Alumni Relations Archive
Deep roots — the Crabtree connection carries back to UFV’s
There are not many people whose connection to UFV goes back as far as Tom Crabtree's. And that long-time connection has led to new support in the form of bursaries for UFV students. The Honourable Mr. Justice Thomas Crabtree, as he is formally known, was appointed to the Supreme Court of British Columbia in May…Teaching Excellence 2019: Joel Feenstra’s “electrifying” teaching style garners award
Joel Feenstra’s teaching style has been described by his students as “electrifying”. Fortunately for all, they don’t mean literally. A dedicated, creative and passionate electronics, automation, and electrical instructor, Joel is the recipient of this year’s Teaching Excellence award at the University of the Fraser Valley. Even at 17, Joel had a long-term vision —…UFV grad wins Champion of Diversity award
Last month UFV alumnus Marc Forcier stood up in front of almost 400 people to accept an honour he wasn’t expecting at the Fraser Valley Cultural Diversity Awards (FVCDA). “It was shocking in a great way. I was just in awe, overwhelmed,” he says of receiving the Champion of Diversity trophy that now sits on…We Are Hockey at Gur Sikh Temple opens March 29
We Are Hockey is the new exhibit at the Sikh Heritage Museum, National Historic Site, Gur Sikh Temple -- with an opening launch set for March 29 at 5 pm. The exhibit is curated to challenge the visitor to interrogate who the “we” is in Canadian hockey and the particular meanings of a very personal…Designed for love – A UFV love story for Valentine’s
There are many ways to find a soul mate, but this Valentine’s Day, we wanted to recognize a special story about Jessica and Brennan – whose path to the altar began at UFV. The couple met in September 2012, as the Graphic and Digital Design program (GDD) welcomed its very first cohort. Brennan chose to…Anita Nielsen new Executive Director of Advancement and Alumni Relations
Anita Nielsen has joined the University of the Fraser Valley as Executive Director, Advancement and Alumni Relations. She comes to UFV from KCI Ketchum Canada, where she was a senior search and philanthropy consultant. Prior to this role Anita held increasingly senior positions with the Toronto General & Western Hospital Foundation, culminating as Associate Vice…UFV welcomes community at Town and Gown 2018
The University of the Fraser Valley welcomed supporters from the community to the Abbotsford campus on November 14 for Town and Gown, a fundraising dinner that celebrated the transformational power of a UFV education. Community guests mingled with UFV faculty members and student ambassadors, who shared stories about how their UFV experience changed their lives…Young Distinguished Alumni winner Andrew Alexander fights scientific battle against
Andrew Alexander has only been a UFV alumnus for four years, but he’s accomplished enough in that short period to earn him the Young Distinguished Alumni Award for 2018. After finishing his Bachelor of Science (Honours) with minors in biology and chemistry in 2014, he headed into a master’s degree program in molecular biology and…Heartfelt devotion to philanthropic career earns Distinguished Alumni Award for
A lifetime of helping people fund life-saving equipment has earned Liz Harris of Abbotsford the 2018 UFV Distinguished Alumni Award. Harris joins a growing list of DAA graduates honoured by the University of the Fraser Valley for their outstanding achievements in fields such as public service, business, the environment, and service to the community. After…Several UFV connections in 2018 municipal election results
As the votes were being counted in municipal elections throughout the Fraser Valley Oct 20, there were more than a few candidates with UFV connections holding their breath waiting for results. Congratulations to the following successful candidates with UFV connections: Abbotsford UFV alumna Kelly Chahal (named one of UFV’s Top 40 Alumni) was re-elected as…Alumni Open raises $48,000 for UFV students
Record amounts of money and memories were made at the 2018 UFV Alumni Open fundraiser golf tournament held at the Chilliwack Golf Club Sept. 14. UFV Alumni Chair Nav Bains says the fourth annual event created an incredible connection between UFV students, alumni, and the greater Fraser Valley community. "With the support of our diverse…Young and generous: Venemas choose to give now so they
Nik and Marnie Venema are living proof you don’t have to b e middle -aged, established, and wealthy to be generous. These two millennials bracket either side of age 30 and still have student loan payments themselves, but they’ve already become significant donors to UFV, the place where they met, fell in love, and gained…Vintage Rose: a retired professor finds personal growth in lifelong
When the UFV Bachelor of Arts grads of 2017 crossed the convocation stage in June, Rose Morrison wasn’t among them. “I left it to the younger ones to have their moment of glory,” says Rose, who was 72 at the time.The septuagenarian had achieved both her Bachelor of Arts and the right to be there,…UFV Alumnus Seamus Heffernan releases debut novel Napalm Hearts
As a kid who feasted on pulp fiction, Seamus Heffernan thought the coolest guy in the room only needed two things – a tan trench coat and enough grit to pave the Trans-Canada Highway. Seven years, 7,000 kilometers and one master’s degree later, and Heffernan finally has his own flawed hero in Thaddeus Grayle, the…From talented teenager to lifelong UFV supporter: Denise (now Tuchscherer)
Denise Rehman (now Tuchscherer) was just a 17-year old kid from Langford on Vancouver Island when she started what turned out to be a life-changing and lifelong relationship with UFV in 1992. She knew nobody when she stepped onto campus, not even the coach. “I had been recruited by Mike Hind, but he took a…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…Deep roots — the Crabtree connection carries back to UFV’s
There are not many people whose connection to UFV goes back as far as Tom Crabtree's. And that long-time connection has led to new support in the form of bursaries for UFV students. The Honourable Mr. Justice Thomas Crabtree, as he is formally known, was appointed to the Supreme Court of British Columbia in May…Teaching Excellence 2019: Joel Feenstra’s “electrifying” teaching style garners award
Joel Feenstra’s teaching style has been described by his students as “electrifying”. Fortunately for all, they don’t mean literally. A dedicated, creative and passionate electronics, automation, and electrical instructor, Joel is the recipient of this year’s Teaching Excellence award at the University of the Fraser Valley. Even at 17, Joel had a long-term vision —…UFV grad wins Champion of Diversity award
Last month UFV alumnus Marc Forcier stood up in front of almost 400 people to accept an honour he wasn’t expecting at the Fraser Valley Cultural Diversity Awards (FVCDA). “It was shocking in a great way. I was just in awe, overwhelmed,” he says of receiving the Champion of Diversity trophy that now sits on…We Are Hockey at Gur Sikh Temple opens March 29
We Are Hockey is the new exhibit at the Sikh Heritage Museum, National Historic Site, Gur Sikh Temple -- with an opening launch set for March 29 at 5 pm. The exhibit is curated to challenge the visitor to interrogate who the “we” is in Canadian hockey and the particular meanings of a very personal…Designed for love – A UFV love story for Valentine’s
There are many ways to find a soul mate, but this Valentine’s Day, we wanted to recognize a special story about Jessica and Brennan – whose path to the altar began at UFV. The couple met in September 2012, as the Graphic and Digital Design program (GDD) welcomed its very first cohort. Brennan chose to…Anita Nielsen new Executive Director of Advancement and Alumni Relations
Anita Nielsen has joined the University of the Fraser Valley as Executive Director, Advancement and Alumni Relations. She comes to UFV from KCI Ketchum Canada, where she was a senior search and philanthropy consultant. Prior to this role Anita held increasingly senior positions with the Toronto General & Western Hospital Foundation, culminating as Associate Vice…