The Renaissance Award is highly personal. It’s a chance for you to work on a project that matters to you.  

• Lead a 4- to 12-month project of your choosing.
• Receive up to $25K each year, depending on the project budget.
• Students in financial need may build a wage into their budget to help compensate for time spent on the project.
• Individuals and teams of two are welcome to apply.

The Renaissance Award is really meant to promote inquiry and encourage people to do something different than they ever thought they might. This award is for students who want to go outside the box and bring some of the expertise from other specialties into their own area of study. It’s meant to encourage people to get away from a regimented stream and course of events into something that’s a little less planned, a little less obvious to most people, and to encourage exploration. We’d like students today to know that there are actually many pathways.

— Drs. Jolie Ringash and Glen Bandiera, founders of the Renaissance Award

Application support

Our certified experiential learning coordinators can help you explore ideas, set goals and make a plan before you apply. Please email experiential@mcmaster.ca and include “Renaissance Award” in the subject line.

Project support

If selected, you will require a faculty advisor and a student success coach for your project. You will be required to stay in contact with both throughout your project completion.

• Student success coach: If you are selected as a recipient, you will be assigned a student success coach who can help guide you to explore, reflect and act — all essential components of experiential learning. You will stay in touch for project updates, deliverables and any challenges that you might encounter.
• Faculty advisor: You will need to find a faculty advisor for your project. This advisor must be a faculty member from outside your program whose expertise aligns with your project goals. They will help guide your research direction and provide academic support throughout the process.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Renaissance Award, you must:

• Have completed the first year of your program
• Be a current full-time undergraduate, graduate or School of Medicine student
• Have a cumulative GPA of 10 or more
• Want to engage in a 4- to 12- month self-directed enrichment experience outside your chosen program of study

The full eligibility details are also posted on AwardSpring.

Where to apply

• Community projects that create real impact
• Mentorship programs with peers or professionals
• Fellowships that grow your leadership skills
• Workplace simulations that let you test-drive career scenarios
• Clubs and student groups where you can lead, plan and collaborate

These activities help you develop the skills employers value most — like communication, teamwork and problem-solving — while letting you apply your knowledge in real-world situations.

Think of it as a chance to boost your resume, meet great people and discover what you’re capable of. Whether you want to prepare for your career, explore something new or just get involved, we’ll help you find the right opportunity.

We can help you experience, reflect and act (ERA)

We have the resources and supports to help you not only gain experience but also reflect on what you’ve learned and create an action plan. This will help you leverage each experience to enhance your academic and career journey. 

This experiential learning model ensures that you gain the skills and critical thinking needed to maximize your learning experience.

Use these resources to help you get started and guide your experiential learning journey.

Experience Building

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Apply for the Renaissance Award — up to $25K to work on a meaningful project

September 26, 2025

About the award The Renaissance Award is highly personal. It’s a chance for you to work on a project that...

Enter your experiential learning era | Experience, Reflect, Act (ERA)

August 27, 2025

How to get started These activities help you develop the skills employers value most — like communication, teamwork and problem-solving...

Bridge the gap from the classroom to the workplace with work-integrated learning 

March 1, 2025

What is work-integrated learning (WIL)?  What if we told you there’s a way to take your learning beyond the lecture...

Highlights from McMaster’s 2024 Student Staff Development Conference

August 22, 2024

The day began with an insightful testimony from Arlene Dosen, Executive Director and Assistant Dean, Student Success, on her journey...

How annual conference gives student staff the skills to succeed in the workforce

July 9, 2024

Every year, hundreds of McMaster students take on work opportunities within the university and in turn, get connected to an...

How to engage, expand and explore beyond the classroom: Advice from upper-year students

April 15, 2024

Engage, Expand and Explore: Opportunities Beyond the Classroom featured two panel discussions led by nine upper-year students. Additionally, information booths...

How to secure a research opportunity: Getting started

October 17, 2023

Where should I start?  Who can I ask about finding a position in my field of interest?  How can I...

Peer Leader Program

March 29, 2023

The Peer Leader program includes a volunteer opportunity, scheduled professional development and connections to your peers. Browse all the appointment...

Pathways: From a Political Science education to the world of work

November 28, 2022

With so many potential career paths, how do students start narrowing their options and taking action to enter the world...

National Hackathon promotes student wellness and innovative thinking

October 11, 2022

Team from McMaster University takes first place with an app that promotes healthy eating The team members — Tanjot Grewal,...

Show more

What is work-integrated learning (WIL)? 

What if we told you there’s a way to take your learning beyond the lecture hall and into the real world? Enter work-integrated learning, your golden ticket to bridging theory with practice. 

