UFV Alerts earns national recognition for improving emergency communications 

When emergencies happen on campus – whether it’s a wildlife sighting, severe weather, or another urgent situation – timely and accurate communication is critical. This challenge inspired Michael Levesque, Samuel Shull and a cross-functional team at the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) Information Technology Services (ITS) to develop UFV Alerts, the university’s new in-house emergency communications system. 

The system recently received national recognition at the 2026 Ellucian Live conference, a technology-focused gathering for post-secondary leaders held in Denver Colorado, from April 19-22.  

UFV Alerts was one of 20 entries in the Best Use Case awards category. Among three finalists, UFV won the Experience Idol award. Michael and Samuel represented UFV, receiving the award in front of more than 6,000 attendees.  

In announcing the winners, Ellucian described UFV Alerts as a system that replaces a fragmented process requiring updates across multiple platforms, allowing staff to send a single message simultaneously through email, text, and other communication channels during critical situations.  

>>>> Check out the UFV Alerts Ellucian Live conference highlight video <<<<

In practice, that means students and employees can receive timely, consistent, and coordinated information more quickly during emergencies and other urgent situations.  

Samuel presented UFV Alerts to 200 people during the conference, telling the story of how it came to be. 

UFV’s Communications team depends on reliable, fast-acting tools to support emergency communications across the university. Stacy Kirpichova, acting director of communications, was looking for a more efficient way to get the word out during an emergency. 

“The previous platform required team members to work across multiple platforms to distribute updates through email, text, web, and social media,” she says. “Having a more unified approach helps ensure the university community receives timely, clear, and consistent information when it matters most.” 

UFV Alerts was developed in a very short time in late 2025-early 2026. With the university’s previous emergency communications contract nearing expiry, Michael’s team saw an opportunity to build a more efficient in-house solution while also reducing costs.  

“We had a tight deadline of about three weeks to develop the first functional prototype, and we were learning as we went along,” Samuel says. “We needed one tool to account for one system, and another tool to account for another system, and that was a little stressful in the moment. But the moment we got that first real prototype and seeing it work in a full end-to-end test, that was a rewarding moment.” 

Michael says the challenge was welcomed, giving his team something new to work on outside of their normal routines.  

“We have an open setup in our office, and to hear the team talking and coming up with solutions, I really liked the collaboration,” he says.  

Developing and managing an in-house emergency communications system is relatively uncommon in the post-secondary sector, where many institutions rely on third-party platforms and disconnected workflows. Michael says attendees from other institutions frequently approached the UFV team during the conference to ask questions about how the system was built and implemented. 

“It helped showcase UFV’s profile as an institution that is forward thinking in the areas of strategic communications, protecting students, and constantly innovating to improve the student experience,” he says. “This recognition has already opened opportunities for inter-institutional collaboration, knowledge sharing, sector leadership, and future partnerships that extend UFV’s influence well beyond British Columbia.” 

UFV Alerts was used for the first time in a real-life situation when a bear wandered onto the Abbotsford campus on April 14, just days before the conference. 

“Actually seeing it in use, getting a text message from UFV Alerts about the bear, and then seeing the analytics afterwards was a lot of fun,” Samuel notes. “It paid off quite a bit thinking about all the development in the early stages to get UFV Alerts to that point and then having it work well in the moment – that was pretty cool.” 

“Seeing how far the project has come, and how much further it can go with additional development – I’m pretty happy with how it’s turned out.” 

Stacy was impressed with how UFV Alerts functioned in real time and pleased with the collaboration that helped bring it to life. 

“What stood out most was how collaborative the process was across ITS, Safety and Security, and Communications,” says Stacy. “During emergencies or rapidly changing situations, people need information they can trust quickly and consistently. UFV Alerts gave us a much more coordinated way to support students and employees when timely communication matters most.” 

Recognition for UFV Alerts is not finished. Michael and Samuel have been invited by Ellucian to participate in the Canadian version of Experience Idol, with the option to do a more thorough presentation on the system and/or showcase other innovations. They plan on doing the same at the CEUG (Canadian Ellucian Users Group) 2026 conference this coming December in Vancouver. 

UFV students and employees are encouraged to sign up for UFV Alerts and ensure their contact information is current to receive important university notifications during emergencies and other urgent situations.