Luisa Giles always feels unsettled when wildfire smoke starts drifting into the Fraser Valley. She knows that the sun will be turning red, the blue sky will turn grey and soon she’ll be spending a lot more time indoors.  “When I’m stuck inside my motivation for anything, especially physical activity plummets,” Luisa says. “And during…

As the daughter of Romanian immigrants who arrived in Canada during her childhood, Julie Czeck saw her family navigate the complexities of adapting to a new country. Despite the challenges they faced, the unwavering support from the community, including social-support organizations, was essential to their journey. This experience instilled in Julie a profound respect for…

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,…

A partnership between the University of the Fraser Valley and FortisBC will showcase cutting-edge gas absorption heat pump (GAHP) technology at UFV Chilliwack’s Trades and Technology Centre (TTC).  Made possible by a significant contribution from FortisBC, seven GAHPs have been installed at the TTC. They are estimated to save 860 gigajoules of natural gas, and…

The world lost a leader in the journey towards truth and reconciliation this week. The Honourable Justice Murray Sinclair, also known as The One Who Speaks of Pictures in the Sky, or Mazina Giizhik, passed away on November 4 at the age of 73. The Anishinaabe humanitarian and truth teller leaves behind a legacy of…

Nearly 1,000 members of the Fraser Valley community visited the Abbotsford campus on Saturday, Oct 26 for the third annual UFV Open House. Greeted cheerfully by 250 dedicated UFV students, employees, and alumni, they arrived at the Student Union Building (SUB) before branching out to imagine what their futures might look like at UFV.  The…

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…

Macey Michaud has had a passion for cooking and baking since before she could reach the kitchen counter, and with help from UFV and Coast Capital, she’s on track to turn her passion into a career.  Coast Capital is a significant supporter of UFV Trades and Technology. With a strong belief that supporting students is…

Laura Schneider will be the new Director, Strategic Initiatives at the University of the Fraser Valley’s College of Arts starting November 1. Laura has been an adjunct professor at UFV since 2019, and served as Executive Director of The Reach Gallery Museum from 2015 to 2024. She brings extensive experience as a leader and cultural…

Students from UFV’s School of Health Studies and School of Kinesiology are inviting the community to visit UFV’s Chilliwack campus for the UFV Health Sciences Fall Health Fair.  The campus will be buzzing Nov. 4, from 9 am to 3 pm, with UFV Health Sciences students interacting with fellow students, UFV staff and faculty, and…

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…

Awneet Sivia gets passionate about anything that enhances the university experience for students. Awneet, UFV’s Associate Vice-President, Teaching and Learning, is always in favour of technology that provides faculty with new ways to engage learners, and that’s why she’s so keen about a new Learning Management System (LMS).   UFV is transitioning from Blackboard to Brightspace,…

“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…

UFV’s Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) department exists to keep employees safe from injuries, accidents, and occupational health problems. For its manager, Jason Dallavalle, connecting with the community is the best part of the job. He’s passionate about preventing incidents, and one way to do this is by teaching employees how to refuse unsafe work.  …