Blending research and co-op experience in the field: Rebekah Stokes on her work in climate resilience

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In Grade 12, Rebekah Stokes delivered a capstone project ambitiously focused on how humans can work to save the world. She looked at climate change with a critical eye, a moment that marked the beginning of a remarkable learning journey.

“That 17-year-old is still very much at the core of who I am,” says Rebekah. “But I’ve definitely learned some lessons about how change really happens since then. When I was looking at what university I wanted to go to, and the kind of work I wanted to do, I decided climate action seemed like a good old big problem to sink my teeth into.”

Rebekah graduated from UFV in June with a degree in Global Development Studies.

However, even before graduating, Rebekah was already making waves in the community through her work with the City of Abbotsford. Rebekah worked on Abbotsford’s newly minted Climate Resilience Strategy, an opportunity she gained through UFV’s Co-op program.

Released this summer, the City’s Climate Resilience Strategy outlines a number of actions to which the City of Abbotsford has committed to “reduce greenhouse gas emissions while also preparing for, adapting to, and reducing the risks from climate-related events” such as flooding and extreme heat.

“I’ve learned, especially through this process, to check my assumptions at the door.”

“My role focused on community engagement,” says Rebekah. “Often times that looked like loading up my car with materials and heading out into community just to chat with folks for a while.”

For Rebekah it meant learning what the community values when thinking about climate.

“I’ve learned, especially through this process, to check my assumptions at the door,” she says.

When discussing the recent floods, for instance, she found experiences and viewpoints varied by region. Some reactions were far less involved or passionate than she expected.

“We’d have folks coming up and saying, ‘I know the flooding has been bad for a lot of the farmers and folks in the Sumas Valley, but really, I wasn’t personally affected.’ We have a lot of different regions, because Abbotsford is so huge, so risks and experiences will vary depending on where someone lives, and that’s something we can keep in mind when developing solutions.” says Rebekah.

Rebekah also completed a directed research study supervised by professor Dr. Michael Batu that shared some common foundations with her work for the city.

Her paper, Waste to Wealth: The Business Case for Circularity in Abbotsford, BC, focused on how to make sustainability financially viable for businesses and governments. She describes circularity as a system that strives to keep materials and value within circulation for as long as possible. This contrasts with a more typical linear system, where products are made, used and then thrown away.

“Circularity means that from the beginning, we’re designing products for durability. But also, the production itself has less waste, less output. And then, at the end of the product’s useful life, we’re trying to insert that product or its components back into the system,” she explains.

To Rebekah, it’s about designing a circular system that makes sense for businesses, municipalities, and governments. An example of a circular program already in place is BC’s Return-It program for cans and bottles.

“It’s eye-opening to witness how the different systems, intersecting departments, and people in government get policy across the finish line.”

“The province has legislated that the producer has to take responsibility for their used cans and bottles,” says Rebekah. “So, when you as the consumer buy a pop, you drink it and then take the can back to the recycling depot to receive a deposit refund. But that recycling depot is actually supported by a group of pop producers who have been legislated to collect those cans and make sure they get recycled at the end of life.

“With ‘extended producer responsibility’ programs, producers have a responsibility not just for producing and selling the product, but for following through to the end of life as well.”

Though programs like extended producer responsibility tend to be implemented on a provincial level, while working on the Climate Resilience Strategy, Rebekah had the opportunity to experience how climate policy is made at a municipal level.

“I’ve worked with a lot of non-profits, advocating to the policy makers to make changes,” says Rebekah “But seeing how it works on the other side, it’s eye-opening to witness how the different systems, intersecting departments, and people in government get policy across the finish line. It was very informative and humbling to experience it from this perspective.”

Newly graduated, Rebekah is looking ahead. The summer provided her with a period of reflection on all the work she completed during her undergraduate degree. She hopes to continue her work in sustainability and gain more field experience before embarking on post-graduate studies.

“Dr. Geetanjali Gill, our Director of the School of Social Justice and Global Stewardship, is incredible at creating a community among us Global Development Studies alumni,” says Rebekah. “She sends us job postings and keeps us in the loop on opportunities in the field.”

