Student profiles Archive
Natalie Ng receives UFV’s 2015 Governor General’s Bronze Medal
Natalie Ng had every right to be nervous. Twenty years had passed since her last university experience, but volunteering at her children’s school library renewed a passion for learning. The Lower Mainland resident called around, finding what she wanted through an advisor at the University of the Fraser Valley. Ng’s family encouraged her return to…UFV receives Canadian Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarship funding
The world’s food supply is under pressure from climate change, population growth, drought, and other changing factors. A University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) study examining the sustainability of food production has received key funding from the recently established Canadian Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarships program. The project, entitled Urban Food Systems in Dar…Wierks, Pauls named athletes of the year at Cascades awards
Sarah Wierks and Aaron Pauls were named the University of the Fraser Valley’s athletes of the year on Tuesday evening, as the Cascades athletic department held its annual awards banquet at the Ramada Plaza and Conference Centre. Wierks, a 6’2” fifth-year centre with the women’s basketball team, was honoured for a historic season. The Chilliwack…Child and Youth Care projects focus on raising awareness and
More than 8,000 children are in foster care in British Columbia. At age 19, youth in foster care lose their social worker, their foster care funding, and often their home. Building Bridges Beyond 19, a community forum at the University of the Fraser Valley, will bring together front-line workers, former youth-in-care, foster parents, and other…Women from near and far find success through UFV’s ESS
Nine women from around the world gathered one last time, sculpting bright chunks of Play-Doh into physical representations of their time in UFV’s Employment Services and Support Family Child Care program. They’d come from as far as Ethiopia, Iraq, and India. One molded a sailboat, saying, “The sea isn’t always smooth, but my ship…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…Dhats benefited from UFV education and are now giving back
Dave Dhat is not the easiest guy with whom to schedule an interview. Busy doing his obstetrics/gynecology rotation as a third-year medical student at McMaster University, he’s constantly being called out to hone his delivery skills. We finally connect by phone after three baby deliveries in one day on his part, and although he’s tired,…Governor General’s Silver Medal: Alyssa Zucchet excels from start to
Alyssa Zucchet came to UFV as a stand-out student, and she’s leaving the same way. Recruited out of Chilliwack Secondary in 2012 with a $16,000 President’s Entrance Scholarship, she maintained excellent grades for the full four years, and is leaving with the Governor General’s Silver Medal as the top graduate from a bachelor’s degree program.…Lieutenant Governor’s medal: hospitality grad Rebecca Noort puts skills to
UFV’s Hospitality Event Planning certificate program is known for its practical focus. In Rebecca Noort’s case, the skills she picked up have an immediate application. Roughly one week after she crosses the stage here at UFV Convocation, she’ll be walking down the aisle to marry her fiancé Phil. That means that while she was completing…Governor General’s gold medal: Kristy Kardos is top grad at
Kristy Kardos can see the surface of her dining room table for the first time in two years. And her ever-patient husband and friends are happy that she’s free to take part in social activities again. Everything’s been on hold as she immersed herself in social work studies at the University of the Fraser Valley,…Commitment and creative consciousness leads Courtney Verbeek to UFV’s Governor
Blending beautiful design with commercial and community consciousness led Abbotsford’s Courtney Verbeek to the top of her class. And artfully beyond. With a 4.19 GPA, Verbeek is this year’s recipient of the UFV Governor General’s Bronze Medal as the student with the highest GPA over the last 15 credits in any two-year diploma program. A…Student Research Day highlights bright minds, experiental learning
The great hall was a-buzz with great brains on April 7 when students from a variety of disciplines gathered to share their research via posters and demonstrations. Judges strolled the aisles, chatting to students about their research. Criminal justice student Ashley Reddicop investigated the motivating forces behind young people joining gangs in British Columbia, including…Champions for Health program is life-changing for UFV students and
It’s four life-changing weeks in a Caribbean nation, but it’s no vacation. Each year, UFV students from the bachelor’s degree programs in Kinesiology and Education head to the tiny island country of Antigua to volunteer as physical education leaders in elementary schools. It’s a win-win-win situation for the UFV students, the children they interact with,…UFV Indigenous Land Claims certificate marks turning point for law
When Cassandra Enns first heard of UFV’s Indigenous Maps, Films, Rights and Land Claims certificate in 2012, she was pursuing a Bachelor of Arts at UBC. The subject matter was of interest to the Geography undergrad and the four-week intensive summer format fit well in her schedule. She applied and prepared to attend, not realizing…From boardrooms to backcountry, Sukhi Brar makes the most of
She ran a marathon on the Great Wall of China after ice-climbing Rocky Mountain glaciers and shaving her head for cancer research, so it might be hard to believe Sukhi Brar started at UFV as a quiet, introspective student. She did. That changed. “I decided I didn’t want to be that quiet person in university…Community approach creates vibrant learning environment at UFV Hope Centre
President Mark Evered recently attended the UFV Hope Centre and enjoyed a morning with faculty, staff, and students at a Christmas cookie social organized by centre coordinator Michelle Vandepol. Evered chatted with students, asking about their courses and goals and came away with a real sense of the tightly-knit community the centre has become. As…UFV efforts support Syrian refugee Canadian settlement
UFV students, faculty, and staff are pitching in to support the settlement of Syrian refugees in Canada. The UFV Arab Club in partnership with other UFV clubs, staged a donation drive benefitting Syrian refugees arriving in Surrey over the next few months. The club's efforts stemmed from a desire to take concrete action to…Nursing unit clerk finds a workplace with heart
Growing up, Shayla Peters had dreamed of becoming a nurse. But then, grade 12 happened. “I lost my motivation,” Shayla recalls. “I just wanted to get out of high school. I no longer knew what I wanted to do.” Shayla found work at a fast food outlet. “That was just a job,” she says. “The…Bookkeeping grad looks forward to serious business
When her stepmother decided she’d like to work fewer hours, Kate McGladdery stepped up to help in the office at her dad’s company. Less than a year later, what started as a sideline may well become Kate’s full-time career. The Chilliwack native has moved back to the Valley, left her big city job behind, and…