McMaster Engineering students Andrew Aslanidis and Sadia Tasnim have been recognized for making extraordinary contributions to supporting prospective students and recruitment initiatives.
This past year, the recruitment team welcomed 137 student ambassadors who shared their knowledge and experience with prospective students through virtual events, digital engagement, social media, vlogs and the new Fireball Diaries platform.
The Student Ambassador of the Year Award is given annually to two McMaster Engineering student ambassadors. The winners receive a certificate and $500 prize in recognition of their participation and strong leadership, as well as their contributions to McMaster and the greater community.
Learn about our Student Ambassadors of the Year:
Andrew Aslanidis
Mechanical Engineering & Society V, Minor in Business
I wanted to give back because the very reason that I chose McMaster as my school of choice five years ago was based on the people I met and interacted with on campus. I felt welcomed and at home, and I want to provide this same impact to any and all prospective McMaster Engineering students out there.
As the lead on the Faculty’s TikTok sub-committee, his humor and creativity have been instrumental to the success of the Faculty’s quickly growing TikTok account which has over 400 followers and thousands of video views.
“I saw the challenge of doing things like ramping up the TikTok account and producing some student-led video projects. I loved the idea of breaking new ground, with the small chance of going viral!”
“I really appreciate the recognition that comes with this award for my efforts this year. I am extremely proud of the progress that has been made on the McMaster Engineering TikTok account over the past eight months, and this award shows that I have provided value to my school and my peers as I close out my undergraduate degree. I am grateful for being recognized as an important contributor.”
Andrew has also lended his creativity to vlogs including the Day in the Life vlog, an intimate look at the Mac Eng student experience. At the Faculty’s virtual events, he also shared his wisdom and experiences with future students.
Sadia Tasnim
Civil Engineering IV
“I remember once being in their shoes and how stressful it is having to figure everything out on your own. I would have wished to have someone that has gone through the process to help guide me along the way when I didn’t know how to navigate the website or how to best approach supplementary apps or even deciding what field I wanted to pursue. I wished to have someone that I could ask more non-academic questions like, what foods are offered on campus and how can I make friends when I don’t really know anyone. I chose to be a Student Ambassador because I wanted to be that person for future students!”
Sadia is passionate about McMaster Engineering, especially her Civil Engineering department. She was involved in many recruitment events and played a pivotal role in providing feedback through her involvement with the Event’s Specialist committee.
Engineering Student Ambassadors is the extracurricular I am most involved in and it has had the most positive impact. I was able to meet new people, develop strong connections, and build so many important soft skills within myself over the last few years.
“[The award] is a tangible representation of the hard efforts all of us have put together to create something beautiful and meaningful that has helped so many people.”
Sadia is also a member of McMaster Women in Engineering. She enjoys the community and is glad to see a solid representation of women in STEM.
Here’s her best advice for incoming students: “Never doubt yourself. Don’t let one bad grade hold you down because you are so much more than a letter or a number. Also, when you’re faced with a problem, don’t attempt to solve it all at once. Rather, focus on chipping away in small steps to make it more manageable. When things become too hard to handle on your own, always ask for help.”