University Relations Archive
Abbotsford campus moves and renovations planned for spring and summer
Renovation season is here as UFV evolves, expands, and reshapes our space to better accommodate students and employees. The recent completion of the Student Union Building and associated relocation of some departments has created opportunities for improvements to classroom, lab, and office space in some areas of the Abbotsford campus. Construction started April 20 and…Top 40 Alumni: Lisa Kelly — from UFV to Harvard,
Your first clue that Lisa Kelly had a future in law? As a 10-year-old, she’d rush home from school so as not to miss a minute of the TV law drama Matlock. Your second? As a 13-year-old, she’d have her father drop her off at the Supreme Court of BC so she could watch legal…Top 40 Alumni: Brad Jalbert — Confidence to pursue passion
Roses are a hobby that flourished for Brad Jalbert. But if it weren’t for a chance encounter with an ad for the Fraser Valley College Agriculture program, he may never have reached his full potential. Today he is considered a leading hybridizer of roses and his Select Roses varieties are recognized world-wide for their unique…Caleb Zimmerman joins UFV as Director of Marketing and Student
Caleb Zimmerman is the new Director of Marketing and Student Recruitment at the University of the Fraser Valley — leading the team responsible for marketing strategy, visual identity, student recruitment, web development, advertising, and publications. Zimmerman brings strong experience leading an in-house creative team to build brand and support enrolment goals. Most recently, as Director…UFV Top 40 Alumni: Stacey Irwin — Lifetime of dedication
There are few UFV alumni whose lives are as intertwined with their alma mater as Stacey Irwin’s is. She became the first chair of the UFV Alumni Association when it was incorporated in 2001, and was involved for a year previously when it was an informal organization. She is currently first vice chair of the…UFV Top 40 Alumni: George Hemeon — Carver honoured for
Weaving a life that integrated the worlds of art and business led to George Hemeon’s UFV Distinguished Alumni award in 2012. Now, his tapestry is tailor-made for UFV’s Top 40 Alumni list. George accomplished a considerable amount this millennium. The former landscaper earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from UFV in 2004, majoring in criminal…UFV Top 40 alumni: Debbie Greene — resilience personified
Much has been written about Captain Trevor Greene’s experience and his long journey back from his comatose state after an Afghani youth buried an ax in his head. He has made a remarkable recovery to a state where he is conscious and aware, lives at home with Debbie and their two children, and works daily…UFV Top 40 Alumni: Dave Dhat — Helping cure blindness
Dr. Dave Dhat didn’t take a very direct route to a career in medicine. Now an emergency room physician at Abbotsford Regional Hospital, he started his post-secondary studies with plans to become an engineer. After completing his Associate in Science two-year degree at what was then UCFV in 2000, he went on to complete an…UFV Top 40 Alumni: Julie Czeck — Young alumna credits
Julie Czeck is one of the younger UFV Top 40 Alumni, still enrolled in graduate studies in the Master of Arts in Dispute Resolution at the University of Victoria. But she has achieved a lot at her relatively young age after graduating from UFV with her Bachelor of Arts in 2011 with a near-perfect 4.2…UFV seeks nominations for 2015 Betty Urquhart Community Service award
Do you know an individual or a group who has made the Fraser Valley a better place to live? Those people who make everyday contributions to their community but may not be recognized? Consider nominating them for the UFV Betty Urquhart Community Service award. Betty Urquhart was one of the first employees of Fraser Valley…UFV Top 40 Alumni: Kelly Chahal — Abbotsford councillor earned
Kelly Chahal liked UFV so much, she stayed for three credentials with UFV's School of Criminology and Criminal Justice. First she earned her Criminal Justice diploma in 1993, then joined one of the first cohorts of the Bachelor of Criminal Justice degree, graduating in 1994. When UFV added a Master of Arts in Criminal Justice,…UFV Top 40 Alumni: Luke Armstrong — Bringing security to
Luke Armstrong is one of those people who willingly travels to danger zones from which others flee. A security advisor by profession and one of UFV’s Top 40 Alumni, he recently returned from Liberia, where he managed the security needs of medical professionals responding to the Ebola outbreak. The work is challenging, to say the…Jean Scott remembered as great friend of UFV
Dr. Jean Scott, a UFV honorary doctorate recipient and long-time friend of the university, passed away on February 25, 2015. She was a well-known community activist and feminist who made her mark both locally and nationally, and was 102 years old at the time of her passing. The celebration of life for Jean Scott will…UFV Top 40 Alumni: Shirzad Ahmed — Human rights lawyer
Caring, competent, and charismatic, Shirzad Ahmed was an obvious choice for UFV’s Top 40 Alumni list. Winner of UFV’s Distinguished Alumni award in 2011, his tireless fight for oppressed and vulnerable people is partially inspired by his own trials and tribulations. At the age of 18 he was a political exile from Kurdistan. He knocked…Dave Pinton joins UFV as Director of Communications
