Chelsea Alvarez Memorial Award
This award has been established in memory of Chelsea Alvarez who passed away unexpectedly in Sterzing, Italy on January 1, 2017, at the age of 24. Chelsea graduated from Conestoga College in 2015 with a degree in Mechanical Systems Engineering and was extremely proud of earning her tiny iron ring. After graduating, Chelsea had been working at Trade-Mark Industrial as a project manager before leaving to live in Italy with her fiancé Colin Behenna who was playing professional hockey.
Chelsea was a spirited, intelligent, and caring young woman with an unforgettable smile. She had a passion for her family, work, travel, athletics and volunteerism. She volunteered at the Grand River Regional Cancer Centre and was inspired by the optimism and strength displayed by patients and staff there. She believed in encouraging women to enter the Engineering field and was involved with Go Eng Girls and Women in Engineering. She was a competitive athlete, playing hockey for both the Waterloo Ravens and Wolves and rep soccer for Waterloo. She also enjoyed playing hockey and soccer with her Engineering friends and felt that the extracurricular experience enhanced the school experience. She made treasured friends while at Conestoga College.
In honour of her memory, friends and family have established a memorial award at Conestoga College for a student registered full-time in a Conestoga School of Engineering program that demonstrates compassion through community involvement/volunteerism, is a well-rounded individual, and has an interest in applying their engineering background in a business environment.