The opportunities she’s been provided by her education at UFV with her work related to the circular economy, as well as climate resilience and policy at the City of Abbotsford, have given her tools to continue on a path of changemaking.

“I’m so grateful to everyone who has mentored me along the way, both at UFV and the City of Abbotsford.”

Marcella Sunshine recognized with Governor General’s Award for work with Indigenous youth

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For anyone familiar with Marcella Sunshine’s work, it may come as little surprise that she was selected to receive a Governor General’s Meritorious Service Medal. At just 26 years old and while completing her Bachelor of Arts at the University of the Fraser Valley, Marcella received the honour in Ottawa this past June.

There she stood alongside recipients such as Solomon Ratt, who founded the first bachelor’s degree program in Cree at First Nations University of Canada.

“The medal was an honour, but the best part was being in a room with others who had dedicated their lives to building something for their communities. I left thinking less about the award and more about what I still want to build,” says Marcella.

Photo Credit: GG07 series: MS Anne-Marie Brisson, Rideau Hall © OSGG, 2026

The Meritorious Service Medal recognizes individuals whose work has made an exceptional contribution in Canada across fields including advocacy, health care, research, community service, and humanitarian efforts.

For Marcella, the recognition reflects more than a decade of work with young people, particularly Indigenous youth, across harm reduction, cultural revitalization, community development, and systems change.

Marcella comes from Fishing Lake First Nation in Saskatchewan. She was apprehended from her family at birth and grew up disconnected from much of her family, Nation, and cultural identity. Through her childhood she experienced the foster care system, violence, homelessness, and substance use.

These experiences shaped her understanding of institutions; however, for Marcella they do define the story of her work.

“I was just focused on surviving life. I couldn’t have even known that there was this inherent right to culture that I could have had access to or that I should have known about myself.”

Beginning as a teenager, Marcella became involved in advocacy for young people. She helped develop initiatives including Valley Youth Peers for Overdose Response (VYPOR) and Visionary Youth Peers for Equity and Revitalization (VYPER), while also playing a role in the revitalization of the Mission Powwow beginning in 2021.

Her work has reached thousands of children, youth, families, and community members, but the questions underneath that work have increasingly become just as important to her as the programs themselves.

“I didn’t actually know anything about my culture,” says Marcella, reflecting on her childhood. “I was just focused on surviving life. I couldn’t have even known that there was this inherent right to culture that I could have had access to or that I should have known about myself.”

As she began working alongside Indigenous youth, Marcella also reconnected with culture herself. What emerged was not simply a personal healing journey, but a growing critique of the systems surrounding young people.

“We can dream and do whatever we want. We’re worthy of having a voice.”

In harm reduction work, she began questioning why so many services were designed primarily to respond once someone was already in crisis.

“What would happen if we stopped trying to fix people and instead just changed the conditions of the lives we experience?” asks Marcella. “What could emerge from different conditions — conditions of love and patience and respect and agency and self-efficacy? Not just saying something’s wrong with you.”

That question became central to the way she approached youth programming.

Rather than defining young people through addiction, homelessness, trauma, or other labels placed on them, Marcella wanted programming to create space for imagination, cultural connection, leadership, belonging, and choice.

“They don’t need to be the identity that everybody puts on them,” says Marcella. “We can dream and do whatever we want. We’re worthy of having a voice.”

This approach helped shape VYPER, which grew around the idea that cultural revitalization could be more than an activity offered to Indigenous youth. It could create relationships and conditions in which young people begin seeing themselves differently — as participants, leaders, knowledge holders, artists, dancers, organizers, and community members.

The revitalization of the Mission Powwow became one expression of that work. After returning in 2021, the gathering has continued for five years, creating another space for culture, kinship, celebration, and community connection.

Marcella’s relationship with powwow has continued to grow as well. Dance has become an increasingly important part of her own cultural and creative life, and she is now training in Fancy Feather dance while exploring how movement, storytelling, cultural resurgence, and public education can intersect.

Receiving the Meritorious Service Medal has not marked the completion of Marcella’s work. Instead, she finds herself asking deeper questions: what becomes possible when Indigenous peoples’ experiences no longer begin with colonial institutions as the unquestioned starting point?

