Accomplishment

A new way to learn and lead: UFV launches the Social Innovation Certificate

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A new way to learn and lead: UFV launches the Social Innovation Certificate

How do we prepare students not only for today’s challenges, but for a world that’s changing faster than ever before? At the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV), that question sparked the creation of a bold, interdisciplinary credential launching in Fall 2025: the Social Innovation Certificate.

This new certificate is designed for students, professionals, and community members who want to lead change in their workplaces, communities, and beyond. Through four core INNV (Innovation) courses and 15 interdisciplinary elective credits, participants will explore systems thinking and social innovation in real-world contexts. From scenario-based learning to community-engaged projects, this program empowers learners to not just understand complex problems, but actively work toward creative, sustainable solutions.

Two dedicated faculty members helped shape the certificate from the ground up: Dr. Linda Pardy and Dr. Anna Griffith. For today’s blog story, the College of Arts is interviewing them to learn more about the vision, values, and real-world impact of the Social Innovation Certificate.

But, first, a brief introduction:

Dr. Linda Pardy is an Associate Professor in Arts and Integrated Studies. After recently concluding her tenure as Associate Dean of Students in the College of Arts, she’s now focused on research and teaching that focus on social innovation, workplace learning, and career development. Having supported thousands of Liberal Arts students in navigating their transition from education to employment, Dr. Pardy’s impact has been recognized with the UFV Teaching Excellence Award.

Dr. Anna Griffith is an Associate Professor in the School of Creative Arts and UFV’s Changemaker Curriculum Developer. Known for designing high-impact, transformative learning experiences, Dr. Griffith works with faculty across disciplines to embed changemaking, sustainability, and social innovation into their pedagogy, turning classrooms into platforms for real-world action.

Now, let’s jump to the interview!

College of Arts: What inspired the creation of the Social Innovation Certificate?

Dr. Anna Griffith: We wanted to create a certificate that prepares students to enter the workforce with the skills they need to innovate and make a difference in their field. These skills include systems and design thinking, social entrepreneurship, adaptive leadership, and working with AI.

The four core INNV courses are designed to scaffold these capacities. By the 300- and 400-level courses, students are out in the community, working with employers and partner organizations, leading real innovation projects and gaining critical work experiences. Work-integrated learning is infused throughout the entire certificate because we didn’t want students to just learn about social innovation; we wanted them to actually do it.

This certificate responds to a world that urgently needs us to do things differently. It’s a certificate of possibility and action.

College of Arts: How does this program support students in building future-ready careers?

Dr. Linda Pardy: Every industry is being disrupted in some way. Employers are no longer just looking for just technical skills—they’re seeking creative problem solvers, critical thinkers, and ethical leaders. The Social Innovation Certificate is designed to build precisely these skills.

We’ve embedded essential employment literacies—like understanding the role of technology, data literacy, cultural agility—and linked them with systems thinking and creative leadership. These are the skills that won’t be replaced by AI or automation.

Whether students are preparing for their first job or navigating career change, this certificate prepares them to lead in times of uncertainty.

College of Arts: How is the certificate aligned with UFV’s House of Transformation and changemaking values?

Dr. Anna Griffith: UFV’s motto, Íyáqáwtxw, means “House of Transformation” in Halq’eméylem. The certificate reflects this spirit by cultivating not just skills, but mindsets that allow students to see themselves as agents of change in their communities and disciplines.

Students learn in dynamic, collaborative environments where experimentation and iteration are part of the process. They work on real challenges and develop the confidence to take risks and adapt when things don’t go as planned. These are key attributes of innovative thinkers and leaders in any field.

This kind of learning opens doors. Students leave with a strong portfolio of experience as well as a professional network. They will be equipped with the innovative mindsets and leadership skills needed to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

College of Arts: Who is this program for?

Dr. Linda Pardy: I hate to respond so generally, but honestly, this credential is designed to be meaningful for people at all stages of their academic or professional/career journey. Whether you’re starting your first job, seeking career growth, or leading change in your organization, the certificate gives you tools and experiences that are immediately applicable.

It’s also easy to integrate into most UFV degrees—many of the electives are courses students are already taking. It’s flexible and student-centred.

College of Arts: How does the program engage with real-world challenges?

Dr. Anna Griffith: Our INNV courses equip students to work in complex environments and workplaces. In INNV 100, for example, students are immersed in a scenario-based game that simulates the interconnected and unpredictable world and the very complex, systemic challenges we face. Instead of working on case studies, this experience challenges students to think on their feet, navigate uncertainty, and respond to unfolding crises. They design responses and innovative solutions in real time. It’s a space to practice adaptability, systems thinking, and ethical leadership.

This kind of learning prepares students to tackle big challenges, apply creative problem-solving, and develop the skills needed to deliver solutions. It’s social innovation within education itself.

College of Arts:  What kinds of career paths could this certificate support?