Examples could include hackathons, case competitions, short-term projects, job shadows, internships, campus jobs and volunteering, just to name a few.  

Let’s break down some of the benefits

1. Increased employability: WIL isn’t just a buzzword. Employers love candidates who’ve dipped their toes in the professional pool. It’s like having a “hire me” sign on your resume. 

2. Theory meets reality: Remember those mind-boggling theories from class? WIL lets you put them to the test. Suddenly, they make sense, and you’ve got hands-on experience and skills to show for it. 

3. Career exploration: WIL is your backstage pass to different career paths. You get to peek behind the curtains and decide if you’re more suited for marketing, coding, event planning — the list goes on. 

4. Networking: You’re probably familiar with the phrase, “it’s not what you know; it’s who you know.” Well, WIL lets you know the right people. You’ll get to connect with potential employers, mentors and industry experts. 

What McMaster students have to say about it 

My Global Experience Award was nothing short of amazing… After I received the funding I applied to do an internship opportunity with a healthcare company in the U.S. and later continued to work with the company as a part-time assistant. This opportunity allowed me to expand my networking circle outside Canada and introduce me to industry jobs in the pharmaceutical and healthcare fields. My GEA experience also allowed me to meet some incredible people, attend cutting-edge seminars in the pharmaceutical industries and also attend a conference… These experiences are super helpful in deciding whether something you’re interested in is a suitable career choice!

Nawal, fourth-year Science student

I went on a global experience this summer. I had the opportunity to work at Walt Disney World in Orlando Florida and experience the magic of the company… This experience changed me as a person and helped me grow so much into the person I want to become.

Kristina, third-year Science student 

Follow @MacSSC on Instagram and X (Twitter), and join our LinkedIn group, for more information and opportunities throughout CEWIL Month. 

The day began with an insightful testimony from Arlene Dosen, Executive Director and Assistant Dean, Student Success, on her journey at McMaster and touched on the importance of student staff roles and professional development opportunities. 

Conference attendees then tuned into a presentation by Lisa Hunt, HR Strategic Partner, Housing and Conference Services, on ways to improve your resume. Students were able to then apply this knowledge to an activity by correcting a “bad resume” with their peers.

The reflection activity allowed students to understand how they might experience real-life scenarios and develop their collaborative skills.  

In the afternoon, Jared Kunar, Career Development Advisor, moderated a panel of three recent graduates who are currently working at McMaster University: Kyla Beavers, a 2012 McMaster graduate and Human Resources Strategic Partner; Deebana Rasanathan, a 2024 McMaster graduate and Administrative Assistant, Academic; and Madeline Parr, a 2021 McMaster graduate and Communications Coordinator at the Student Wellness Centre. The panelists shared stories of the uncertainty of employment and ultimately what led them back to McMaster post-graduation.

“I really hadn’t considered McMaster as an employer when I was a student here. I don’t know why. I think it’s maybe still overlooked in a lot of cases, but, when I was given the opportunity, it was really like an easy decision because it truly did feel like coming home after doing your undergrad here, living here, essentially growing up here.” said Kyla Beavers, a Human Resource Strategic Partner for Communications, Marketing, and Public Affairs (CPMA) 

“I think everything happens for a reason that, you know, depending on where you are in your career, you know, just apply, see what happens. You know, it does get discouraging when you don’t hear back from employers. you know, whether you got an interview or don’t any interview. But I don’t want you guys to let that, discourage you from applying because something will transpire and it will work out for you.” Madeline Parr, Communications Coordinator at Student Wellness Centre 

“Are there a lot of opportunities? Yes. Are they all going to be aligned with what you want to do and where you want your career to go? Maybe not, but the best thing about McMaster is that it’s all one employer, so there’s nothing stopping you from reaching out to that department or that faculty, they want to end up being in or you want a role that, you know, as part of their and asking questions.” Deebana Rasanathan, Administrative Assistant (Academic), Wilson College of Leadership and Civic Engagement 

This year’s alumni panel offered useful advice to the student staff conference attendees. As students who are in anticipation of what will happen after graduation, these perspectives shed some light on the reality of searching for a job post-undergrad.  

Finally, the day was rounded out by some much needed team building exercises that involved movement led by McMaster’s Altitude Team Development and Leadership program. It was the perfect ending to the day and created an unforgettable experience between student staff from all over campus. 

The day-long conference, hosted in partnership by the Student Success Centre and Human Resources Services, allows student staff to engage in professional development, to network with their peers and to explore the many and varied career opportunities available to them at McMaster.  

Participants engage in various skill-building exercises around networking, financial management and the application of transferrable skills. 