Photo Credit: GG07 series: MS Anne-Marie Brisson, Rideau Hall © OSGG, 2026

Marcella is currently completing a Bachelor of Arts at the University of the Fraser Valley, studying Political Science and Indigenous Peoples Knowledge, and hopes to continue into postgraduate study. Her focus is on Indigenous governance, Indigenous law, institution-building, relational accountability. She hopes to unravel the assumptions embedded within the systems Indigenous peoples are so often required to navigate.

Her lived experience remains part of how she understands those systems, but it is not the limit of her story.

Summer 2026 News | Faculty Projects, Interviews and Publications

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Summer 2026 News at the College of Arts

Check out what our faculty at the College of Arts have been up to.

From exciting projects to new publications, read more about their work and connect with us to learn more about the College of Arts.

🤳 Follow us on Instagram

💼 Follow us on LinkedIn

📥 Subscribe to our Arts Newsletter

School of Culture, Media and Society

Amber Gazso, Professor, published the article Only ever mothers? Or other than mothers? Ambivalence and ‘good’ mothering on welfare in Ontario, Canada, examining how welfare policies reinforce social and economic vulnerabilities for mothers while shaping expectations around “good” mothering. Read article

Darren Blakeborough, Associate Professor, Media and Communication Studies, appeared as a guest expert on the 2 Drinks In podcast discussing the film Train to Busan. The professor also interviewed filmmaker Matt Johnson and director Patrick Brice for the Chilliwack Independent Film Festival Podcast, discussing filmmaking, storytelling, and creative process.

Michael Corman, Associate Professor, Sociology, was an invited speaker at the Post-Secondary Employers’ Association Sector Benefits Program Conference, presenting Beyond Mindfulness: Structural Wellness, which explored structural approaches to wellbeing in post-secondary environments.

Political Science

Simon Lambek, Assistant Professor, published the sole-authored article The Meta-Representative Claim in Contemporary Political Theory. The professor also participated in the launch of What’s In the Hat?: Laughing Matters, a new video podcast and television series developed through posAbilities, the Social Media Fellowship, and TELUS STORYHIVE. The project highlights creators with disabilities engaging academics and experts in conversations around humour, accessibility, and inclusion.

Criminology and Criminal Justice

Amanda McCormick, Associate Professor, served as a panelist on the Coroner’s Intimate Partner Violence Death Review, which provided recommendations for addressing intimate partner violence in British Columbia. The professor also delivered two presentations at the 16th Annual Network to Eliminate Violence in Relationships Conference, focusing on access to medical-forensic exams and stakeholder knowledge of forensic nursing and medical-forensic examinations.

Carlos Ponce, Associate Professor, co-authored the article ‘You got a problem?’: Arguments in traffic stops in the US and El Salvador and the implications for police procedural justice with P. Shon in International Criminology.

Irwin Cohen, Associate Professor; Amanda McCormick, Associate Professor; Carlos Ponce, Associate Professor; Kevin Burk, Assistant Professor; and Karine Descormiers, Assistant Professor, presented a panel on academic and police partnerships at the Canadian Association of Police Educators Conference in New Westminster, BC.

Philosophy

Joseph Carew, Instructor, co-edited The Palgrave Schelling Handbook with Sean McGrath and Kyla Bruff. The volume brings together 28 chapters by international scholars examining the thought, influence, and legacy of Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling. Carew also authored a chapter on Schelling and Hegel and translated several chapters from German. View publication

Psychology

Nicole Sulimani, Honours Student; Alexis van Hunenstijn, Directed Studies Student; and Andrea Albonico, Assistant Professor, co-authored the article Recognition of real and artificial intelligence-generated faces, investigating how people distinguish between real and AI-generated faces. Read article

From UFV to the United Nations: Tavia and Ava’s Journey to the 2026 UN Peace Summit

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From UFV to the United Nations: Tavia and Ava’s Journey to the 2026 UN Peace Summit

This year, two UFV College of Arts students, Tavia Jasper and Ava Wagner, stepped onto the international stage at the 2026 UN Peace Summit in Bangkok — representing not only UFV, but also the power of student leadership, resilience, and purpose-driven education.

