{"id":126,"date":"2025-09-24T10:26:14","date_gmt":"2025-09-24T17:26:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ufv.ca\/changemaking\/?p=126"},"modified":"2025-09-24T15:14:11","modified_gmt":"2025-09-24T22:14:11","slug":"ufv-named-ashoka-u-changemaker-campus-earning-global-recognition-for-local-leadership-in-social-innovation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ufv.ca\/changemaking\/2025\/09\/24\/ufv-named-ashoka-u-changemaker-campus-earning-global-recognition-for-local-leadership-in-social-innovation\/","title":{"rendered":"UFV named Ashoka U Changemaker Campus, earning global recognition for local leadership in social innovation"},"content":{"rendered":"

The University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) has been designated an\u00a0Ashoka U Changemaker Campus,<\/a>\u00a0joining a global network of institutions that are reimagining the role of post-secondary education in driving social innovation, equity, and systems-level change.<\/p>\n

The announcement will be made later today during\u00a0UFV\u2019s Celebration of Community\u00a0in Mission, where the university will also celebrate the launch its\u00a02025 St\u2019elt\u2019elawtexw: Community Report<\/a>. Together, these moments reflect a shared narrative: UFV\u2019s commitment to building stronger, healthier, and more inclusive communities is both locally grounded and globally recognized.<\/p>\n

\"Photo
Dr. Martha Dow (middle) leads a group discussion during a changemaking session at the Gathering Place on the UFV Chilliwack campus.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThe Ashoka designation affirms what our communities already know: UFV is a place where students, faculty, and partners work together to make a real difference,\u201d said Dr. James Mandigo, UFV President and Vice-Chancellor. \u201cIt\u2019s an honour to join a global network of changemaker campuses, and it reinforces the direction we are already moving in: one rooted in supporting the social, economic, and cultural development of our communities through accessible education, innovation, and entrepreneurship.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Changemaker Campus designation is awarded by Ashoka, a global leader in the field of social innovation and home to the world\u2019s largest network of social entrepreneurs. UFV is one of only a few Canadian institutions to receive the honour. The multi-phase selection process involved extensive evaluation of UFV\u2019s community-engaged teaching, leadership, research, and interdisciplinary innovation \u2014 including initiatives like the Community Health and Social Innovation Hub (CHASI) and UFV\u2019s ongoing commitment to Indigenization and student readiness.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is not about achieving a title \u2014 it\u2019s about deepening our accountability,\u201d said Dr. Martha Dow, Director of CHASI and UFV\u2019s Senior Advisor for Changemaking. \u201cBeing recognized by Ashoka isn\u2019t the end of the journey. It\u2019s a signal to continue building systems that work better for more people, starting right here in the Fraser Valley.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUFV\u2019s commitment to community-rooted innovation and social transformation reflects the very spirit of our Changemaker Campus network,\u201d said Heather MacCleoud, Chief Network Officer, Ashoka U. \u201cWe\u2019re thrilled to welcome them as partners in this growing global movement.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing part of UFV has shown me that changemaking isn\u2019t about titles or grand gestures; it\u2019s about stepping up, making space for others, and trusting that even small actions can spark lasting change,\u201d said Angelina Joseph, BA Criminology & Psychology student. \u201cUFV deserves this recognition because it empowers students to turn ideas into action and reminds us that when we show up, our voices and contributions truly matter. My advice to new students is simple: Get involved and don\u2019t hold back! You don\u2019t have to change the world overnight, but every step you take here adds up to something meaningful for you and for others.\u201d<\/p>\n

The announcement marks the start of a new chapter for UFV \u2014 one where the university\u2019s motto of Iyaqawtxw, or the \u201cHouse of Transformation\u201d becomes more visible to external partners, future students, and peer institutions. As part of the celebration, UFV shared visuals and student perspectives that reflect what changemaking looks like in action, from community-based research to justice-informed education.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) has been designated an\u00a0Ashoka U Changemaker Campus,\u00a0joining a global network of institutions that are reimagining the role of post-secondary education in driving social innovation, equity, and systems-level change. The announcement will be made later today during\u00a0UFV\u2019s Celebration of Community\u00a0in Mission, where the university will also celebrate the launch … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":232,"featured_media":136,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-126","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ufv.ca\/changemaking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/126","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ufv.ca\/changemaking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ufv.ca\/changemaking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ufv.ca\/changemaking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/232"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ufv.ca\/changemaking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=126"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ufv.ca\/changemaking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/126\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":133,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ufv.ca\/changemaking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/126\/revisions\/133"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ufv.ca\/changemaking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/136"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ufv.ca\/changemaking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=126"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ufv.ca\/changemaking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=126"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ufv.ca\/changemaking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=126"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}