Growing up on a small Yarrow farm planted the seed. Unwavering commitment bore the fruit. Now with her incredible 4.24 GPA, Shelby Klassen has earned UFV’s 2020 Governor General’s Bronze Medal as the highest-achieving student graduating from a diploma program — in this case, Agriculture Technology. “I’ve always been passionate about growing food, knowing where […]
Shanna Yaroshuk started out her career in the early childhood education field, and looked to the University of the Fraser Valley when she wanted to continue her studies. “I enjoyed working with children but decided to expand my horizons and go beyond the childcare centre setting.” She enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts in Child […]
Kelly Ridder knows a thing or two about juggling priorities. She balanced a full-time job in the human services field with studies toward a Master of Social Work degree over the past 20 months, and with being a mother to six children between the ages of 13 and 25, all still living at home in […]
Not too many people can say that they’ve named a school before they even finished their teacher training. Tsandlia Van Ry can. She and a small group of community members proposed the name Stitó:s Lá:lém Totí:lt (‘place of crossing, house of learning’ in Halq’eméylem) for the new elementary/middle school under construction in Chilliwack. This name […]
When Danielle Geddes started her Child Life Specialist internship on the acute medical inpatient ward at Children’s Hospital of Winnipeg in February, she had no idea that by the end of it she would be fully masked and wearing protective gear for most shifts with her young clients. Geddes, who is completing a Child Life […]
Having reconstructive leg surgery as a young teen in BC Children’s Hospital set the course of Victoria Hu’s life. “I had my first surgery at fourteen and the second at sixteen,” Victoria recalls. “I had to relearn how to walk. I spent a lot of time in the hospital. That’s where my love of health […]
Starting a career in trades may be unconventional for a woman, but it has its benefits. Ask Red Seal carpenter Emilie Biela. After high school, she landed a summer job with VGS Contracting, a local construction, equipment supply, and installation company in the commercial greenhouse industry. One day, her boss asked her if she would […]
When someone is in crisis, it is easy to resort to common platitudes in an effort to offer comfort. Few of us are equipped to support others effectively when they go through stress, grief, trauma, or loss. A new Psychological First Aid course developed by the Red Cross aims to change that. Course materials were […]
Did you know that employers who are willing to invest in developing their employees are more likely to retain top talent? And not only that: they are also better equipped to thrive, as large numbers of experienced baby boomers move in droves toward retirement. Like many employers in niche markets that require specialized skills, Prins […]
The moment Bill Chivers knew his life would never be the same came with a loud snap. “I heard it pop, I knew it right there,” he says. “I was reaching in to get a case. It was one of those ones where you had to dig deep, move ten, grab the one in the […]
Often, it’s the small moments that make work meaningful. Watching her 86-year-old client splash around in the wave pool was exactly that kind of a moment for former Recreation Coordinator Lori Teske. “She just enjoyed every minute,” Lori recalls. “It was really touching.” Providing engaging experiences to residents in long-term care takes careful coordination, but […]
You could be forgiven for having a sense of déjà vu when hearing the name of the 2019 winner of the Governor General’s silver medal at UFV, awarded to the top graduate in a bachelor’s degree program. That’s because Perrin Waldock was also the 2018 winner of the Governor General’s collegiate bronze medal, awarded to […]