For both students, attending the summit was a remarkable milestone. For Ava, it was an opportunity to deepen her experience as a Global Development Studies major. For Tavia, a Peace and Conflict Studies major, the experience represented something even deeper: the culmination of years spent transforming personal adversity, intellectual curiosity, and a passion for justice into meaningful global engagement.

We sat down with Tavia to chat about her experience at the UN Peace Summit.

“Change does not begin with policy alone. It begins with trust. Relationships come before tasks. Institutions that lack relational integrity eventually collapse, just as ecosystems without feedback mechanisms destabilize. Trust is the precondition for any meaningful change. Living systems; ecosystems, organisms, networks, that have been refining principles of trust for billions of years. Boundaries, feedback loops, reciprocity, willingness, these are not abstract moral ideals. They are biological survival strategies.”, reflects Tavia.

From homeschooling and early lessons in empathy to navigating multiple majors, personal hardship, and eventually finding her place within UFV’s interdisciplinary Peace and Conflict Studies program, Tavia’s path reflects determination shaped by complexity. That journey led her — alongside Ava — to one of the world’s most important youth peacebuilding forums.

“It was surreal. Walking into the United Nations Conference Centre, everyone in their formal attire, sitting among delegates from across the globe, I felt both humbled and energized. You are so different from everyone, yet you all share somewhat of a common thread when it comes to peacebuilding and, if you don’t share this thread, it honestly makes for even better dialog. I was grateful everyone was really open to discussion.”

At the summit, Tavia and Ava engaged with global leaders, survivors of atrocity, peacebuilders, and fellow delegates from around the world. What they encountered was not abstract diplomacy, but the urgent human reality behind conflict and reconciliation.

“Peace was not theoretical, it was urgent and deeply human”, says Tavia.

Together, Tavia and Ava’s participation highlighted how UFV students are increasingly contributing to global conversations around peace, governance, and sustainability. Their presence demonstrated the university’s growing role in preparing students not just for careers, but for civic and international leadership.

As Tavia described “Representing UFV in that space reminded me that education is not just preparation for employment. It’s preparation for participation. […] This experience didn’t change my direction — it sharpened it.”

Now, both students hold appointments as a Humanitarian Affairs Peace Ambassador for a one-year term — a recognition of both their potential and commitment to systemic change.

“Being a Peace Ambassador means ensuring that peace is not performative. It means asking difficult questions about power redistribution, representation, and sustainability.”

As Tavia’s reflections make clear, peacebuilding must move beyond symbolic gestures and into institutional courage, structural accountability, and sustained action. “Peace is prevention. Prevention requires courage.” – Tavia.

Their photos captured moments from this extraordinary experience, but the shared story of these two students is one of ambition, representation, and transformation. Together, they exemplify what happens when students bring classroom learning into global arenas — carrying local values into international dialogue.

Their story especially underscores the value of UFV’s educational framework: teaching students how to think critically, engage ethically, and lead courageously in a rapidly changing world.

“This preparation gave me confidence. Not because I had all the answers, but because I had the tools to ask better questions.”, says Tavia.

As Tavia and Ava return from Bangkok, their journey stands as a success story not only for themselves, but for the broader UFV community — proof that global impact can begin with local education, resilience, and the willingness to step beyond comfort.

The road from UFV to the United Nations begins with one step, one question, and one commitment to building a better world.

April 2026 News | Faculty Projects, Interviews and Publications

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Presentation

April 2026 News at the College of Arts

Check out what our faculty at the College of Arts have been up to.

From exciting projects to new publications, read more about their work and connect with us to learn more about the College of Arts.

🤳 Follow us on Instagram

💼 Follow us on LinkedIn

📥 Subscribe to our Arts Newsletter

Criminology and Criminal Justice (CRIM)

Yvon Dandurand, Professor Emeritus, co-authored the book chapter Restorative Justice with Adolescents Who Have Offended: What Works with M. Capp in The Wiley Handbook of What Works with Adolescents Who Have Offended: Theory, Research, and Practice (Wiley-Blackwell, 2026).
🔗 View publication

 

Political Science (POSC)

Noah S. Schwartz, Assistant Professor, co-authored the policy paper Off Target: Evaluating Post-2019 Changes to Canada’s Gun Control Laws with student research assistants Ella and Korian through the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, drawing on SSHRC-funded research to advocate for intelligence, community policing, and violence interruption strategies.
🔗 Read policy paper

 

School of Culture, Media and Society (SCMS)

Michael Corman, Associate Professor, Sociology, presented The Future of Paramedic Education and the Promise of Sociology at the NAIT Paramedic Industry–Student Engagement Event in Edmonton.