“I enjoyed how much variety in the conference there was! I loved learning about social media, branding and how to develop ourselves professionally on LinkedIn,” said a past participant.  

Recent alumni and current McMaster staff are also on hand to share their experiences of embarking on their careers.  

“The panel of recent graduates/current students who work at McMaster was the most informative to me,” said another past participant. “Their earnest answers, coming from a perspective similar to mine, allowed me to reflect on my own career journey in a beneficial way.” 

The conference is part of a larger strategy of preparing students for the workforce that includes work-integrated learning opportunities, career counselling and support, job shadowing, mentorship and job fair events.  

“It is one of the ways our student staff get to engage in the same meaningful development and opportunities for connection that all employees at McMaster benefit from,” says Melanie Garaffa, Associate Director, Talent, Equity and Development in Human Resources Services. 

The event is also a way to highlight McMaster as an employer of choice after graduation.   

“When we invest in student staff, we are investing in the future of the university,” says Gisela Oliveira, Associate Director (Career Development, Global Mobility and International Student Success), Student Success Centre. “We have had many past participants go on to build careers here at McMaster, successfully building upon the foundation of lifelong employability skills they honed in their student staff roles.” 

Engage, Expand and Explore: Opportunities Beyond the Classroom featured two panel discussions led by nine upper-year students. Additionally, information booths helped students discover flexible opportunities to collaborate with peers in different Faculties on community-based research projects, design challenges and more.

Here are four highlights from the panel discussion

1. The impact of community-focused leadership

“Now, I’m going to get personal,” said Melissa Cortez, a final-year McMaster social work student and Research Shop participant. “I am Filipino, I was born and raised in Toronto, but I think the experiences that I saw throughout the project, were things that I experienced growing up.”

A Research Shop project leads to a report prepared by a team of student researchers in response to a community organization’s research question.

Cortez shared her experience partnering with Filipinas of HamOnt to explore post-secondary within Filipino youth, analyzing the barriers and attendance to develop programming and supports. “Being able to work on this project, not only allowed me to explore a topic I was very personally motivated in researching; I was also able to develop the skills and the research knowledge.” Her work with Research Shop inspired her to pursue community-based research in graduate school.

McMaster grad and team lead at Research Shop, Krishian Camargo, echoed the value of working with community partners. Camargo had led five projects, including the Muslim Advisory Council of Canada, Hamilton Encampment Support Network, United Way Halton and Hamilton, Youth Alliance for Intersectional Justice and most recently, with Filipinas of HamOnt.

“[Community partners] bring a different kind of knowledge you don’t hear about in classes… We are working with people who are actively addressing these issues to turn them into action.”

Krishian Camargo

2. The value of experience beyond the classroom

Rand Al-Wazzan, a third-year student in the Honours Environmental Science program with an interdisciplinary minor in Sustainability and certification in Urban Planning, said, “I found it difficult to engage in meaningful connections and conversations in a traditional classroom setting.” Opportunities like CityLAB Semester in Residence (SIR) provided ways for her to form these connections to address issues outside the lecture hall. Al-Wazzan said, “CityLAB SIR does a great job of how the real world and the city functions. You work with real-world projects with City of Hamilton such as climate change.”

Isabela Sipos, a fourth-year Environment and Society and Political Science student, also spoke about the benefits of courses like CityLAB, “I am one person and my voice and the work that I’m doing actually matters.”

“Experiential learning opportunities at Mac are so special because in a typical classroom and academic setting, we learn about what are the local, national, global issues the world is facing, [but] how do we go about addressing them? In CityLAB, we had the opportunity to work with the community.”

Isabela Sipos

Gurjaap Mangat, a third-year Mechanical Engineering student who was seeking ways to develop their problem-solving and analytical skills, joined MacChangers, a co-curricular program open to all McMaster students from different Faculties and levels of study.

Mangat said, “MacChangers is such an involved program. You are asked a question at the beginning of the term, and you are trying to find a solution. They ask you different questions, whereas in your academics, they are seeking a specific answer.”

3. You never know where opportunities will take you

Runisan Natheeswaran, a fourth-year Honours Life Sciences student, EXPLORE and INSPIRE student ambassador, shared how in his second year, he didn’t have experiential opportunities on his resume.

This led him to participate in INSPIRE Intersession as a Welcome Week representative, which was his introduction to experiential learning opportunities. Through this connection, his supervisor shared the Welcome Week Orientation course that focuses on leadership past Welcome Week.

“[INSPIRE] focused on my soft skills in communication and leadership skills. I met a lot of great people and hone on my soft skills and felt more comfortable with myself and taking more leadership roles.”

