Since opening in 1974, more than 50,000 students have graduated from the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV). They’ve collectively gone on to become leaders in B.C., Canada, and far beyond, and many of them returned to UFV on April 4 and 5 for the Alumni & Friends Weekend, reconnecting with the university that helped…

"All that we are is story," Indigenous author Richard Wagamese once wrote. For Nerlap Kaur Sidhu, Vice Principal at William A. Fraser Middle School and one of UFV's 50 Remarkable Alumni, these words serve as both inspiration and blueprint for an educational philosophy centred on connecting students with their communities through powerful storytelling projects.  Since…

When UFV alumnus Vinu Abraham Chetipurackal received an email about a prestigious award, he hesitated. A King Charles III Coronation Medal for his work in accessibility advocacy? It seemed too surreal to believe. But after verifying the sender of the email he realized that the email was, in fact, real: his efforts to break down…

Sometimes a school assignment is just an assignment, something you do for a grade before quickly moving on to something else. But sometimes, it’s so much more. When Amanda Minchau participated in a CityStudio Hubbub like the ones coming up in early April -- Chilliwack City Hall on April 7 from 10 am to noon,…

For Harrison Mooney, the question wasn’t if he would write his story. It was when.  “I could read before I started school, and my goal from a young age was to write books,” he recalls.   That story was greatly influenced by his experience growing up as a Black adoptee in a fundamentalist Christian white family…

Climate change is one of the most common topics on young people’s minds today, according to the Student Health & Wellness department at UFV.   Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns, which lead to more frequent disasters like droughts, fires, floods, and storms. The World Meteorological Association reported that 2011 to 2020…

    After an extensive and thorough search, the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) has appointed Dr. James Mandigo as its next President and Vice-Chancellor. He succeeds Dr. Joanne MacLean, who will retire in June.   Mandigo, currently UFV’s Provost and VP Academic, served as acting president in 2023, and steered the university through…

Fifty years of transforming lives: What a journey it’s been! As we conclude a year-long celebration of UFV’s 50th anniversary, we invite you to join us for an action-packed UFV 50 Alumni & Friends Weekend on April 4 and 5, 2025. UFV faculty and staff – many of whom are also alumni – have played…

When Samarveer Kamra arrived in Canada to study at UFV, he carried with him a vision: to build something of his own. Today, as the founder of Dairy Plus Canada, a growing company making waves in the dairy industry, he is living that vision—one forged through resilience, innovation, and an unshakable work ethic. Samar’s entrepreneurial…

Humans like to own things. As individuals, we strive for houses and cars, RVs and big-screen TVs. Nations seek to own resources, staking their claim to resources like oil and critical minerals.  But when does the awareness of ownership begin? When do we first conceive of the idea that something is ours, or an object…

Over seven years as president of the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV), Dr. Joanne MacLean has helped UFV reach new heights as an academic institution. Under her steady guidance, the university has fully embraced the opportunity to transform lives, guided by its core values of integrity, inclusivity, community, and excellence. Joanne’s impact on students,…

The 2021 atmospheric river flooding in the eastern Fraser Valley was devastating, but sometimes, a negative event can be the catalyst for positive change.   For UFV alumni Jenna Noppen (BA ‘19), a Cowessess First Nation Member born and raised within Coast Salish territory, the disaster revealed significant gaps in emergency preparedness and management for Indigenous…