2023: A year of collaborative community growth
There was a lot to celebrate at UFV in 2023, including the launch of St’elt’elawtexw: Celebration of Community. In September the university welcomed more than 250 friends and partners to a special gathering at Abbotsford’s EcoFarm. The St’elt’elawtexw event featured the launch of UFV’s immersive St’elt’elawtexw: UFV Community Report, which highlighted many projects, programs, and partnerships.
The memorable night saw RBC announce a $150,000 investment in UFV’s Food and Agriculture Institute, and Prospera Foundation announced $200,000 over two years to support the UFV Student Wellness Centre. Auguston and its Abbotsford Tech District project pledged $80,000 toward a joint research, engagement, and planning initiative between UFV’s Food and Agriculture Institute and universities in central Canada. Auguston also increased its commitment to directly supporting students by doubling its scholarship contribution to $40,000 for the upcoming academic year, with a focus on Indigenous education, entrepreneurship, and food security.
See photos from 2023 at UFV here.
Truth and reconciliation were top of mind at UFV in 2023.
In February, UFV’s Peace and Reconciliation Centre worked with a group of Stó:lō agencies to offer a new program. Xwelítem Siyáya: Allyship and Reconciliation Building was designed for non-Indigenous Canadians who want to learn how to become allies and build reconciliation. It features monthly lectures by Stó:lō representatives, and field trips to a variety of locations.
The month of May saw Lorna Andrews, a teaching and learning specialist at UFV, receive the first-ever UFV Indigenization and Reconciliation award for helping faculty and staff understand issues regarding colonial impacts on Indigenous people and the need to work towards reconciliation in Canada.
UFV Recognized the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Sept 30 with the Chowiyes-Xwithet/Rise Up–Wake Up gathering on the Chilliwack campus. Stó:lō artist Bonny (b.wyse) Graham (Dip GDC ‘86) created a powerful logo for the event that was featured on the program cover and displayed on two large screens.
In November, renowned author Michelle Good visited UFV Abbotsford. Good, a member of the Red Pheasant Cree Nation in Saskatchewan and the writer of Five Little Indians, joined UFV’s Dr. Mark Kersten for a powerful discussion about truth, reconciliation, and the destructive legacy of colonial policies.
The university continued to take steps toward a more sustainable future.
In May, UFV signed the United Nations Sustainable Development Accord. In doing so, the university committed to pursue 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals addressing a range of economic, social, and environmental challenges.
As the year ended, UFV moved one step closer to achieving its Ashoka Changemaker Campus designation, with a comprehensive plan in place to implement forward-thinking changes over the next four years.
In February UFV was once again recognized as one of BC’s top employers. It’s the ninth straight year UFV has made the list. The annual contest is organized by the Mediacorp editors of Canada’s Top 100 Employers. Mediacorp is Canada’s largest publisher of quality employment-related periodicals.
It was an award-winning year for several students. As more than 2,300 students graduated in June, Celina ten-Bohmer received the Governor General’s Gold Medal, presented to the graduate who achieves the highest academic standing in a graduate degree program. Ravneet Sohal earned the Governor General’s Silver Medal, awarded to the student with the top marks in a four-year degree program, and Rohan Sagar was recognized with the Governor General’s Bronze Medal, awarded to the student with the highest grades in a two-year program. Lisa Doell received the Lieutenant Governor Medal, awarded to a student who has promoted diversity, inclusion, and/or reconciliation.
At its June convocation ceremonies, UFV presented honorary degrees to Dr. Bonnie Henry, Naxaxalhts’i Sonny McHalsie, Mike Retasket, and Judith Soon.
Manjot Benning and Alec Zinman were recognized with the Outstanding Student Leadership awards, bestowed by the Alumni Association, for their dedication to helping other students thrive at UFV.
Employee excellence was recognized at a special event in May.
Christine Slavik and Whitney Fordham received Inspirational Leadership awards, while the Faculty Services Excellence award went to Stefania Pizzirani. Tara Rozenek received the Staff Excellence Award. Steven Marsh earned the Teaching Excellence Award, and Edward Akuffo was recognized with the Research Excellence Award. The Teamwork Excellence Award went to the crew at the Research and Graduate Studies (RGS) Office: Garry Fehr, Tracy Morrison, Natalie Vanderleest, Yvette Fairweather, Leona Oakman, Ash Lalani, Kelly Tracey, and Elicia Tournier.
Dr. Robert Harding, Dr. Wayne Henry, Dr. Bruce Kirkley, Dr. Maple Melder Crozier, and Patrick Harrison were each granted the designation of Professor Emeritus in recognition of long service and contributions to UFV.
Eric Gerbrandt and Eryn Braley were named Distinguished Alumni Award winners for 2023. In July, alumnus Keenan Beavis (BBA ’18), founder/owner of Longhouse Media, was named one of BC Business magazine’s 30 Under 30, a list that celebrates young leaders who represent BC’s future.
2023 also saw renewal at the administrative level, as three new deans joined UFV.
Teresa Kisilevich arrived as the new Dean of Applied and Technical Studies, moving to UFV after a long run at Okanagan College. Lara Duke was named Dean of Health Sciences after four years at Capilano University, and Michael Hitch was named Dean of Science.
2023 brought new programs and opportunities for students. The Centre for High Pressure Research (CHPR) opened in the fall. The one-of-its-kind centre aims to better understand how pressure affects chemical and biochemical reactions, creating the opportunity to identify new compounds capable of benefitting a wide range of key sectors.
In October, UFV announced a new Bachelor of Regional and Community Planning program, becoming just the third university in BC, and the 10th across Canada, to offer this type of program. Training urban planners in the eastern Fraser Valley makes it more likely graduates will stay in the region after graduating and bring local knowledge to their job.
In May, UFV was chosen as one of 14 hosts across Canada for The Women of Steel™: Forging Forward program. The CWB Welding Foundation program provides learning opportunities that foster education, personal growth, confidence, and experiential learning for women interested in exploring welding and other welding-related skilled trades careers.
Students collaborated on an initiative that saw senior sociology students teaching first-year nursing students about the social determinants of health.
The Collaboratorium, led by the Peace and Reconciliation Centre, provided community organizations with sophisticated research, while providing students with opportunities to deploy and enhance the research skills they have been developing in their classes.
Welding students worked with local farmers to design a plastic compactor to help make plastic waste more easily transferrable to recycling locations.
The UFV Enactus team participated in the 2023 Enactus Canada National Exposition held May 1-3 in Montreal. The team showcased three of their ongoing projects, including the Big Brain Literacy program, which covers financial literacy, Fraser Valley AgroConnect, and Oak & Earth, their social enterprise, all of which aim to make a positive impact on the community.
Community engagement is a vital component of UFV’s mission. This year that included a powerful presentation of The Laramie Project by UFV Theatre, a series of science cafes presented by the UFV Library and Exploring Equity Series offered by the Community Health and Social Innovation hub, and the Fraser Valley Writers Festival.
UFV quietly marked 15 years since making the transition from university-college to regional university in 2023, and it began to prepare for 50th anniversary celebrations in 2024/25. The university started as Fraser Valley College in 1974, became the degree-granting University College of the Fraser Valley in 1991, and was renamed University of the Fraser Valley on April 21, 2008. As part of institutional preparation for the 50th anniversary, UFV received funding from Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada for student projects focused on 50 years of UFV.
For more stories from 2023, visit https://blogs.ufv.ca/.
