Cameron Anderson, a third-year mechanical engineering student, earned a Rising Star Award for his contributions during a co-op placement at Stellantis’ Automotive Research and Development Centre. (PETER MARVAL/University of Windsor)
By Peter Marval
“What career am I getting myself into?” was the question on Cameron Anderson’s mind when he decided to pursue co-op.
Anderson said he crafted a plan to work at different placements to gain a broad understanding of what it’s like to work as an engineer.
The third-year mechanical engineering student was one of six honoured with the Rising Star Award, which recognizes students who excel during their co-op placements, as selected by the University of Windsor’s Co-operative Education and Workplace Partnerships office.
“One of the main questions I had about engineering is, ‘What do they do on a day-to-day basis?’” he said. “What are the typical duties?”
At his second co-op placement at Stellantis’ Automotive Research and Development Centre, Anderson gained insight into those questions by shadowing various teams and co-op students.
He landed in the Exterior Front Lighting division, where he assisted in the testing of headlights to ensure the light patterns met safety standards.
During downtime, he said he occupied his time with self-training through MATLAB Simulink tutorials, studying a lighting-specific textbook and familiarizing himself with niche software used for vehicle simulation, road modelling and beam visualization.
According to his nomination letter, his most significant contribution came from acquiring deep knowledge of AVS SCANeR, a complex simulation software not yet fully utilized by the lighting team.
When the vehicle dynamics and seating team needed someone with extensive SCANeR expertise, Anderson applied his new skills to design a methodology that could simulate driving on a gravel road.
“We tested my methodology during my last week, and it worked. I was so happy,” he said, noting that it laid the groundwork for the next co-op student to build on.
Anderson’s ability to quickly learn new tools and apply them beyond his immediate tasks left a strong impression on his colleagues. In his nomination letter, his supervisor wrote, “Cameron showed exceptional initiative, curiosity and a strong drive to explore interdisciplinary areas across vehicle simulation.”
Working at Stellantis gave him a boost in technical communication, a skill he had found challenging. “I remember struggling a lot at Valiant, my previous co-op, when speaking to the mechanical designers. By the end of my term at Stellantis, I felt I had improved.”
Anderson said he also credits co-op for expanding his social network at school. After completing his first year at Ontario Tech University, he transferred to Windsor to live at home in Tilbury. “I’ve felt a bit outside of the cohorts, especially after transferring,” he said. “I also haven’t been very involved in extracurriculars because of my commute.”
At Stellantis, he found a welcoming community of fellow co-op students who immediately included him in their circle and inspired him to get more involved at UWindsor. “They motivated me to rethink how I approach university,” he said. “I’m now actively exploring extracurriculars and looking to get more involved on campus.”
Looking ahead, Anderson hopes to explore the power and energy sector for his next co-op term and is considering graduate studies. “I think I’ll try to get into the power and energy sector, just to diversify a little and see if I might like it.”
This article is part of a series celebrating excellence in experiential learning. Co-operative Education and Workplace Partnerships selected six outstanding students as Rising Star Award winners for Winter 2025.