4. There’s growth in feeling uncomfortable

Vaishali Dave, a third-year Mechanical Engineering student was seeking meaningful ways to get involved. She shared her MacChangers project on how to make greenspaces more accessible to Hamiltonians. Dave said, “I combined my passion for environmental sustainability and something that I’m not familiar with, how to make space more accessible.”

“I am a firm believer that you don’t learn unless you are uncomfortable. This was a fulfilling experience for me, not only professionally, academically but personally. I was really learning and becoming more confident version of myself while working on something that I was unfamiliar with but excited about.”

Vaishali Dave

Mallika Grover is a second-year Honours Commerce student who shared the value of volunteering as a buddy/mentor for international students. Grover said, “I was a very different person before I was volunteering. I wouldn’t even speak a word to anybody but now I have learned how to communicate. As a mentor for nine international students, some from the same country as me. There is a level of relatability, and I could talk to them about what to do before and the problems I faced.”

Kashish Sikka, a third-year B-tech Biotechnology student echoed the value of being uncomfortable. Getting involved in EXPLORE as a student ambassador and the different opportunities changed his perspective and life. “Engaging within the community helped me get through loneliness or being away from the family. This experience brought a different me from the last two years.”

Where should I start? 

1. Start with what is available. If you want to connect with a researcher on campus, start by identifying McMaster researchers who may have received funding for a current project. This will help guide your outreach efforts. 
2. Consider volunteering. If you are seeking to gain experience, consider volunteering as a research participant. There are opportunities that will get you connected to research and those conducting it. 
3. Update your resume. Get individualized feedback from a trained Peer Leader to develop an effective resume or cover letter. You can book an appointment on OSCARplus / Student Success Centre / Appointments / Career Counselling and Job Search Coaching / Resume and Cover Letter Writing. 

Who can I ask about finding a position in my field of interest? 

• Your professor: Contact your professors about your research interests and aspirations.  They may have connections and knowledge about what researchers value in potential candidates. Making a great impression here can go a long way to being recommended for an opportunity. 
• Your teaching assistant (TA): They have experience searching for research opportunities and can share their journey and insights, including what worked and didn’t work for them and tips on where to search and what to prepare. TAs also work closely with professors, so they will have knowledge about who is doing what and possibly any available opportunities. 
• Upper-year students: They can give you other avenues to search for research positions and may be able to share what it was like working on a research project and potential contacts. 
• Do your own research: Find out which faculty members and professors are involved in research and learn their current interests within their field of expertise. Find out what research is being done in your field of interest and who is doing it. You can connect with those people for a career conversation and ask them questions about gaining experience and making connections. 

How can I stay connected with some of my professors, TAs and/or peers?

• Engage and participate during class discussions. 
• Attend instructor office hours.  
• Begin by asking if they are open to having a quick chat about your research area of interest, if they have any tips for connecting with professors doing research, research that you are interested in on campus. 
• Create a LinkedIn profile to connect with peers, TAs and professors. Keep up to date on your field of interest and be active on LinkedIn. 
• Attend events like workshops, seminars and guest lectures on topics of interest or those hosted by researchers with similar interests. 

Where can I find opportunities?

It is hard to balance academics and social life, however, making space in your day to participate in social events or activities can support your emotional well-being and sense of belonging in the university. You can also join course-specific study groups. I recommend following social media accounts created for your faculty and program to check for student events and social gatherings. 

Final remarks

When exploring research opportunities, it is important to reflect on your goals and what you need the research experience for. A reminder that we are here to support you throughout your journey. 

The Peer Leader program includes a volunteer opportunity, scheduled professional development and connections to your peers.

Browse all the appointment types to find out how you can access support. Then, apply on OSCARplus under Student Success Centre > Volunteering and Experience Building. Once you’re there, select postings. Application deadline is on April 24, 2023.

Any in-person positions will be located at McMaster University’s main campus.

Student Success Centre units accepting applications

For questions about the SSC Peer Leader program or the individual positions, contact Stephanie Cognigni (volunteer@mcmaster.ca).

Need help navigating OSCARplus?

We recommend attending an OSCARplus how-to workshop. Find the next listing under the Student Success Centre > Events.

With so many potential career paths, how do students start narrowing their options and taking action to enter the world of work?

A new course, Pathways: Approaching Life with a Political Science Degree (POLSCI 4AL3), proposes a new approach to make the transition from the classroom and the workplace easier for students.

The course — which is facilitated by the Department of Political Science and supported by the Faculty of Social Science, Careers & Experiential Education, Alumni Engagement and Student Success Centre — is interdisciplinary and experience based. In addition to the academic components, it incorporates key elements of career exploration, planning and development.

