It’s a long journey from refugee to Federal Court judge, and UFV was an important step along the way for Justice Shirzad Ahmed.   At the age of 18 Shirzad was a political exile from Kurdistan. He gained temporary refuge in Italy and a permanent home in Canada.  Launching his post-secondary studies at UFV (then UCFV)…

With over 40 years in the financial sector, Gus Hartl has seen significant changes in the industry, but his core principles of leadership and community involvement have remained constant.  Graduating from UFV’s business administration program in the early 1980s, Gus was part of only the second class to complete the diploma program. “At the time,…

November is Career Month, a Canada-wide initiative that celebrates and supports professional development. By making career services and education more accessible, Career Month aims to prepare Canadians for the job market. At UFV, the Centre for Experiential and Career Education and the Alumni Engagement team have partnered up to help students, employees and alumni get…

Dr. Lisa Kelly teaches her law students at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario with confidence and compassion, qualities instilled in her as an undergraduate at UFV (then the University College of the Fraser Valley) in the early 2000s.  Completing a two-year Associate of Arts degree at UFV before embarking on a multi-institution academic journey, Lisa…

From his days as a business student at UFV to becoming the founder of one of Canada’s fastest-growing accounting firms, Alex McAulay’s journey is a true testament to entrepreneurial spirit and community connection. His career, marked by both impressive successes and significant challenges, serves as an inspiring story to highlight how hard work and strong…

“You’ve got to have some skin in the game,” said Jasmit Singh Phulka’s high school wrestling coach. It wasn’t enough to just show up for practice. Being part of a team meant being part of a community -- taking care of your space, taking care of each other, and investing in the things that you…

For many people, earning a PhD means they have plans for a career in academia, pursuing their research interests and teaching the next generation of scholars.   Dr. Tanya Jonker had other ideas. While she loved her university studies, she was intrigued by opportunities and revolutionary developments in the private sector.   Tanya, who earned a BA…

Walking into Longhouse Branding and Marketing, the values instilled by founder Keenan Beavis are immediately evident. The office buzzes with a team of nearly 15 people, working collaboratively in one large open space – reflecting the long-standing traditions of the Stó:lō People, who have done so for generations in their longhouses. Keenan is an up-and-coming…

 Some artists struggle for years in obscurity. A few find fame and glory young, their talents celebrated, their work snapped up by collectors who pay top dollar to acquire a piece or two. Chris Woods falls into that latter category; his extraordinary talent gained attention just as he was beginning his career.    Having exhibited in…

UFV gave Terry-Lynn Stone a springboard into a meaningful career in her 40s. Three decades later, she continues to contribute to her community through volunteerism. Terry-Lynn served two terms on the UFV Board of Governors, one in the 1990s and again in the 2010s. She was also founding chair of the UCFV Alumni Association in…

  Janet Antonio will be the new Director, Relationship and Fund Development at the University of the Fraser Valley starting August 6. Janet joins UFV from the Metro Vancouver Regional Parks Foundation and CTS Youth Society, where she served as executive director. She brings over 20 years of broad-based fundraising experience, including major gifts and…

Jennifer Owen experienced the scientific discovery of a lifetime — an amazing and remarkable event. And now, she shares the excitement of discovery with undergraduate students. In 2006, Jennifer graduated from what was then called UCFV with a Bachelor of Science in physics. She then continued her education, completing her master’s degree and PhD at…

Stu Chahal’s time at UFV allowed him to gain expertise and experience in both business and computing—something that has served him well. Launching his career with Cisco Systems, an IT industry giant focused mostly on networking infrastructure such as routers and switches, in 2019 he transferred his talents to Splunk, a software company focused on…

For theatre graduate Ken Hildebrandt, one art evokes another. “Staging a production is not just having actors moving around the stage,” he says. “The stage is essentially a canvas, and you are ‘painting’ with actors, set, lighting, costumes, et cetera, and applying the sense of line, mass, form, shape.” This is a lesson learned from Ian…

Studying at University of the Fraser Valley helped Darren Penner prepare for a career as lawyer. It also helped shape the kind of lawyer he would be: one who puts compassion ahead of compensation. Like many students, Darren planned to complete only two years at what was then University College of the Fraser Valley before…