Sophia Miele Awarded Graduate Co-Op Student of the Year
Sophia Miele is a Master of Public Policy, Policy Administration student and the Graduate Co-op Student of the Year, recognized for her significant contributions during her two co-op work terms as a Junior Officer with Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), Real Property Services Branch, within the Innovative Delivery Strategies team (IDS). Miele was nominated by Senior Advisor Bob Perkins, who said that Miele demonstrated “a level of analytical rigor, professionalism, and initiative well beyond what is typically expected of a co-op student.”
During her first term, Miele played a key role in a national market sounding questionnaire initiative—work that would “traditionally have been contracted to an external consulting firm at a high cost.” She conducted extensive research and stakeholder mapping, coordinating outreach to over 200 individuals representing 74 organizations across Canada. She managed the dissemination of the national questionnaire, multiple rounds of communication, and supported the development of procurement deliverables based on the responses received.
In her second term, Miele authored two detailed jurisdictional research reports examining how comparator governments deliver and manage similar assets, analyzing governance structures,
legislative frameworks, procurement strategies, and institutional enablers and constraints.
These reports directly inform ongoing analysis and recommendations and will support future decision-making regarding engineered infrastructure delivery models.
Miele coordinated interviews with project managers and teams responsible for the
management of major infrastructure assets across the country. She assisted in preparing
tailored interview materials designed to elicit detailed information on procurement
approaches, delivery models, and project performance. Perkins praised her “strong ability in knowledge translation and executive communication” and noted that she documented project management frameworks to support internal capacity building.
“Beyond her technical skills, Sophia was a highly collaborative and positive presence within
the IDS team. Over the course of her second term, she took on increasing responsibility
and worked with an increased degree of independence, reflecting the trust she earned
from other managers and colleagues.”
Perkins concluded that Miele “consistently met and exceeded expectations” and made a “lasting contribution” to the team and its clients.