Co-op not just career shaping, it’s life changing
Mackenzie Warner, a 3rd-year student in the Bachelor of Arts program, was working as a part-time tutor at the Writing Centre when a co-op job posting caught her attention. “The full-time Writing Centre Support Specialist work term was inspiring to me. I realized that I could gain professional workplace experience in an industry that interested me and allowed me the flexibility of being a student. As a bonus, co-op allowed me to make money that funds my future courses.”
Warner has since completed a work term as a marketing and communications specialist for TRU Sustainability. “In that role, I attended the first ever Livable Cities, Collaborative Communities Conference held on-campus. It reminded me of how important community is when we invest in sustainability—and how much we need to learn from traditional Indigenous knowledge keepers to properly care for and be stewards of our lands.”
Over the summer of 2024, Warner completed another marketing and communications co-op, this time with Career & Experiential Learning. “It was so cool to be a co-op student working in CEL, and I was excited to work with other co-ops to collect their stories. I wanted to inspire other students to get more out of their educational journey.”
Warner, an active member of the TRU community, can be found around campus and in many Writing Centre promotions.
Not only did co-op positively impact Warner “as a student and as a person,” but it also changed her trajectory. “Initially, I was a Creative Writing minor—and now I’m partly switching to Communications because of these co-ops.”
Warner says that learning beyond the classroom has unlimited benefits: “I’ve found that work terms can teach and prepare students in ways that classroom instruction simply can’t. It allows students to explore industries, gain practical experience and develop valuable technical and transferable skills.”
Mackenzie credits her mom and brother as the roots of her support system but says that she’s also found an extended family in the TRU community. “Writing Centre coordinator Jenna Goddard gave me my start with peer mentoring and tutoring at the Writing Centre back in 2016, and since then, I’ve connected with other amazing women mentors at TRU, notably Anna Rogers in the Sustainability Office, writer & storyteller Alicia Ashcroft and my co-op coordinator Sarah Gibson. All these phenomenal women have inspired and mentored me in my journey as a mature student.”
Gibson, who oversees arts, sciences, natural resource sciences and bachelor of interdisciplinary studies co-op programming, said: “Mackenzie’s impressive work ethic, determination, and strong communication skills allowed her to work effectively with stakeholders across TRU and our community. She demonstrated outstanding vision and leadership skills by navigating large, complex projects and meeting deadlines. I valued her collaborative, confident approach, strong attention to detail and fierce determination. You could always count on her to deliver important projects.”
Goddard agreed, noting that “MacKenzie is so passionate about improving user experience that I often have to gently remind her to go home at the end of the day as she is often immersed in finishing ‘one more project.’ She has exceeded expectations in every way and has taken any opportunity to make the writing centre process more comprehensive, accessible, and equitable for tutors and students.”
Back where it all started, Warner is spending another co-op work term in the Writing Centre and is on track to attain the co-op designation when she graduates with her BA. She advises new and current students to “make the most of your academic journey and use this time to explore and experiment with your interests. Take your time and enjoy your education. The experiences you have could do more than change your career—they could change your life.”
Learn more about Career & Experiential Learning programming at tru.ca/cel