Dave Pinton is the new Director of Communications at the University of the Fraser Valley, leading the team responsible for media relations, events, internal and external communication, and issues management. Pinton brings a results-oriented approach with 15 years of broadcast media, public relations, and media relations experience. He also has expertise in crisis and emergency communications, having faced situations such…Lifesaver 2015 campaign launches with a splash at Welcome Back
UFV employees have shown themselves to be a generous bunch in the past. This year’s Lifesaver campaign offers them the chance offer support to students once again. And it will start with a splash at this year’s Employee Welcome-Back Barbecue on Wed, Aug 26. An initiative of UFV’s Advancement office, the Lifesaver campaign gives employees…UFV soars at Abbotsford International Airshow
Aerial acrobatics, wing-walkers, precision flying, and high-velocity fun were the name of the game at this year's Abbotsford International Airshow. As a gold sponsor for the 2015 edition of the show, UFV provided a chalet for industry and community guests, a photo booth in the cockpit of our 727 jet, and plenty of information on…UFV Top 40 Alumni: Darren Penner — thirst for knowledge
Darren Penner has always been the inquisitive sort. This inclination serves him well in his career as a lawyer, and it was fostered during his time studying history at UFV. “I really started looking into what makes things work when I was seven years old, but once I got to UFV I further developed a…University of the Fraser Valley accepts Boeing 727 from KF
A large, loud donation touched down at the Abbotsford International Airport July 15, when the University of the Fraser Valley received a Boeing 727-200 jet aircraft donated by KF Aerospace (formerly Kelowna Flightcraft). The 727 will be utilized by the next generation of technicians training in UFV’s aerospace programs. After nearly 40 years in service,…UFV Top 40: Chris Woods — Mix of realism and
From a young boy obsessed with popular culture and possessed with extreme artistic talent, to an established artist with multiple exhibitions to his name, Chris Woods has lived an artist’s dream. “I have been very lucky to be able to pursue my chosen profession, and UFV played no small part in my success,” he says.…UFV Top 40: Shawn Neumann — Digital marketing trendsetter finds
Shawn Neumann is an entrepreneur, public speaker, and tech leader who has built Domain 7 digital agency from a one-man shop in backroom of his parents’ Abbotsford home to a 40-employee company with offices in Abbotsford, Vancouver, Seattle, and Washington, DC. Shawn started his post-secondary journey at his local university college (then called UCFV), in…UFV Top 40 Alumni: Jennifer Owen — Physics offered her
Dr. Jennifer Owen (nee Godfrey) has been part of scientific history, working at the Large Hadron Collider particle accelerator at the CERN particle physics laboratory in Geneva, Switzerland. She visited and/or worked at the CERN facilities continuously over six years as part of her graduate studies at Simon Fraser University, and was there when the…UFV Top 40: Rob O’Brennan — College was the school
Rob O’Brennan recently retired as CEO of the Fraser Valley Regional Library, but in 1976 he was a first-year student in one of Fraser Valley College’s early years of existence. He recalled that his semester’s tuition was just $120 for a full course load, and that there were no wait lists for classes. “We held…Nik Venema new board chair of UFV Alumni Association
Nik Venema is the new board chair of the University of the Fraser Valley Alumni Association. He joined the voluntary board in 2012, serving as member-at-large, treasurer, and most recently as vice-chair. He is replacing Justin P. Goodrich, who nearly completed his two-year term as chair, stepping down three months early to join the UFV Board of…UFV assignment leads to Coquitlam Sports Hall of Fame induction
An assignment for a UFV Adult Education course led to a spot in the Coquitlam Sports Hall of Fame for UFV media and communications manager Anne Russell. Russell, whose day job is to tell stories about UFV as part of the University Relations team, took the digital storytelling course offered by UFV's Adult Ed degree…UFV Top 40: Alex McAulay — Young executive with entrepreneurial
Alex McAulay is no stranger to well-deserved praise. His hardworking, multi-tasking qualities were recognized when UFV presented the then-28-year-old with its inaugural Young Distinguished Alumni award in 2012. Alex was so honoured that he delayed his honeymoon with new wife Kaila just to receive the award. Presented to a UFV graduate under the age of…Shirzad Ahmed, Ginny Dennehy, Dr. Catherine Hickson, and Margo Kane
The University of the Fraser Valley will confer four honorary doctorates this year, recognizing Canadians who have made outstanding contributions to their field. Shirzad Ahmed, Ginny Dennehy, Dr. Catherine Hickson, and Margo Kane will each attend one of UFV’s four Convocation ceremonies to receive an honorary degree. The ceremonies will be held June 11 and…