needed for my clients."

Jauforally’s passion for WIL was also apparent during her time at Sheridan. As President of the Sheridan Accounting Student Association, she revitalized the club, strengthened relationships with the Big Four accounting firms, and provided students with valuable networking opportunities. She also served as a CPA Ontario Board of Ambassadors representative, further advocating for WIL and CPA programs at Sheridan through mentorship and engaging initiatives such as networking events and campus-wide CPA awareness campaigns.

Quinlin Lawrynowicz

During their four-month internship with the Inflamed Brain Alliance, Lawrynowicz created a new program designed for individuals and families dealing with the challenges of PANS and PANDAS, autoimmune conditions that affect central nervous system function.

Healing Stories uses virtual workshops, videos and group therapy sessions to teach and encourage storytelling as a transformative opportunity to heal trauma wounds and celebrate successes.

"It's very difficult to find programs made for PANS and PANDAS patients," says Lawrynowicz, who was diagnosed with PANDAS as a child and discovered creative writing was a way to process things and rediscover self-worth. "I remember what it was like at the height of my own condition, not having resources and feeling alone, so I wanted to help other people who might be going through similar experiences."

Lawrynowicz's support of Inflamed Brain Alliance also included the creation of a YouTube video to generate awareness about PANS and PANDAS (part of a fundraising campaign that raised more than $30,000), and sharing several personal poems for publishing on the organization's website.

"One of the most exciting things about winning this award is knowing that the words PANS and PANDAS will be on CEWIL's website. That should help increase awareness, which is exactly what I've tried to do," Lawrynowicz says.

"My WIL experience also taught me that if I let my creativity guide me, I'll be able to make a difference no matter where I end up in my career."

Dylan Law

When Law began his co-op at RBC, he was one of three developers working on a project to automate firewall management using security policy platform AlgoSec.

By the end of his co-op, Law had taken over the entire project, saw it to completion, won an internal co-op competition, presented the project to RBC senior executives, and was hired full-time by the company.

"This co-op was a game-changer for my career preparation. It sharpened practical skills that I'll use anywhere, I got better at breaking down complex systems into manageable parts, and it built my confidence in pitching ideas," says Law.

"It also taught me that my job is not just coding. It's understanding how tech supports business goals like security and scalability, which I now see as my career sweet spot."

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Sheridan's Career-Integrated Learning (C-IL) team recently introduced Job Search Week, a week-long event during Reading Week that supports students seeking co-op, internship and part-time employment opportunities. Learn more by visiting Sheridan’s Career Services webpage.