Newsroom Archive
Governor General’s gold medal winner Torhjelm finds reconnecting with learning
Like most students enrolled in master’s level programming at the University of the Fraser Valley, Shannon Torhjelm had to balance the demands of a professional career with the busy life of a graduate student. By day, Torhjelm is social work practice leader for Abbotsford and Mission hospitals, supervising the clinical practice of social workers in…Governor General’s silver medal winner Nicole Wierks works magic in
Nicole Wierks may be the most well-known student graduating from the University of the Fraser Valley this year. She earned that fame as a leader of the UFV Cascades women’s basketball team that stormed its way to a third-place finish at the national championships in March 2014. But did you know Wierks is also an…Jumping 400 years of history paves the way for MOOCs
Whether lit by flickering oil lamps in bucolic Mexican farmsteads or glowing computer screens tied wirelessly across the world, quests for education and connection remain the same in the eyes of University of the Fraser Valley 2014 honorary degree recipient George Siemens. Siemens will receive an honorary Doctor of Letters degree at UFV’s morning Convocation…Following her passion leads Angela Lebedovich to Lieutenant Governor’s award
Going above and beyond is nothing unusual for UFV’s 2014 Lieutenant Governor’s award recipient Angela Lebedovich. Students in vocational or career programs less than two years in length who have excelled in their studies and contributed to the life of their post-secondary institution or their community are eligible to be nominated for this award. Lebedovich…Love of design — and beer — leads Brennan Gleason
By combining passions for graphic design and artisanal beer, Brennan Gleason leads UFV’s first Graphic and Digital Design graduating class in style by being named UFV’s 2014 Governor General’s bronze medal recipient. Awarded to the diploma-level student graduating with the highest grade point average over the last 15 credits, the Governor General's bronze medal recognizes…Doug Hamilton to be honoured for leadership in founding of
Few people alive today have as long an association with Fraser Valley College as Doug Hamilton. Hamilton, a retired agrologist who turns 90 on July 3, was the first chair of the Fraser Valley College board, or council as it was called then, in 1974. But even before that, he played an integral role in…UFV CFO Jackie Hogan receives top honour from Association of
The University of the Fraser Valley’s Chief Financial Officer and Vice-President Administration Jackie Hogan has received the Association of Women in Finance’s 2014 PEAK Award for Excellence in the Public Sector. PEAK awards honour women who have achieved excellence in the field of finance. “Jackie’s dedicated leadership of our financial and administrative services is evident…UFV to confer honorary degrees on Doug Hamilton, Charllotte Kwon,
The University of the Fraser Valley has chosen honorary degree recipients who symbolize the past, present, and future of education and innovation for its 2014 Convocation ceremonies. UFV will award three honorary doctorates during its Convocation ceremonies on June 12 and 13. Doug Hamilton, who was the founding chair of Fraser Valley College board in…Coast Capital Savings supports student leadership at UFV with $250,000
The university experience is about more than attending lectures, completing assignments, and studying for exams. At least it can be, if students take advantage of the extracurricular and volunteer opportunities available. Students at the University of the Fraser Valley have been able to engage in many leadership opportunities thanks to the support offered by the…UFV signs MOU for aviation collaboration with Chinese partner
The University of the Fraser Valley will work with Concord College of Sino-Canada to provide aviation and business education to future pilots from China. The two educational institutions have committed to a partnership that will see up to 30 Chinese students per year enrolling in UFV’s Bachelor of Business Administration in Aviation in Abbotsford. The…Top 40 alumni — last week to nominate
Who’s in your top 40? As part of its 40th anniversary celebrations, the University of the Fraser Valley is seeking nominations for its Top 40 alumni, and organizers want your help. The campaign is into its final two weeks for nominations. “In this anniversary year we want to shine a bright light on our alumni…Spots filling fast for UFV’s summer camps
UFV’s popular summer camps blast away the summer blues. Reserve your child’s spot for their chance to boost everything from brain power to basketball skills. Like vegetables in strawberry smoothies, UFV’s camps fulfill family needs in one satisfying serving – providing a great escape from the “nothing-to-do” dog days while creating memories that will…Two UFV representatives win at UBC nursing symposium
A contingent from UFV attended the UBC Graduate Students in Nursing Symposium on May 2. There were very accomplished presenters ranging from undergraduate to doctoral students from Langara College, the University of Victoria, Seattle University, UBC, and UFV. The theme was Advancing Nursing Practice; however, there were presenters from a variety of professions. UFV had…UFV partners in new book exploring evidence-based decision making for
