The importance of community

Hello everyone,

When I first joined UFV and moved to the Fraser Valley, I knew immediately that I had come to a very special place. People here take the idea of community seriously. There’s a sense of connection, responsibility, and possibility that binds us to this place and to each other.

And with the health crisis we are facing around the world, that community spirit has never been more important. In Chilliwack, Hope, Mission, Abbotsford — throughout the Fraser Valley — we are seeing all kinds of examples of people coming together to help each other, and to remind each other that we’re in this together.

I want to thank the people in the Fraser Valley for everything you are doing to support and encourage our students, faculty, staff and alumni in this difficult time. And as a proud member of this community, I want to emphasize that all of us at UFV are also here for you, and we have been finding ways large and small to support the community now and will continue to look for ways to build community beyond this crisis.

Thanks, and remember, by staying apart we are standing together.

I look forward to connecting with all of you again soon, whether it’s virtually or in person.

Joanne MacLean, PhD
President and Vice-Chancellor