Nafeesa Mehboob Fire Alarm and Life Safety Equipment Designer, Kieffer & Associates Inc. NAFEESA MEHBOOB India Students choose the University of Windsor for a number of reasons. For engineering student Nafeesa Mehboob, an Indian citizen who came to Windsor from Qatar, the university's co-op program was the deciding factor. "I saw the opportunity of not just learning in school, but learning out in the industry and getting first-hand experience," she says. "I heard that the co-op program at the University of Windsor is really good—and I must say that I'm glad I came here." Windsor's co-op program allowed Ms. Mehboob to work for three different organizations, all in her field of specialization—work, she says, that would prove to be a tremendous experience for learning and making the transition to the Canadian workplace. She now works as fire alarm and life safety equipment designer at Kieffer & Associates, Inc, a fire-protection engineering firm based in Windsor. She also serves as in-house IT person and computer troubleshooter. "All these work terms helped me become more confident, and I don't feel hesitant if I have to communicate with anyone," she says. "They helped me develop skills—such as multi-tasking, organization, communication and teamwork—that have proved very useful to me, now that I'm working full-time." Ms. Mehboob describes her four years at Windsor as the most memorable of her life, partly because of the caliber of education she received here. "The system of learning here in Canada is very different from back home," she says. "I got a lot of hands-on training in the labs to complement what I learned in the lectures. The professors were always very friendly and willing to help me and this made me feel welcome. As a result, I was able to adjust to teaching and learning methods easily." She also found the University of Windsor a warm, welcoming place. "I found that everyone at the university is very friendly and eager to help you adjust, if you are an international student," she says. "Everyone at the university was very understanding, and I did not feel like an outcast at all. "I loved being able to participate in the various on-campus activities," she adds. "It helped me gain confidence, kept me busy—I had a lot of fun and I met a lot of wonderful people." Ms. Mehboob's time at Windsor was also marked by outstanding academic achievement. In those four years, she was given about 14 awards and scholarships; she graduated at the top of her class, and was awarded the Board of Governors Medal, a prestigious award. The scholarships she received, plus the money she earned from working co-op, were sometimes enough to pay her entire tuition and personal expenses for the semester. As for the future, Ms. Mehboob is currently putting together her application for permanent residence in Canada, although she still hasn't decided whether to stay here permanently.