Beth Maenpaa, BA CYC ’09 — completed her degree in child and youth care and was immediately hired as a supported child development consultant with the Mission Association for Community Living. The education and experience she received in this particular degree program played a major role in gaining employment with this organization. With great appreciation for the opportunity to work in her town of residence, she continues to balance work and family life, raising two boys ages 12 and 9 who are sure to be future UFV grads with her husband Steve.

Briana Beckwith, BA ’09 — has just completed PDP in Teaching at SFU, and will be now looking for a job! She graduated from UFV June 2010 with her Bachelor of Arts degree. She did her practicum in a grade 5/6 class in Mission and had a great time. She looks forward to her future as a teacher!

Myrtle-Anne Rempel, Dip ’86, SFCA, CSPWC — a well known professional artist, Myrtle-Anne graduated from UFV with an Applied Arts diploma, with concentrations in painting and print making. She has exhibited extensively and won many awards and honorable mentions for her work, including the 2008 Arty Award for “Outstanding Visual Artist”. She was awarded Senior Signature status with the Federation of Canadian Artists and the Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour. Myrtle-Anne seeks to evoke emotion for her viewers as light, shadows, and textures play across her colourful paintings to create many different moods. Her work in included in private, corporate and government collections in the USA, Ireland, Austria, France, West Africa and Canada. http://artists.ca/mrempel

Nicole Hande, BScN ’08 — completed her degree in 2008 then started working at Royal Columbian Hospital. After two years she moved back to her hometown of Mission and took a specialty nursing program at BCIT. She now works in the High Acuity Unit at Abbotsford Regional Hospital and thoroughly enjoys the challenges and rewards of nursing. She recently became a steward in the BC Nurses’ Union and looks forward to mentoring new nurses in the profession. Giving back to her community is also important to her. She has volunteered at Options for Sexual Health for the last nine years.

Shaun Kipling, BC Ad Grad ’10 — graduated in June with his British Columbia Adult Graduation Diploma (Grade 12) throughthe Upgrading and University Prep program. Shaun started his upgrading in the summer of 1997. Through his experiences with UFV and the instructors in the UUP department he found the courage to continue his education. He has been accepted into the Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice degree program and is currently finishing his first year.

 

Lee Hanlon, BGS ’10 — Prior to completing his BGS, Lee was hired on with Source Security at the Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre. He has been employed in the security profession for six years and is also an approved JI BST security training instructor. Lee has also served 17 years in the Canadian Forces Army Reserve, and has been training in martial arts (Karate) for over 36 years. The next step in his educational goal includes studying law, and he has recently  been accepted to the University of London International Bachelor of Laws program. While at UFV, his core focus was on criminology. He has a passion for law and justice and is a strong advocate for victims’ rights. Lee will be returning to UFV in the Winter of 2012 to teach the BST security training program with the Continuing Studies faculty.

Curtis Penner, BA ’09 — completed his Bachelor of Arts in French and geography. Since finishing studies at UFV, Curtis worked as an Events Services staff member at the main media centre and the Olympic cauldron for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. Curtis completed his Bachelor of Education — Secondary, with a French specialization, at UBC-Okanagan. Effective September 2011, Curtis is teaching French full-time at Merritt Secondary School.

Amy Waites, BA ’10 —graduated with her Bachelor of Arts degree with double extended minors in both French and history, and an Associate of Arts degree, as well as both an intermediate and advanced French proficiency certificate. Amy has been putting her degree to use as the customer communications representative at the Overwaitea Food Group, Langley office. She is responsible for the social media as well as aiding in customer/media relations.

Amy Anaka (nee Rossa), BA ’05 —majored in geography. Following graduation, Amy worked for two years in Abbotsford on a federally funded research project studying early childhood development. She then worked at the City of Abbotsford as a social planning technician until 2008 when she moved to Portland, Oregon to complete her Master of Urban and Regional Planning at Portland State University. Amy worked for various planning organizations while completing her master’s degree, and is now employed with the City of Abbotsford as a community planner. The physical and human geography skills she learned at UFV, including statistical analysis, GIS, and community development, helped with all of her accomplishments. She would like to thank past professor Sandy Vanderburgh, and professors Cherie Enns and John Belec, for their time, energy, and guidance while attending UFV and following graduation. Amy currently lives in Abbotsford with her husband Ryan Anaka, who also received his BA in 2005.

Durga Dhaliwal, Dip ’09 — completed his diploma in AutoCAD at UFV while at the same time earning a job with Dynamic Windows & Doors. Durga went on to exercise his entrepreneurial skills by buying Advantage Print & Graphics, a printing business in Abbotsford . Durga believes that his association with UFV enabled him to build networks with the community. Through his role as the president of the Indo-Canadian Club while at UFV, he was able to organize various Bhangra competitions that facilitated this networking which truly is an asset for his new business.

Jim Daems BA ’95 — Jim went on to complete an MA (SFU) and a PhD (University of Wales, Bangor). Upon returning to Canada, he taught for five years in the English department at SFU. Eventually, he returned to UFV, teaching in the English department since 2005. Jim’s main research interests are 17^th century literature, particularly John Milton, representations of Ireland, and gender. He has published two books, as well as articles on the work of Milton, Edmund Spenser, William Bradford, bill bissett, and J. K. Rowling. He is currently finishing his third book, focusing on Milton and his contemporaries in the context of the Irish Rebellion.

