The Journey Begins

Posted on by William Bishop

Today, the class of 2023 begins its long march towards graduation from Waterloo Engineering.  The road to becoming an engineer is an interesting one filled with challenges, roadblocks, and surprises at every corner.  For many, the journey will end successfully.  For some, the journey will involve detours and perhaps even a few tolls.  It is a journey that will forever change the hearts and minds of our students.

Let me start by wishing all the best to our newest students.  As difficult as the path may be, our alumni would often tell you it is worth the effort.  You will develop friends and memories that will last a lifetime.  You will likely do some amazing things.  You will have opportunities to explore the world around us.  Hopefully, you will find time to enjoy your experiences as you work towards engineering a brighter future.

Life Tip #1: Don’t forget those who made your journey possible.  Your family, your teachers, and your friends wish you all the best.  Remember, they simply want you to be happy.

2018 is a very special year.  Engineering 7 is nearing completion.  Classes will enter the classrooms for the first time on Thursday at 8:30 am.  There will be challenges as all large construction projects have minor issues.  There will also be pleasant surprises.  The Faculty of Engineering consulted students, staff, faculty, and alumni when designing the building.  The result is a state-of-the-art complex with room for both teaching and research.  The building also enables the move of the recently renamed Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business to the main campus.  This is a move that is long overdue.

For me too, this is a very special year.  On September 1st, I started my role as Director of Admissions for Waterloo Engineering.  It is a daunting task but one that I readily accept.  The previous Director of Admissions had a very long list of accomplishments as indicated in his blog post on August 31st.  I only hope that I will be able to continue the great work that Professor Bill Anderson during his term as Director of Admissions.  I plan to use this blog to speak to four audiences (prospective students, students, parents, and alumni) in much the same way that Bill Anderson did on his highly successful blog (A Professor in Waterloo Engineering).  While Bill Anderson doesn’t like to brag about the success of his blog, it is the top referring website to the official Waterloo Engineering website and will likely remain so for some time to come.  I will also use this blog as a way of informally providing information and advice about the admission process for Waterloo Engineering.

 

Published by William Bishop

I grew up in the small town of Welland, Ontario in the heart of the Niagara Peninsula. In my youth, I enjoyed softball, golf, and the uniquely Canadian sport of 5-pin bowling. My high school years were productive. I excelled at my studies and had enough time to devote towards extra-curricular activities to earn a school letter. I was fascinated with computers having owned a Commodore 64 and having maintained a network of Unisys machines running a very early version of QNX at my local high school. I had part-time jobs teaching computer courses to both adults and children at local secondary schools. I worked hard in my final year of high school to excel at the now defunct Descartes math competition and earn a spot in Computer Engineering at the University of Waterloo. Little did I know that I would stay at the university for three degrees and eventually a permanent faculty position. Now, as Director of Admissions for Waterloo Engineering, I hope to share my thoughts on the road towards a career engineering.