Alumni Relations Archive
Catching up with Tanya Jonker — applying research at Facebook
When we last checked in with Dr. Tanya Jonker in 2014, she was pursuing her PhD in psychology and planning a career in academia. Since then, she has completed her doctorate and transitioned to a career in research and development as a research science manager with Facebook Reality Labs. She leads a team of interdisciplinary…Research opportunities led to graduate school acceptance for first-generation student
By Elicia Tournier RuoYu Xiao came from a hard-working family of farmers with no academic background. "We never thought I’d be an academic, but now I’m on this path to become a researcher,” she notes with a chuckle. As a first-generation university student and an international student from Chengdu, China, RuoYu wanted to maximize her…UFV presents International Women’s Day panel with “Choose to Challenge”
International Women’s Day is typically a major event at UFV and, despite pandemic restrictions, this year is no exception. UFV will present an online panel on Monday, March 8, at 12:30 pm. It will be moderated by Dr. Carin Bondar, an internationally known science communicator who is also an adjunct professor of biology at UFV…Some UFV romance stories to warm your heart on Valentine’s
A stolen glance across the classroom aisle. A chance encounter in the Timmy's lineup. Running in to one another while both trying to find a prof's office in the maze of Building D. There's are many ways romance can be kindled at UFV. Here are a few #ValentineUFV stories to warm your heart. "I was…Kindness Matters awards celebrate positivity in dark times
Kindness matters, especially in the stressful times we have been living through since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March. UFV’s Alumni Association decided to recognize compassion, dedication, and positive contributions to society in the midst of this crisis. To that end, the association created the Kindness Matters awards. The public was invited to…Several UFV connections in provincial election campaign
The provincial election campaign is now over and all the votes have been cast. While final result will not be known in some ridings for a couple of weeks due to the need to count the large number of mail-in ballots, one thing is certain: several Fraser Valley candidates have a UFV connection. In Abbotsford-Mission,…Alumni Association launches Kindness Matters awards
A little kindness goes a long way, especially in these turbulent times. UFV’s Alumni Association wants to recognize compassion, dedication, and positive contributions to society in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. To that end, the association has created the Kindness Matters awards, and invites the public to nominate UFV students or alumni who merit…Passion Ignited — mentors guided Matt Douma from rebel to
Two mentors guided Matt Douma from rebel living in a car to ER nursing career Matt Douma wasn’t a typical nursing student. He chafed against convention and questioned the rules. He had passions outside of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program, despite being warned by his professors that he wouldn’t have time for…Teaching Excellence: student-centred, community-focused approach brings results for Joanna Sheppard
The world is a classroom for Joanna Sheppard. From September to April, she teaches kinesiology at UFV, utilizing classrooms, gyms, fields, and hallways as sites for instruction. It’s not unusual to see her students setting up PE style games on the greenspace on campus, or walking to the nearby gym carrying hula hoops. Then every…UFV invites community support for #GivingTuesdayNow campaign on May 5
Many students are feeling the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. Through the #GivingTuesdayNow movement, the philanthropy sector is stepping up to encourage those who have the means to help people in need. And UFV is taking part in the global #GivingTuesdayNow campaign on May 5, 2020 as an emergency response to the unprecedented…Alumni entrepreneurs adjust to COVID curveball
What does a true entrepreneur do when the market throws a giant curveball? Adjust. Alex McAulay and Joel Primus are seasoned entrepreneurs who have teamed up to launch several businesses. Their latest? Kosan, a travel wear company they founded in 2017. The problem? Not many people are buying travel wear when international travel has slowed…Town & Gown event generates $245,462 to help UFV students
The University of the Fraser Valley welcomed supporters from the community to the Abbotsford campus on November 13 for Town & Gown, a fundraising dinner that celebrated the transformational power of a UFV education. At the end of the evening, a grand total of $245,462 had been raised to support scholarships, bursaries, and enhanced learning…Young Distinguished Alumni — Jesse Wegenast advocates with passion for
Jesse Wegenast leads with love and compassion in all that he does. As a pastor with 5 and 2 Ministries and a resource person with Archway Community Services who serves as an intermediary for those who are unhoused, poor, mentally ill, aged, and struggling with addictions, Wegenast's actions have had a profound impact, helping to…Distinguished Alumni 2019 — UFV gave Sonya Sangster wings and