Michael Corman, Associate Professor, Sociology, presented Let’s Talk About Teaching and Learning at The Future of Paramedic Education in Alberta through the Alberta College of Paramedics’ Education Program Review Committee.

Michael Corman, Associate Professor, Sociology, and Morgan King-Roskamp, Undergraduate Student, co-presented Welcome to the HALO Academy of Paramedicine: A Qualitative Content Analysis of Recruitment Material in Canada at the Pacific Sociological Association conference in Long Beach, California.

 

Philosophy (PHIL)

August Faller, Assistant Professor, presented original research titled What’s Done Cannot be Undone: Social Kind Realism without Backwards Causation as part of the SFU Philosophy Spring 2026 Colloquium Series.
🔗 View event

Mark Thomson, Assistant Professor, was an invited guest speaker in the SFU Philosophy Colloquium Series, presenting Emotions are Not Multi-Modal Perceptions: They are Processing Modes.
🔗 View event

Alexander Pho, Assistant Professor, presented research from his paper Warrior Masculinity is a Caring Masculinity at the workshop What is Good in Sport? at Arizona State University and at the 2nd Annual Oregon State University Philosophy Conference, where he was invited as keynote speaker. He also presented Solidarity with Refugees and Heritage Language Preservation at the 76th Annual Northwest Philosophy Conference at Lewis and Clark College.

Finding a Voice Across Languages: Cody Woelders and the Power of Multilingual Connection

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Finding a Voice Across Languages: Cody Woelders and the Power of Multilingual Connection

On March 7th, 2026, at the Asian Centre at UBC, a room filled with language learners, judges, and quiet anticipation. Among the tension, Cody Woelders, a French major student at UFV, stepped onto the stage to deliver a speech in Japanese — entirely from memory. Moments later, he walked away with second place in the University–Intermediate category at the 38th BC Japanese Speech Contest.

But for Cody, the achievement wasn’t just about a ranking or a trophy. It was about something much deeper: language, identity, and what it truly means to belong in Canada.

A Return to Education with Purpose

As a returning adult learner at UFV, he is pursuing a French major alongside a TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) proficiency certificate—and he is aiming for a Japanese language certificate as well. Outside of his coursework, he actively tutors students and has gained hands-on experience helping newly arrived Canadians learn English.

His path into linguistics is a bit unconventional. While he is now fully immersed in the world of languages, it wasn’t French that started it all. It was actually Japanese, first encountered in high school, that sparked his lifelong curiosity about how language shapes the way we think and understand the world.

 

Building a Message

Cody didn’t originally set out to compete in the BC Japanese Speech Contest; he only applied because his instructor suggested it as a way to earn some extra credit. When he found out he had been selected, the experience shifted from a small academic opportunity into a true personal challenge.

His speech, “The Heartfelt Welcome of Canadians” (カナダ人の心からの歓迎), was actually inspired by an unexpected source: a French class on colonial history. After studying the Négritude movement and thinkers like Aimé Césaire, Cody began connecting those concepts of identity to Canada’s multicultural reality. His TESL practicum, where he worked closely with newcomers, solidified this perspective. “All of it made me realize Canada is truly the one country where you are welcomed to bring your old culture with you,” Cody says.

 

Nerves, Resilience, and a Little Humor

Preparing for the competition was intense. Cody spent a month writing, and then weeks practicing — reciting lines while driving or doing chores until the entire speech was committed to memory.

The hardest part, however, wasn’t the grammar or vocabulary — it was the nerves. “The panic leading up to the presentation? That requires self-management skills, and those are complicated.” In fact, the stress caught up to him in a hilariously unexpected way: while rehearsing at a barber shop the day before the competition, he briefly passed out. “Apologies to that barber. It all worked out,” he adds with a laugh.

