Nicole

Negherbon

Software Engineering (Co-operative Education)
Thunder Bay, ON 

I chose Lakehead for a variety of reasons. Lakehead was cost effective, I could remain near my family and friends and I would be attending a school where the professors would have the time and would care to know who I was and what I wanted from my education. I most certainly did not feel like a number. A great indication of how close we Software Engineering students were to our professors is that they became familiar with our programming styles. Some professors would even contact us and reach out with one-on-one help if they noticed we didn't quite get something or our marks were slipping. To this day I am still in contact with some of the professors I had.

Student life at Lakehead was also a unique experience. Because our department was small, we Software Engineering students became very close. We studied together, we hung out together, we supported each other. It was also easy to meet and talk to new people almost anywhere. I recall one time I was studying in the library with some of my peers and we were having a particularly difficult time with some concept we needed to know for an exam. A fellow engineer overheard our struggle, came over to our table and went over the concept with us.

Lakehead also has many clubs and committees you can join to meet new people that share your interests or work with to plan the events you'll remember many years after you graduate. For example, I was on the committee to organize the engineering ring ceremony celebration after party so I could have a hand in making that night a night to remember for all of us.

While I was at Lakehead, I had the amazing opportunity to complete a cross-discipline degree project for a real, local company. I was able to work with electrical and software engineers to complete the project which landed one of fifteen spots in the Ontario Centres of Excellence Connections Competition from over 350 projects. The competition took place in Toronto, Ontario and there were many companies there looking to recruit new graduates.

Through Lakehead's Career Services, I was able to complete an internship at IBM Canada as part of my degree which gave me experience, skills and connections I could not have received any other way. From these experiences and connections I was able to be rehired by IBM Canada after graduation.