The UFV Peace and Reconciliation Centre’s Xwelítem Siyáya: Allyship and Reconciliation Building program is returning this fall with a renewed structure designed to support ongoing learning and relationship-building. Developed in partnership with Stó:lō organizations and community leaders, the program invites participants to build a grounded understanding of Indigenous–settler histories, responsibilities, relationships, and reconciliation through place-based…

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation takes place each year on September 30. There are several opportunities to mark the day at UFV and the Fraser Valley region. Some events are held on September 30, and others will be on days leading up to the statutory holiday. This day provides an opportunity to honour the…

The University of the Fraser Valley’s School of Continuing Education is helping Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC) build its next generation of leaders through a customized management skills program designed to strengthen leadership capacity across the organization.  The program was recently delivered to 60 staff members from MNBC, who gathered at UFV’s Clearbrook Centre in Abbotsford. Another 60 employees are signed up for training this fall.  MNBC…

Every day, thousands of people travel through the Fraser Valley, passing signs for places like Skowkale, Chilliwack, and Sts'ailes without giving their names a second thought.  But every one of those names has a history, a meaning, a connection to the land that long predates the roads, neighbourhoods and communities people know today.  For Heather Campbell, who identifies herself as a…

The University of the Fraser Valley’s Peace and Reconciliation Centre (PARC) has been recognized internationally for its ongoing success creating partnerships with Indigenous communities.   The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) presents annual Circle of Excellence Awards — recognizing exceptional achievement in advancement services, alumni relations, communications, fundraising, and marketing. CASE recognizes creative, inspiring projects that impact institutions and their communities — and transform lives…

Language is more than just words; the late Koyalemót  Mary Stewart taught this every day. It’s also identity, culture, history, and memory. The Modern Languages professor devoted her life to preserving the Halq’eméylem language and sharing it with others, and has been posthumously honoured with the 2026 UFV Indigenization and Reconciliation Award.   “Koyalemot's teaching of the language was the growth of…

In Dr. Lolehawk Laura Buker’s first semester as an education major at the University of British Columbia, she was so unsure she’d make it that she called home in tears. 40 years later, she’s been awarded the West Coast Teaching Excellence Award for her commitment to student engagement and her reflective, intentional approach to teaching…

“Know yourself and know where you came from. It’s as simple as that.” Sel Ya:al – Nancy Patricia Charlie — known throughout Stó:lō communities as Auntie Pat — speaks softly about family, language, hard work, and ceremony. Beside her daughter Jolie, Pat fills in the spaces with memories, laughter, and stories of watching her mother…

David Jimmie has spent most of his life building bridges to bring Indigenous and non-Indigenous people and businesses together. David, who will receive an honorary doctorate at UFV’s June 9 convocation ceremony, says that from a very young age he recognized the barriers that often existed between First Nations communities and the broader society around them. Those early observations helped shape his commitment to creating…

The University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) welcomed researchers, elected officials, policy-makers, agriculture industry leaders, farmers, students, and community partners to its Chilliwack campus May 13 for the Grounded Innovation 3.0 Sustainable Food and Agriculture Summit.  Hosted by Dr. Lenore Newman, director of UFV’s Food and Agriculture Institute and co-chair of the Sustainable Food Systems for Canada (SF4C) national…

The University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) supported Indigenous youth athletes as a co‑presenting sponsor of the 2026 Junior All Native Tournament (JANT), the largest Indigenous youth sports gathering in British Columbia and one of the largest basketball tournaments in Canada.  Held in Langley from March 15 to 20, 2026, the landmark 50th edition of…

The University of the Fraser Valley is welcoming Byng Giraud as its first Executive-in-Residence, focused on supporting practical approaches to economic reconciliation through work with Indigenous nations and organizations.  As UFV transitions from reconciliation as a concept to 'Reconcili-action' as a tangible reality, the president of Vancouver-based Sedgewick Strategies will work towards bridging the gap between academic learning/institutional policy and real-world partnerships, with a focus on Indigenous businesses.  Supported and hosted by UFV’s Faculty of Business and…