The crucial ability to successfully balance needs and available resources for potentially life-saving budgetary decisions is addressed in a new manual titled The Right Decision: Evidence-based Decision Making for Fire Service Professionals. Through this free-of-charge publication, authors Paul Maxim, Len Garis, and Darryl Plecas explore the what, why, and how of evidence-based decision making. The…UFV salutes long-term employees
UFV is known as the type of workplace that people stay at for a long time. And those people bring a combination of dedication, experience, and accumulated wisdom that makes for an enriched student experience, both inside and outside of the classroom and lab. Several groups of long-term employees were honoured recently at celebrations for…Passion fuels success for UFV’s 2015 Young Distinguished Alumni Award
Alex Reimer is wired for success. To a teenager who loved installing car stereos, the life of an electrician sounded pitch perfect. But the road of life can swerve suddenly, and several years and one serious brain injury later, Reimer finds himself soaring through the ranks of the oil and gas industry, and earning the…Women in Policing topic of UFV alumni panel discussion Nov
Forty years ago it was rare to see a woman in a police uniform. And when you did, chances are she was in a skirt and kept her gun in her purse. Now women comprise 20 percent of all police officers in Canada. Women in policing have faced challenges along the way, and many have…Mentorship at UFV led to scientific success for Distinguished Alumni
When Dr. Mike Hildebrand says he’s working in his lab at Carleton University, he’s speaking literally. The lab is named after him and it’s symbolic of his long journey and the path he has taken from UFV and the Fraser Valley farm where he grew up, to the chronic pain research he now leads. This…Dynamic father-daughter duo tackles university together
When Reid Peters is struggling to understand a difficult concept in his UFV course, he doesn’t have to go far for help. He can pop over to the house next door at his Seabird Island home and ask his daughter Angi — she’s in the same class. In fact, Reid and Angi are taking two…Israeli pilot turned peace activist to speak at UFV
UFV Peace and Conflict Studies presents Yonatan Shapira, an Israeli Air Force Pilot turned conscientious objector and peace activist. Wed, Nov 4 at 4 pm Abby B101 (Lecture Theatre) Yonatan Shapira spent 12 years in the Israeli Air Force. During his service, he witnessed Israel’s state-sanctioned human rights violations and attacks on civilians in Palestine.…Mennonite society and UFV: partners in peace studies
It was a sweet evening of celebration for the University of the Fraser Valley and the Mennonite Faith and Learning Society (MFLS) at Friesen House, the residence of UFV President Mark Evered. An informal evening of delicious desserts, fellowship, and speeches culminated in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) – one that broadens…Set sail with UFV Theatre’s Argonautica
Experience the magic and power of one of the world’s greatest stories in this stunning stage adaptation of the voyage of Jason and the Argonauts in their quest for the Golden Fleece. Full of energy and humour, Argonautika by Mary Zimmerman runs through Nov 29 at the University of the Fraser Valley performance theatre. “Argonautika…Unique student centre at UFV backed by Coast Capital Savings
Coast Capital Savings and UFV are continuing their collaborative partnership by creating the Coast Capital Savings Peer Resource and Leadership Centre. Student leadership and peer-to-peer student assistance will continue to thrive at UFV thanks to a $50,000 contribution from Coast Capital Savings, Canada’s second largest credit union. Located in the Student Union Building on the…Wierks named CIS Top Eight Academic All-Canadian
Sarah Wierks of the University of the Fraser Valley women’s basketball program has been selected to receive Canadian Interuniversity Sport’s most prestigious academic award. Wierks, a Chilliwack, B.C. product, is a member of the CIS Top Eight Academic All-Canadian team for the 2014-15 season. She is the first-ever UFV Cascades athlete to achieve the distinction.…UFV to host community forum on refugee crisis — Oct
We’ve all seen the images. Refugees fleeing their homes with only what they can carry, crossing the ocean on crowded vessels, and walking urban highways looking for a safe haven. Children and old people struggling to keep up, and in some tragic cases, falling by the wayside. The current plight of Syrian refugees has gripped…Kinesiology Day showcases student engagement and healthy living
From health-related physical activity to exercise physiology — biomechanics and beyond — the field of kinesiology is full of opportunities to explore. On Oct 19, the Kinesiology Student Association organized the second annual Kinesiology Day (aka Kin Day) bringing together students, faculty, and staff to explore various aspects of the field of kinesiology. “This event…Sports psychologist Friesen leads alumni panel discussion on living a
Passion is the energy that comes from the core of who we are as defined by our unique set of gifts. That’s the theme of a panel discussion to be led by sports psychologist Roger Friesen at the University of the Fraser Valley on October 15. Friesen and guest panelists — several of whom are…