Dr. Linda Pardy: The Social Innovation Certificate prepares students to thrive in diverse industry sectors—business, health, education, science, government, arts and culture, sustainability, and more.

It equips students with a changemaking lens they can apply wherever they go. Whether you want to work in areas such as tech ethics, policy, community engagement, health administration, manufacturing, design, or environmental protection, this certificate helps you stand out and lead change.

College of Arts: What do you hope students will take away from the experience?

Dr. Anna Griffith: I hope students leave confident in their ability to meaningfully contribute to any industry sector or community organization.  This certificate offers not just skill-building, but also an opportunity to develop their leadership abilities and a sense of agency.

Students will leave with an advanced way of thinking, relating, problem-solving, and acting.  By the end of the certificate, they will be equipped to lead and help build a sustainable future.

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Are you ready to become a changemaker? You might already be closer than you think to earning this certificate. Check your MyGrad Plan or connect with an Academic Advisor to map out how the Social Innovation Certificate can fit into your degree.

The Social Innovation Certificate launches in Fall 2025 at UFV. Open to students across all disciplines, working professionals, and lifelong learners, this flexible credential is your pathway to leading meaningful change.

Start with INNV 100 and learn more at ufv.ca/arts/programs/social-innovation.

Celebrating a Career Superhero: Dr. Linda Pardy

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Celebrating a Career Superhero: Dr. Linda Pardy

Describing Dr. Linda Pardy isn’t easy. Those who have met her can attest to that. After all, how can we describe a career superhero?

 

Since 2019, Dr. Linda Pardy has been serving the College of Arts as an Associate Dean of Students. During her tenure, she accomplished some incredible feats:

  • Canada Comeback Challenge: Dr. Pardy led 15 student teams and faculty members to participate in this national event, where students delivered brilliant pitches and ideas on tackling real-world problems. This initiative not only showcased the exceptional creativity of our students but also positioned the College of Arts as a leader in innovative education.
  • 1000 + Work-Integrated Learning Experiences: She achieved—and nearly doubled—the goal of 1,000 student work-integrated learning experiences. This monumental accomplishment provided students with hands-on opportunities to apply their academic knowledge in real-world settings, bridging the gap between classroom learning and professional experience.
  • Arts Worx Initiative: Dr. Pardy launched this groundbreaking platform to boost student participation in work-integrated learning activities and connect the local community to some talented Arts minds. Arts Worx has become a vital resource for students, offering a wide array of opportunities to gain invaluable work experience and career opportunities, setting them on a path to success even before they graduate.
  • Practicum Participation: Under her leadership, the number of Arts students participating in practicums significantly increased. Dr. Pardy’s efforts ensured that more students could benefit from immersive, practical experiences that are crucial for their professional development.

Dr. Pardy is known for being an innovator, collaborator, creative thinker, and leader. Her forward-thinking approach and dedication to student success have left a lasting mark on the College of Arts. The students who exit her classroom are more confident, self-assured, and resilient than when they first came in. They are better prepared to face the challenges of the professional world, thanks to the robust career foundation she helped build.

Beyond her professional achievements, Dr. Pardy has been a mentor and inspiration to countless students and colleagues. Her passion for education, coupled with her unwavering commitment to student development, has created a supportive and nurturing environment within the College of Arts.

As Dr. Pardy concludes her term as Associate Dean of Students, we reflect on the deep impact she has made and we are cheering for her on the next chapters of her adventure. And fear not – Although Dr. Pardy is concluding her term as Associate Dean, she will stay within the College of Arts, returning as an Associate Professor and faculty researcher.

From all of us at the College of Arts, we want to express our deepest gratitude for your remarkable work, Dr. Pardy. We hope to continue building on the strong foundation you have created, and we look forward to seeing the continued success of the initiatives you have set in motion.

Thank you, Dr. Pardy, for being a true superhero in our academic community.

UFV Student Research Awards 2021 – Celebrating Arts students winners!

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The 2021 Student Research Day featured 54 research projects created by 80 students from all areas of study at UFV. In addition, eight exemplary posters have been recognized with awards in honour of their scholarship. Among the awarded students, Arts students Regan Thompson (Psychology) and Michelle Grafton (Sociology) were awarded the President Award and the Dean, College of Arts Award.

Regan’s project named “Death Anxiety and Spiritually across the lifespan: Factors and relationships amidst COVID-19” was supervised by the Psychology Associate Professor Dr. Lesley Jessiman and counted 308 participants, from young adults (aged 19-40) to older adults (aged +60). It presented a new perspective about the correlations between death, anxiety, spirituality, age, depression, and loneliness.

In response to the circumstances created by COVID-19, Michelle Grafton’s project named “Enforcing the rules versus ‘doing what’s right’: lived experiences of labour and delivery nurses in the context of COVID-19” introduced a new sociological standpoint of how COVID-19 affected healthcare workers, and specifically labour and delivery nurses whose work demands an extra-level of mental, emotional, and physical support essential for the birthing process.

