Aliza-Marie Smith
2022 Undergraduate Arts Co-op Student of the Year, Honourable Mention
Through her co-op term with Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC), Aliza’s outstanding achievements supported the government’s ongoing process of reconciliation and recognition of rights of Indigenous peoples in Canada.
Contributions to Advancing Reconciliation in Canada
As a Junior Analyst, Aliza supported fiscal policy development initiatives by researching and analyzing economic data, contributing to key decision-making documents, and integrating stakeholder interests in policies and processes.
Aliza’s most notable achievement was coordinating the department’s input on a key document relating to “An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Metis children, youth and families.” This involved developing content to advance the department’s interests, gathering feedback from multiple departmental stakeholders, and briefing senior management on the document and its implications. Aliza accomplished this with what her supervisor Tanya Shum calls “a high degree of understanding of a complicated file” and by performing tasks that were “well above a student role.”
From Classroom to Co-op and Beyond
As an International Relations student, Aliza notes that she and her peers often struggle to relate abstract academic concepts to real-life applications. Working with CIRNAC has helped bring nuance to her coursework and make meaningful work-study connections to “truly experience the technical aspects of the recognition of Indigenous rights and the pursuit of reconciliation in Canada.”
While crediting co-op experiences with enriching her professional life, Aliza shares that it has, more importantly, allowed her to realize “a passion for human rights work” and fulfill her goals to “positively impact the lives of marginalized peoples.” Aliza’s work to give back to her community and support the affirmation of human rights will continue long after graduation, armed with workplace skills and confidence as a “more conscious global citizen.”
About the UBC Arts Co-op Student of the Year Award
The annual award recognizes outstanding achievement in all aspects of the UBC Arts Co-op student’s performance, including academic achievement, job achievement/employer evaluation, personal statement, contribution to co-operative education, and contribution to extra-curricular activities.
Aliza-Marie Smith
2022 Undergraduate Arts Co-op Student of the Year, Honourable Mention
Through her co-op term with Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC), Aliza’s outstanding achievements supported the government’s ongoing process of reconciliation and recognition of rights of Indigenous peoples in Canada.
Contributions to Advancing Reconciliation in Canada
As a Junior Analyst, Aliza supported fiscal policy development initiatives by researching and analyzing economic data, contributing to key decision-making documents, and integrating stakeholder interests in policies and processes.
Aliza’s most notable achievement was coordinating the department’s input on a key document relating to “An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Metis children, youth and families.” This involved developing content to advance the department’s interests, gathering feedback from multiple departmental stakeholders, and briefing senior management on the document and its implications. Aliza accomplished this with what her supervisor Tanya Shum calls “a high degree of understanding of a complicated file” and by performing tasks that were “well above a student role.”
From Classroom to Co-op and Beyond
As an International Relations student, Aliza notes that she and her peers often struggle to relate abstract academic concepts to real-life applications. Working with CIRNAC has helped bring nuance to her coursework and make meaningful work-study connections to “truly experience the technical aspects of the recognition of Indigenous rights and the pursuit of reconciliation in Canada.”
While crediting co-op experiences with enriching her professional life, Aliza shares that it has, more importantly, allowed her to realize “a passion for human rights work” and fulfill her goals to “positively impact the lives of marginalized peoples.” Aliza’s work to give back to her community and support the affirmation of human rights will continue long after graduation, armed with workplace skills and confidence as a “more conscious global citizen.”
About the UBC Arts Co-op Student of the Year Award
The annual award recognizes outstanding achievement in all aspects of the UBC Arts Co-op student’s performance, including academic achievement, job achievement/employer evaluation, personal statement, contribution to co-operative education, and contribution to extra-curricular activities.