Once he finally stepped onto the stage, the practice kicked in and the performance felt natural. When he was announced as the second-place winner, his first reaction was immediate relief. He jokes that while he would have gone to the national competition if he had won first place, he is “secretly relieved, lol” not to have to go through the pressure again.

 

A Lens into Human Cognition

For Cody, studying at UFV is about more than just checking off academic boxes; it is about “cross-linguistic synthesis”—exploring how different languages encode meaning and what they reveal about human cognition.

Even in an age of AI and instant translation, Cody is passionate about the necessity of language programs. He argues that understanding how language works — and the nuance that comes with it — is becoming more important than ever in our globally connected world.

Ultimately, Cody’s journey is a story of growth. It’s about returning to education with purpose and discovering that when you learn a language, you aren’t just memorizing words — you are connecting people. It becomes personal.

March 2026 News | Faculty Projects, Interviews and Publications

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March 2026 News at the College of Arts

Check out what our faculty at the College of Arts have been up to.

From exciting projects to new publications, read more about their work and connect with us to learn more about the College of Arts.

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💼 Follow us on LinkedIn

📥 Subscribe to our Arts Newsletter

College of Arts

Dr. Wade Deisman, Associate Dean, Social Sciences, appeared on the Conversations with Dr. David Dobson podcast (Episode 170), discussing his national initiative A Classroom in Every Prison, which advocates for expanding post-secondary education in correctional facilities across Canada. 🔗 Watch episode

 

Community Health and Social Innovation Hub (CHASI)

Dr. Iris Lesser, Associate Professor, Kinesiology (Faculty of Health Sciences) and CHASI Faculty Associate, was featured in a CBC News segment highlighting her research on postpartum movement and its impact on maternal health. 🔗 Watch segment

 

School of Culture, Media and Society (SCMS) and CHASI

Len Garis, Adjunct Professor, SCMS and CHASI Research Associate, authored the blog post The Canadian Firefighter Registry: A New Initiative to Combat Occupational Cancer, discussing the development of a national registry and its implications for firefighter health research in Canada. 🔗 Read blog

 

Dr. Michael Corman, Associate Professor, Sociology – School of Culture, Media, and Society was invited to talk to the Alberta College of Paramedics: “Teaching Philosophy, Hidden Curricula, and the Future of Paramedic Education in Alberta” – on February 26. Also, Dr. Cornman spoke in the Learning Plus (Abbotsford): “Activating Your Sociological Imagination: A look at Health, Illness, and Society” on Jan. 29. Additionally, he was a Keynote for NAIT – Northern Alberta Institute of Technology on March 27.

Guiding Your Journey: Meet the College of Arts Academic Advising Team

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Your Academic Journey Starts with a Conversation

At the University of the Fraser Valley, education is more than a checklist of courses — it’s a journey of discovery, growth, and transformation. The Academic Advising Centre plays a vital role in that journey, offering students a meaningful human connection between their studies and their future.

Advising is not just about selecting classes. It’s an ongoing process designed to help students:

  • Develop and adjust academic plans as goals evolve
  • Make informed decisions about programs and pathways
  • Connect coursework to career aspirations
  • Access campus resources and support services
  • Strengthen critical thinking and problem-solving skills
  • Reflect and grow throughout their university experience

Whether meeting once or several times, students leave advising conversations with clarity, confidence, and a stronger sense of direction.

For College of Arts students, the advising team is here to listen, guide, and walk alongside you — through questions, uncertainty, big decisions, and exciting milestones.

Let’s meet the dedicated advisors who support the College of Arts community.

 

Amara Wong (she/her)

Supports: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Arts in Global Development Studies, Bachelor of Integrated Studies, Associate of Arts, Liberal Arts diploma, General Studies diploma, and various College of Arts certificates.

Amara’s journey into advising began right here at UFV. As a student, she worked at the front desk of the Academic Advising Centre through a work-study position. Watching advisors guide students with care and expertise left a lasting impression — and inspired her career path.

What she loves most about her role is helping students achieve their goals while easing their concerns. For Amara, the real reward is building relationships and watching students grow into confident, capable graduates.

