When Lauren Fleming arrived at Brock University, she worried that juggling a demanding courseload and full slate of extracurriculars while living with a mental health disability might be an insurmountable challenge.
Enrolling in the Law Plus program, however, changed everything.
"During a conversation with a guest speaker, I was introduced to the world of labour relations and disability management, and the human rights component really resonated with me," said the fourth-year Labour Studies and Law Plus student. "That led to doing my co-op work terms in human resources and gaining the confidence to pursue my career goals."
Fleming was named as both the Co-op and Law Plus Student of the Year for 2025. She received the dual recognition as part of the 2025 Co-op, Career and Experiential Education (CCEE) Awards.
Fourth-year Labour Studies student Lauren Fleming, recognized as Brock University's 2025 Co-op Student and Law Plus Student of the Year, made a lasting impact during her work terms at the Niagara Parks Commission.
"Overcoming challenges throughout my degree to now receive this recognition is incredibly meaningful," said Fleming, who's also pursuing microcertificates in Human Rights at Work and Labour Law. "I've had great mentors at Brock and in my co-ops and I wouldn't be here today without their support."
During her two human resources co-op work terms with Niagara Parks Commission, she gained hands-on experience in disability management, workplace investigations, labour relations and legal compliance.
"After getting some knowledge under my belt, I gained the confidence to also improve processes, such as identifying ways to streamline and identify gaps in processing international worker permits," said Fleming, who also works as a Law Plus Assistant. "I gained the contextual experience and knowledge to be successful in the workplace that wouldn't have been possible without the support of the team at Niagara Parks."
Janice Spino, Chief Human Resources Officer at the Niagara Parks Commission, said Fleming's contributions not only benefited the department but also "strengthened the bridge between academia and the public sector, ensuring that future students will have even greater opportunities to learn and thrive."
Fleming is also a dedicated volunteer in the Brock and broader community. She served on the Student Accessibility Services Student Advisory Panel, volunteered as a literacy tutor for the Learning Disabilities Association of Niagara Region, contributed as a notetaker with Brock Student Accessibility Services and was Senior Editor of the BU Law Review.
For fellow Undergraduate Co-op Student of the Year Aaditya Gupta, his co-op experiences also highlighted his passion for public policy, community impact and strengthening experiential learning opportunities for students.
The fifth-year Business Administration student completed his work terms at Hatch where he was recognized as an Outstanding Co-op Student and with the Brock University Students' Union, where he currently serves as Vice-President, External Affairs.
MBA student Sahil Bhosale, Graduate Co-op Student of the Year, is passionate about building agile, data-driven and resilient supply chains across the pharmaceutical, marine and automotive industries.
During his recent co-op work term at biopharmaceutical company Sanofi, he implemented systems to increase production to 95 per cent and reduce cycle time from 25 to 22 weeks. He was recognized twice as Performer of the Year by the company.
Brock also recognized Medical Sciences and Med Plus student Renata Joatar for her dedication and contributions to professional development.
Carver Leggatt (BKin '24, MAG '25) received the EE Student of the Year Award for their passion for serving others across diverse populations.
"At Brock University, students are surrounded by a breadth of experiential learning opportunities, from Co-op and Plus programs to community-based learning, that allow them to explore career interests, build confidence and shape their own paths," said CCEE Director Julia Zhu. "Our role as the CCEE team is to support, guide and open doors while our students ultimately take the reins of their success and turn those opportunities into meaningful futures."
Applications are being accepted online for co-op until Monday, June 15 and for Law Plus, Med Plus and Fit Link programs until Wednesday, April 15.