Shauna Filgate, BA ’00 — completed her BA in Child and Youth Care in 2000 and began working for the Ministry of Children and Family Development in Abbotsford. Being adventurous, she transferred to Fernie, BC, where she practised as a child protection social worker for eight years in the beautiful Elk Valley. In 2008 she took a position at MCFD’s provincial office in Victoria where she currently works as a program/policy advisor specializing in the areas of child protection, domestic violence, and sexual exploitation of children and youth.

Valery Joy Reimer,  Dip ’01 — Joy graduated with a diploma in Library and Information Technology and was hired by Columbia Bible College to work in their academic library. Joy worked as a library assistant, a circulation assistant, and circulation technician, as well as bookstore manager. For the last few years, Joy has been working as a serials technician as well as the exam invigilation coordinator. This year Joy has taken on the role of circulation coordinator, as well as course reserves. Joy says UFV gave her invaluable training. Her favorite part of the job is helping students in their research as they prepare to enter careers of their own.

Robert Marriott, BCIS ’08 — was awarded the Governor General’s bronze medal after completing his diploma and degree with honors in Computer Information Systems. That same year, Robert founded Qualitative Business Systems Inc./BCWebPress.com, which provides innovative web design, SEO, and SEM services to the Fraser Valley business community.

Rebecca Middleton, AA ’06 — Upon completing her associate degree in media and communications studies, Rebecca continued her studies at SFU where she earned a bachelor’s degree in communication. She now oversees the Communications department at Sto:lo Nation, an Aboriginal service organization, and is a contributing writer for the Fraser Valley Pulse. Rebecca is looking forward to continuing her education and exploring her career path in the future.

Kara Stevens, CCDP, Dip Social Services, ’07 — completed the Social Services diploma and accepted a position as an employment counsellor helping people on income assistance achieve their employment goals. Kara loves her job and recently completed the process to become a certified career development practitioner. In addition to providing her with the skills needed to work in a field that can at times be very complex, graduating from UFV also ignited a desire for life-long learning and she is currently working on her application for entrance into the Bachelor of Arts in Adult Education program.

Jenilee Corbett-Willock, ABT ’06 — after completing the Applied Business Technology program Jeniliee  was offered a position as manager/bookkeeper at a service station where she worked for over two years. Since then she has worked as a bookeeper/office manager, and prepared income tax returns. In the last year, Jenilee has gone back to school to become an accountant. She is grateful to the ABT program for preparing her for her career.

 

Dan Clegg, BA ’08 — After completing his degree in psychology Dan worked for Communitas Supportive Care Society as a mental health worker in two transitional programs in Chilliwack. He is half way through a MA in counselling psychology at the Adler School in Vancouver and is starting a practicum at Chilliwack Child and Youth Mental Health. Other than that, he is spending as much time as possible fishing and picking berries.

Danielle Zanardo, BA ’08 — upon graduating on the Dean’s List with a BA (Major in Soc/Anth) Danielle went to work for a large veterinary nutrition company, combining her many years of experience as a veterinary assistant with her education. Danielle then started the company Motion Health Canada, supplying veterinary hospitals and health providers across Canada with nutraceutical green-lipped mussel (www.motionhealthcanada.com).  She continues to live in Abbotsford with her husband, and is currently on maternity leave after the birth of her daughter.

Stefanie Halldorson, Dipl ’09 — since completing her Liberal Arts diploma in 2010, Stefanie continues to attend UFV working to complete her degree in criminology and English. She hopes to be done by the end of 2011. Right now she is a full-time UFV student and volunteers at Children’s Hospital.

Ruby Setchay, BA ’00 — After graduating from UFV with my BA, Ruby  went on to get herBEd at UBC. The following year she was off to Manitoba, with her husband, to teach Grade 6 for one year. We returned home to BC after that year so that my husband could resume his work. Since then we have become the parents to two wonderful boys, the oldest of which is now in kindergarten. With her children heading off to school she has been getting back into teaching by substitute teaching at a local private school, and also looking into options for future full-time employment.

June D Krause, Cert ’92 — June graduated from the Office Careers Upgrading program in 1992. She has been using the skills acquired in her course working as a bookkeeper for Tabor Village in Abbotsford, as well as for her husband’s painting company.

Ron Neels, BA ’07 — after graduation Ron enrolled in SFU’s PDP program and graduated with a BEd in 2008. He was hired as the Grade 7 teacher at Mount Cheam Christian School in January 2009. When he looks back on his years at UCFV he feels he received a high quality education that prepared him for his career. He says that instructors truly inspired him with their passion for teaching and learning and, as an educator himself, he aspires to follow their example.

Alumni: Submit a brief writeup telling us what you’ve been up to since graduation. Sent it to alumni@ufv.ca and we’ll print it in the next issue and enter you to win a prize.

This article is featured in the fall 2011 issue of UFV Skookum magazine