Current Students

Back to school is just a few weeks away! In this first edition of the Student Pulse newsletter for the 2022-23 academic year, we have the information you need to get off to a good start.
 
For new students looking to get familiar with VIU services and supports in advance of school start-up, RockVIU new student orientation starts on August 29. More details below! 

Madelaine Jones says students should enrol in VIU’s Co-operative Education program because they can gain work experience that could help them land a good job after graduation.

She is currently completing an eight-month work term for the Federal Government of Canada doing software development and loves it. For the first half of her work term, Madelaine worked remotely. For the second half she moved to Ottawa, Ontario. One of the great things about co-ops is you can discover which jobs are the right fit for you, says Madelaine.

Everyone deserves a rewarding career that pays well and makes them happy. For many people, the path to that career includes university education – a path that may seem out of reach to some. Maybe they didn’t do well in high school. Maybe they face language barriers. Maybe they get overwhelmed by the thought of managing post-secondary education. Maybe they worry that they won’t be motivated to complete a program.

The living world has fascinated Ally Badger ever since she was a child, and she always knew she wanted to pursue biology.

She graduated this June with a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Biology. Navigating the challenges of the pandemic and the worsening climate crisis over the past few hasn’t been easy, but despite these obstacles Ally received a perfect grade point average. 

At age 15, Emma Salisbury’s life changed forever.

Diagnosed with lupus – a chronic disease with a variety of symptoms caused by inflammation in one or more parts of the body – Emma put her dance career on hold to undergo treatment. A week into treatment, she suffered a stroke that forced her to reconsider what she wanted to do with her life.

“Within 24 hours, I went from being a sick, but perfectly able-bodied person, to not being able to hold my head up or even speak,” she remembers.

As George Gershwin said: “It’s summertime and the livin’ is easy.” It also means many of us will be travelling. Whether that’s a road trip or flying, it’s important to stay secure while you roam away from home.

VIU’s First Nations Housing Manager certificate program trains housing managers who work with on-reserve housing. The training program was developed with some initial funding support from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).

 A few months ago, Russell Modeste wasn’t sure what direction he wanted to take in his career. 

After completing Adult Basic Education upgrading courses at VIU, he decided to explore different options.

“I wanted to see what trade would interest me. At first, it was carpentry, and then it was heavy equipment operating,” he says.

June is Indigenous History Month, during which we mark the rich history, heritage, resilience and diversity of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples across Canada. One of the ways VIU is marking Indigenous History Month is by highlighting the voices and works of some Indigenous writers who are part of our community.

One of the key elements of each of VIU's convocation ceremonies is the valedictory address. 

Elected by their peers, a valedictorian gives a congratulatory address to fellow graduates and their friends and family. This year, we decided to do things a little differently, with valedictorians representing the different Faculties rather than one valedictorian per ceremony. Below, you'll find the valedictorian videos for each Faculty.

Siddhanth Arikari & Lauryn Mackenzie, Faculty of Arts and Humanities