In the light of such brilliant projects, the College of Arts is proud to acknowledge the high quality of research work produced by Arts students and their faculty supervisors. Each research project is one step forward to making a global difference and creating new perspectives and opportunities for everyday challenges.

Click here to view Regan’s and Michelle’s full project.

UFV History Instructor, Dr. Ian Rocksborough-Smith, featured at Illinois Press Book Exhibit

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Dr. Rocksborough-Smith, a sessional faculty member in UFV’s History department, holds his newly published book Black Public History in Chicago at the University of Illinois Press book exhibit on April 12, 2018.

What did you do?

“This is my first book. It represents nearly ten years of archival and oral history research from my PhD studies through my early years as a history instructor at UFV (2013-present). It focuses on how black Americans, many of them school teachers in Chicago, used public history projects to engage with struggles for civil rights and citizenship over the middle decades of the 20th Century. These projects included things like curriculum reforms for public schools, local history organizations and societies, and efforts to build museums and institutions, like the DuSable Museum of African American History – which is alive and well today. For my research, I was very fortunate to interview the now deceased founder of the DuSable Museum, Dr. Margaret T.G. Burroughs, who is considered an artistic and cultural icon of 20th Century Chicago and especially its African American community. I am thankful for all the support I received from UFV History Department colleagues and associates over the years as well as colleagues at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia, where I have also taught.”

What’s next?

“My primary research interests include the study of late 19th and 20th Century United States history, urban studies, and histories of race, religion, and empire in the Atlantic world. In particular, my future work will continue to look at how local and public history methods can help to uncover these aspects of the past, particularly in cities like Chicago which became almost “laboratories” for how the “modern” North American city evolved. Currently, I am working on a new project about how white Catholic liberals engaged in anti-racism in the 1950s in northern U.S. cities like Chicago. Indeed, many North American cities became the site of successive immigration of Catholic Europeans over the early decades of the 20th Century and I am fascinated with how these groups on the one hand experienced discrimination themselves but came to in turn discriminate against black Americans and other people of color who moved to the city.”

“I am excited to be returning to teach as a LTA history instructor with UFV. In the courses I have been privileged to teach here, I have learned a lot from my students who are deeply engaged in local issues in the Fraser Valley community as well as global issues of significance, such as the forces that have given rise historically to developments like Brexit or the current presidency of Donald Trump. I’m particularly excited to be teaching a new course on Populism in America (History 396Q), which looks at the ways populism has informed American political culture from the administration of Andrew Jackson through the present.”

Dr. Rocksborough-Smith sits on a panel at the Organization of American Historians in Sacramento.

Faculty Accomplishment: Dr. Lenore Newman

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Dr. Lenore Newman gives a keynote speech to 240 attendees at The 2018 Urban Agriculture Forum in Melbourne, Australia on February 23 and 24, 2018.

What Did She Do?

The College of Arts’ Dr. Lenore Newman, a Canada Research Chair in Food Security and the Environment and faculty member in the Department of Geography and the Environment, embarked on a speaking tour of Australia (February 2018) to discuss the subject of farmland’s role in food security.

While in Australia, Dr. Newman spoke at a variety of events and toured several innovative farms and not-for-profit organizations, which included:

  • A keynote speech at the Blueprint for future food systems in regional Victoria in Bendigo, Australia on February 20, 2018 (organized by the City of Greater Bendigo).
  • A keynote speech at the Grampians Food Forum: strengthening food security in the Grampians Pyrenees region in Ararat, Australia on February 21, 2018 (organized by Sustain and the Grampians Food Alliance).
  • A keynote speech and panel discussion at The 2018 Urban Agriculture Forum in Melbourne, Austrailia on February 23 and 24, 2018 (organized by Sustain).
  • A presentation at the Urban Farming: Feeding the Future in Sydney, Australia on February 26, 2018 (organized by the Sydney Environmental Institute at the University of Sydney).
  • A half-day workshop presentation for graduate students and policy members at the Urban Agriculture Workshop in Sydney, Australia on February 27, 2018.
  • A panel presentation at the Healthy Soils, Healthy Communities: Pathways for regeneration from farm to fork in Perth, Australia on March 1, 2018 (organized by Edith Cowan University and the Heart Foundation).

She also made guest appearances on several radio and podcast interviews:

  • An Interview with Steven Martin from ABC Radio Ballarat on February 21, 2018.
  • The Conversation Hour with John Faine from ABC Radio Melbourne on February 22, 2018.
  • Greening the Apocalypse (podcast recording) with Adam Grubb on February 23, 2018.
  • Late Night Live with Phillip Adams from ABC Radio Sydney on February 27, 2018.
  • A radio interview with Tara De Landgrafft from ABC Radio Perth on March 1, 2018.

What’s Next?

Dr. Newman made a number of connections on the Australian tour, which could result in the following future collaborations: sharing data, co-writing a paper, developing a case study in Melbourne with a role for students, and working with the City of Greater Bendigo.