The final lap

May 30, 2023 Faculty of Mathematics graduate on overcoming adversity in the classroom and the pool By Melodie Roschman Faculty of Mathematics Laura Bumbulis always assumed she would go to the University of Waterloo. Her parents, two of her uncles and her older brother are all Waterloo alumni - a Waterloo family. Beyond family tradition, she had been drawn to Waterloo because of the co-op program. She liked the idea of getting to try a few different fields before committing to a career. She did three co-op terms - once as a math tutor and twice at a health tech start-up - before she found the co-op that changed everything: working at the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research. Her work there helped Bumbulis finally decide on a career in biostatistics and won her the award for the 2021 Co-op Student of the Year for the Faculty of Mathematics. Beyond the classroom Alongside her academic career, Bumbulis is a competitive swimmer.