Her advice to students? “Don’t rush to figure everything out. Explore. Discover what you’re passionate about. If you enjoy what you study, the career path will follow.”

She believes your degree is not just about an endpoint — it’s about meaningful exploration.

 

Eve Mix (she/her)

Supports: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Arts in Global Development Studies, Bachelor of Integrated Studies, Associate of Arts, Liberal Arts diploma, General Studies diploma, various College of Arts certificates, Bachelor of Fine Arts, and Bachelor of Media Arts.

Eve’s path to advising was shaped by her love of working directly with students. After moving into a behind-the-scenes role at a previous institution, she realized she deeply missed student interaction. Advising became the natural next step.

She finds joy in those “aha!” moments — when students connect the dots, gain clarity, and begin to thrive. Watching them step confidently into their goals is what makes her work so fulfilling.

Her message to students: “Trust yourself and follow your dreams. It’s your life and your education — do what you love.”

Eve’s approach is rooted in empowerment and self-trust.

 

Julia Shuker (she/her)

Supports: Bachelor of Integrated Studies, General Studies Diploma, Bachelor of Arts.

Julia sees advising as an extension of her teaching. When offered the opportunity to work in advising, she embraced it as a way to better support her students’ dreams and academic paths.

The most meaningful part of her role? Watching students grow in confidence — from their first uncertain steps to graduation day and beyond. Hearing from former students about their careers continues to inspire her.

Guided by the wisdom of her Elders, she shares this powerful reminder: “Asking for help is not a sign of weakness — it is a sign of strength.”

Julia encourages students to embrace the UFV community and remember: you are never alone in your journey.

 

Kirsten Trustham (she/her)

Supports: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Arts in Global Development Studies, Bachelor of Integrated Studies, Associate of Arts, Liberal Arts diploma, General Studies diploma, and various College of Arts certificates.

Kirsten is driven by a deep belief in the transformative power of education. For her, learning is about more than knowledge — it’s about confidence, purpose, and opportunity.

She finds meaning in helping students navigate transitions and discover their potential. Supporting students through challenges and decisions is where her passion shines.

Her advice: “Get involved. Join clubs, attend events, collaborate, explore opportunities beyond the classroom.”

She believes engagement builds community, strengthens skills, and makes the university experience richer and more connected.

 

Shannon Draney (she/her)

Supports: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Arts in Global Development Studies, Bachelor of Integrated Studies, Associate of Arts, Liberal Arts diploma, General Studies diploma, and various College of Arts certificates.

Shannon discovered her passion for advising while working in various university roles. She realized she felt most fulfilled when working directly with students — helping them navigate their educational journeys and explore passions and life goals.

The most rewarding part of her work? Witnessing students achieve their educational and career dreams.

Her three pieces of advice:

  • Explore unfamiliar areas of study — you may discover a hidden passion.
  • Asking for help is a strength.
  • Take time to enjoy the university experience.

Shannon believes your degree should be both meaningful and memorable.

 

Vanessa Krahn

Supports: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Arts in Global Development Studies, Bachelor of Integrated Studies, Associate of Arts, Liberal Arts diploma, General Studies diploma, various College of Arts certificates, Bachelor of Fine Arts, and Bachelor of Media Arts.

Vanessa was inspired to become an advisor through her desire to support students academically, personally, and professionally. She understands how powerful guidance can be during moments of uncertainty.

What motivates her daily is seeing students move from doubt to confidence — choosing paths, overcoming challenges, and celebrating milestones.

Her advice: “Stay curious. Be open to exploration. Your degree is not just a destination — it’s about developing adaptability, self-awareness, and transferable skills.”

Vanessa encourages students to seek support early and trust that their path can evolve.

 

How to Book an Appointment

Academic Advisors are available in-person, over Zoom, by phone or by email. Students can book appointments by visiting their myUFV account and look for the My Advisor card.  Alternatively they can visit: ufv.ca/advising or email: advising@ufv.ca

Advising offices are located at:

Abbotsford Campus – S3117, SUB 3rd floor
604-864-4674

Chilliwack CEP Campus – A1318 (across from the library)
604-795-2808

Whether you have a quick question or need help mapping out your entire academic journey, the College of Arts advising team is here to help you move forward with clarity and confidence.