Sonya Sangster came to the University of the Fraser Valley because she wanted to fly. And she did, in more ways than one. Sangster’s UFV education gave her the wings she needed to fly airplanes and to be a leader in helping women in the international development field. The Bachelor of Business Administration in Aviation…The many lives of Mo Dhaliwal — alumni feature
"Why me?" When we asked Mo Dhaliwal to be the subject of a feature in UFV's Skookum magazine, he was a little hesitant. “I didn’t have a fantastic academic history at UFV. I left in my third year of the business program and never finished,” he said, attributing his spotty record to “all sorts of…Pahladsingh wins BMO 1st Art! award
When Shannon Pahladsingh (stylized as “shannon pahladsingh”) (BFA ’21), reclaimed her experiences of racism into philosophy and political science research essays, she never expected the ordeal to transform into an award-winning, and nationally recognized spoken word poem. Performed by shannon pahladsingh for her capstone Bachelor of Fine Arts project, her spoken word poem oh, thank…2021 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient Jason Beck turned a chance
Jason Beck thought farming was his destiny. An Abbotsford boy born and bred, as a teenager he assumed that his future was literally in his backyard, working on his family’s farm. “That was my plan,” Beck, 39, says before quickly clarifying. “Well, it wasn’t even a plan, it’s just what I thought was going to…2021 Young Distinguished Alumni recipient Sheetal Deo leveraging a career
Sheetal Deo (BA ’12) was the kind of undergraduate student who would take electives in the summertime as a way to relax and hang out with friends. That’s a good thing, because it helped her discover her love for philosophy, political science, and social justice. Deo, who earned her Bachelor of Arts at the University…Catching up with Tanya Jonker — applying research at Facebook
When we last checked in with Dr. Tanya Jonker in 2014, she was pursuing her PhD in psychology and planning a career in academia. Since then, she has completed her doctorate and transitioned to a career in research and development as a research science manager with Facebook Reality Labs. She leads a team of interdisciplinary…Research opportunities led to graduate school acceptance for first-generation student
By Elicia Tournier RuoYu Xiao came from a hard-working family of farmers with no academic background. "We never thought I’d be an academic, but now I’m on this path to become a researcher,” she notes with a chuckle. As a first-generation university student and an international student from Chengdu, China, RuoYu wanted to maximize her…UFV presents International Women’s Day panel with “Choose to Challenge”
International Women’s Day is typically a major event at UFV and, despite pandemic restrictions, this year is no exception. UFV will present an online panel on Monday, March 8, at 12:30 pm. It will be moderated by Dr. Carin Bondar, an internationally known science communicator who is also an adjunct professor of biology at UFV…Some UFV romance stories to warm your heart on Valentine’s
A stolen glance across the classroom aisle. A chance encounter in the Timmy's lineup. Running in to one another while both trying to find a prof's office in the maze of Building D. There's are many ways romance can be kindled at UFV. Here are a few #ValentineUFV stories to warm your heart. "I was…Kindness Matters awards celebrate positivity in dark times
Kindness matters, especially in the stressful times we have been living through since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March. UFV’s Alumni Association decided to recognize compassion, dedication, and positive contributions to society in the midst of this crisis. To that end, the association created the Kindness Matters awards. The public was invited to…Several UFV connections in provincial election campaign
The provincial election campaign is now over and all the votes have been cast. While final result will not be known in some ridings for a couple of weeks due to the need to count the large number of mail-in ballots, one thing is certain: several Fraser Valley candidates have a UFV connection. In Abbotsford-Mission,…Alumni Association launches Kindness Matters awards
A little kindness goes a long way, especially in these turbulent times. UFV’s Alumni Association wants to recognize compassion, dedication, and positive contributions to society in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. To that end, the association has created the Kindness Matters awards, and invites the public to nominate UFV students or alumni who merit…Passion Ignited — mentors guided Matt Douma from rebel to
Two mentors guided Matt Douma from rebel living in a car to ER nursing career Matt Douma wasn’t a typical nursing student. He chafed against convention and questioned the rules. He had passions outside of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program, despite being warned by his professors that he wouldn’t have time for…Teaching Excellence: student-centred, community-focused approach brings results for Joanna Sheppard
The world is a classroom for Joanna Sheppard. From September to April, she teaches kinesiology at UFV, utilizing classrooms, gyms, fields, and hallways as sites for instruction. It’s not unusual to see her students setting up PE style games on the greenspace on campus, or walking to the nearby gym carrying hula hoops. Then every…