“Pathways helps students apply the skills and knowledge gained in their Political Science courses to the world of work,” says Lana Wylie, course instructor and associate professor in the Department of Political Science. “In addition to assignments typically found in Political Science courses, such as essays, students participate in a hiring committee simulation, networking events, and are matched with an alumni mentor.”

Anna Magnotta, manager, employment and experiential learning at the Student Success Centre, notes that helping students identify the core competencies they’re gaining during their academic studies can lead to more opportunities for career development. “Skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, teamwork and leadership consistently rank among the most in-demand by employers, and they serve as a foundation for exploring career opportunities,” she adds.

Additionally, incorporating resources offered by the Student Success Centre in the course content reminds students that they have access to support outside the classroom and during the transition to work. Support areas include experiential learning, career counselling and job search, and more. For example, the Student Success Centre’s career counsellors can help students create an action plan, support their career exploration journey and develop career goals.

Pathways: Approaching Life with a Political Science Degree is supported by funding from the Partnered in Teaching and Learning Strategy grants program.

Team from McMaster University takes first place with an app that promotes healthy eating

The team members — Tanjot Grewal, Tracy Huynh, Ahsan Mazhar, Ahmed Sabrah, and Ajilan Sivaloganathan — based their idea on personal experience. All had struggled to eat well in their first year on campus. Mazhar, Sabrah, and Sivaloganathan are second-year students, so they drew on recent experience. Grewal and Huynh are in their fifth year but had no difficulty recalling their freshman years. “We all struggled to eat healthy during our first year,” Grewal says. “We want to help other students make healthier food choices.”

To do that, the team came up with a neat solution in five days. Their app would teach students about nutrition and help them make healthier choices. The app would identify healthy meals and offer a discount on meals that met the requirements of the Canada Food Guide. It would also let students set personalized goals and track their progress toward achieving them. The app would link to the meal plan that serves first-year students at McMaster, making it accessible and scalable. Teams were not required to build out their apps or other proposed solutions. Still, the winning pitch reflected a very productive five days. It’s even more impressive when you consider that the five team members had not met before. They all signed up individually and were assigned to a team by The Forge, a business incubator funded by McMaster.

Collaboration is the key

The five members all came from different backgrounds. Grewal is completing a co-op program in chemical biology. Huynh is at the same stage of a chemical engineering co-op. Mazhar is studying commerce, while Sabrah and Sivaloganathan are enrolled in computer engineering and health sciences, respectively. This meant that interdisciplinary collaboration was key to their success. That was intentional on the part of the organizers.

Experience Ventures was created by the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking in collaboration with eight other Canadian post-secondary schools. The program gives students paid job placements where they tackle real-world problems. Each of the 160 students who participated in the National Hackathon received $325. It’s designed to help students make valuable connections in their local communities as they hone entrepreneurial thinking skills like problem solving, risk management, and opportunity spotting.

All those traits were on display as the team from McMaster got down to work. The team met virtually to brainstorm ideas. They had no shortage. The team considered stocking healthy snacks in the pantries of first- year residences, training students in meal preparation and creating a reward system to promote health eating. “After much deliberation, we decided to go with our first idea, and brainstormed how it could be implemented,” Grewal says. “Since meal plan cards are typically used by universities, we decided that creating an app that connects the meal plan card to a rewards system would be practical and scalable.”

The judges at the National Hackathon final were impressed. They told the team that they were wise to tackle the Freshman 15, a well-known problem. The name refers to the weight gain experienced by many first-year students. Tackling this problem meant the students didn’t “try to boil the ocean” by taking on too much. The judges were also impressed that the team had thought out how the app would look and how the user interface would work.

All this praise — to say nothing of the $2,500 first-place cash award — was gratifying for the team members. The five also appreciate what they learned from the experience. “The hackathon definitely gave me more confidence to consider a career in entrepreneurship,” Huynh says. “We worked really hard to develop our idea and tackle it from every angle, so it felt good knowing that the judges saw merit in our solution.”

What would be even more fulfilling is seeing their idea implemented. “I think a lot of schools put the blame on students for their unhealthy eating habits, but in reality, it’s a systemic problem,” Huynh says. “The meal- plan system creates this reliance on convenient, unhealthy, takeout foods, and students leave residence life without the proper skills and habits to thrive on their own. I think we can do better.”

Leavings

It’s no secret that many students find it difficult to adjust to campus life. That first year of university is full of new experiences. Many students are living away from home for the first time and struggle with their newfound independence. Freshman orientation helps students make connections and learn about on- campus supports, but some challenges persist.