You don’t have to navigate university alone.

February 2026 News | Faculty Projects, Interviews and Publications

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February 2026 News at the College of Arts

Check out what our faculty at the College of Arts have been up to.

From exciting projects to new publications, read more about their work and connect with us to learn more about the College of Arts.

🤳 Follow us on Instagram

💼 Follow us on LinkedIn

📥 Subscribe to our Arts Newsletter

College of Arts

Dr. Wade Deisman, Associate Dean, Social Sciences was interviewed by CBC’s BC Today to take questions and comments on public concerns in Abbotsford regarding extortion and community safety. Listen here.

Criminology and Criminal Justice

Dr. Amanda McCormick, Associate Professor, and Irwin Cohen, Associate Professor, co-authored an article on intimate partner violence published in The Prison Journal. Read article.

Dr. Carlos Ponce, Associate Professor, was interviewed by Valor Econômico on President Nayib Bukele’s security strategy in El Salvador, discussing the limits of replicating the model and the implications for due process and rule of law. Read interview.

Dr. Mark Kersten, Assistant Professor, was interviewed by CBC News regarding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) offices operating in Canada. Read article.

Arts & Integrated Studies

Dr. Dale McCartney, Associate Professor, presented research in the Federation of Post-Secondary Educators of BC (FPSE) webinar “Paying the Price for Marketization: The International Student “Crash” and Post-Secondary Education in BC”, examining the evolution of international student policy, differential tuition fees, and the broader implications for public post-secondary education in British Columbia.

Political Science

Dr. Noah Schwartz, Assistant Professor, shared expert analysis on Canada’s federal gun buyback program on the Closer Look Podcast, discussing its public safety implications and broader gun control debates. Watch episode.

Dr. Noah Schwartz, Assistant Professor, was also quoted in The Globe and Mail on Halifax Police participation in the federal gun buyback program. Read article.

Dr. Edward Akuffo, Associate Professor, was featured in the award-winning article How Edward Akuffo’s Curiosity Sparked New International Relations, written by Josh Kozelj, which received a Silver Award in the Best Multicultural Story category at the Canadian Online Publishing Awards. Read the article here.

Jan 2026 News | Faculty Projects, Interviews and Publications

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January 2026 News at the College of Arts

Check out what our faculty at the College of Arts have been up to.

From exciting projects to new publications, read more about their work and connect with us to learn more about the College of Arts.

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College of Arts

Dr. Wade Deisman, Associate Dean, Social Sciences, was interviewed by multiple media outlets addressing extortion-related crime and public safety issues in British Columbia, providing expert analysis across Global News, CBC, 730 CKNW, and Omni News.

Political Science

Dr. Noah Schwartz, Assistant Professor, was featured in multiple national media outlets discussing gun policy and public safety, including CBC News, Global National, CanadaLand, and the UFV podcast Conversations with Dr. David Dobson.

Dr. Edward Akuffo, Department Head and Associate Professor, contributed to a Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade report advocating for Africa as a strategic priority for Canadian foreign and trade policy, building on earlier House of Commons testimony.

Philosophy

Dr. Glen Baier, Associate Professor, published the article Nature and the Orgiastic: Reading Nietzsche’s “Birth of Tragedy” in the Shadow of the Anthropocene in Estetica. Studi e Ricerche (2/25), exploring ecological themes through contemporary philosophical analysis.

School of Culture, Media and Society (SCMS)

Kathleen Rodgers, Professor, co-authored the book chapter #MENSTRUATION: Instagram Users Resisting Menstrual Stigma with Samarah Hodge in Northern Blood: The Politics of Menstruation in Canada (McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2026), a national collaborative volume addressing menstrual equity and justice in Canada.

Nawal Musleh-Motut, Assistant Professor, appeared as a guest on the Ignite My Voice: Becoming Unstoppable podcast, discussing genocide, privilege, and public learning in two episodes titled “Understanding Genocide: Privilege and Perception and Gaza” and “Genocide Part 2: The Unfiltered Truth About Privilege and Learning”.