UFV celebrates long-term employees

Long-term employees Alan Cameron (40 years!), Doug Hudson (35 years), Shelley Hayes (30 years), Bob Peters (35 years), and Ian Fenwick (35 years).

More than 100 UFV employees are marking an important milestone this year. Those who have been employed for 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 40 years were honored at an evening ceremony on May 6.

One, Alan Cameron of Modern Languages, has been working here since just after the end of the Vietnam war in 1975. Others embarked on a new decade — the 1980s — with optimism and enthusiasm as they joined a relatively young new college in the Fraser Valley. Others came on board as UFV was making the transition from college to university-college 25 years ago. Many were marking one decade with UFV, meaning they became employees in the last years before the transition to university status.

Chancellor Gwen Point welcomed the celebrants with a thanks in both Halq’emeylem and English and a special song. She noted that she’d crossed paths with various long-serving employees during her time as a student, a board member, a parent of a student, and a faculty member.

“I may not have time to mention everyone on the long list of 40, 35, 30, 25, 20, 15, and 10-year employees, but I can assure you that through my many different types of experiences with UFV I have been touched by the dedication and enthusiasm of the many faculty and staff I have worked with,” she said. “This is a place where people truly connect with our students and our communities. It is a place that was built from the ground up, with input from all of you. It is a place where we work together to achieve our goals and we help students achieve theirs through education. In so doing we — you — have helped build the social and economic fabric of the Fraser Valley and beyond.”

President Mark Evered noted that everyone who has worked at UFV for more than 10 years has helped the university grow and thrive during times of significant change.

“We have been teammates in the most noble work,” noted UFV President Mark Evered. “You haven’t been just passive observers at UFV… you have been drivers and stewards of change at this university.”

FSA President Vicki Grieve recalled returning to the Fraser Valley as a young woman and finding out that her younger siblings were attending an innovative new college. She decided that it would be a good place to build a career.

“We are a bunch of smart, dedicated, passionate people who really care deeply about what we do. We are extremely privileged to have had the experience of starting out working here as young adults, raising families together, and building lasting friendships and relationships.”

Board of Governors Chair Barry Delaney noted how refreshing it is to see the long-term commitment of employees at UFV.

“I love to see how long people have worked here. Our world at UFV is about people and our goals are noble. Education is a very worthwhile sector to work in.”

The following employees marked long-term milestones this year:

40 years

Alan Cameron

35 years

Nigel Dance, Ian Fenwick, Doug Hudson, Bob Peters

30 years

Shelley Hayes

25 years

Kevin Dunn, Sheila Edwards, Kathy Gowdridge, Lynn Kirkland-Harvey, Hannah MacDonald, Rob Novack, Karen Power, Barbara Salingre

20 years

Robin Anderson, Gloria Borrows, Paula Brennan, Eleanor Busse-Klassen, Yvon Dandurand, Cherie Enns, Paul Franklin, Andrew Gutteridge, Ian Hunt, Joan Johanneson, Randy Kelley, Daniel Kwan, Steven Marsh, Charmaine McAuley, Fiona McQuarrie, Stephen Piper, Kim Polowek, Gayle Ramsden, Michelle Rickaby, Greg St. Hilaire, Grace Tsurumaru, Patti Wilson.

15 years

Patricia Ackland, Brent Bailey, Eileen Burkholder, Jocelyn Coates, Rhonda Colwell, Christine Dalton, Jessica Gao, Tim Haner, Nicole Hitchens, Verlaine Lamour, Akhtar Malik, Shawn Millar, Rona Miller, Lisa Moy, Jacqueline Nolte, Gerry Palmer, Boris Rapoport, Kim Striebel, Sven Van de Wetering, Anna Wauthy, Tina Whitehouse, Bryan Wilkinson.

10 years

Nicole Adams, Ian Affleck, Cathy Anderson, Colleen Bell, Lorraine Bingert, Vicki Bolan, Ken Brealey, Mark Breedveld, Heather Chapman, Godwin Choy, Kim Daley, Shelley Dickie, Robin Endelman, David Fenske, Paula Funk, Nicole Gisel, Darlene Glum, Domingo Guarenas, Janet Hamilton, Robyn Harcott, Claire Hay, John Hogg, Aleksandra Idzior, Alida Janmaat, Debbie Jobb, Keith Johnson, Amber Johnston, Brian Justin, Lisa Kouwenhoven, Leona MacDonald, Marlene Murray, Janice Nagtegaal, Jan Oosterhof-Contant, Amy Prevost, Hong Qiao, Peter Raabe, Scott Sheffield, Paula Stubbings, Joe Sunami, Molly Ungar, Scott Van Ek, Amanda Van Tilborg, Buck Vander Kooi, Annette Vogt, Glen Whitfield, Dawna Williams, Catherine Wilson, Lori Wirth, Simon Xi.