UFV Alumni Association - Meaningfully Connected

2022 2023

Message from the Board Chair

04 Distinguished and Young Distinguished Alumni Award recipients

As we reflect on the past year and celebrate the accomplishments of our alumni and recent graduates, I am honoured to address you as the outgoing Chair of the UFV Alumni Association (UFVAA). Despite the ongoing challenges of our times, the strength and resilience of our community continue to inspire and uplift us all.

To those of you who graduated last year, I extend my warmest congratulations on your academic achievements. Wherever your future takes you, remember that you are part of a remarkable network of UFV alumni who understand the value of building strong relationships, fostering a sense of belonging, and ultimately transforming our communities.

In the past year, we have witnessed the notable impact of our alumni in various fields. From promoting reconciliation through education to using art as a tool for social change, our alumni have shown that their passion and dedication can create meaningful change in the world.

As we forge ahead, the UFVAA remains committed to recognizing and celebrating the diverse achievements of our community. We have recently introduced the Outstanding Student Leader Award, which underscores the importance of sharing and honouring the inspiring stories that shape our UFV campus community.

In line with our renewed mission, vision, and values, the UFVAA board diligently developed a new strategic plan that focuses on the themes and aspirations expressed by our alumni. We look forward to working with the Alumni Relations Office to develop opportunities that facilitate meaningful connections and foster personal growth.

To our newest graduates, embrace the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. On behalf of the UFV alumni board, I am delighted to welcome you to our vibrant alumni community. We eagerly anticipate the stories of your impact on UFV, our community, and the world at large.

Wishing you all the best in your future endeavors, it has been a pleasure to serve you as Chair.

06 Outstanding Student Leader Award recipient

08 2022/2023 Financial reports

10 Strategic plan

12 Alumni by the numbers

14 Alumni wine

16 Alumni Association board and staff

Derrick Uittenbosch (BA Crim ’13) CHAIR, UFV ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

Awards

Both awards recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of exceptional alumni, emphasizing the hard work of our alumni across all ages and careers.

Do you know an alum doing great things?

UFV employees, students, alumni, board members, or members of the community are all welcome to nominate candidates for the Distinguished Alumni Awards.

Matt Douma wasn’t a typical nursing student: He chafed against convention and questioned the rules.

He had passions outside of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program, including rowing, research, and volunteer work. He was at risk of dropping out and almost gave up on his dream of becoming a nurse. Kindness from his rowing coach and support from a faculty member who introduced him to academic research kept him from giving up, and 16 years later he has been recognized regionally and nationally for his collaborative work on trauma and life-saving practices related to aortic compression and hemorrhaging.

After serving on the frontlines during the pandemic, Matt left bedside nursing to focus on his PhD studies. He continues to teach and mentor new health-care researchers.

Matt has made significant contributions to emergency health, according to Dr. Adrienne Chan, who nominated Matt for the Distinguished Alumni Award. He thinks innovatively about emergency trauma and ways in which new protocols can be integrated into current practice.

He has an empathetic understanding of a broad set of issues. He sees problems differently and seeks to shift paradigms in nursing and health. His strong commitment to clinical education, emergency care, and to vulnerable and marginalized populations makes him a respectful and inclusive practitioner.

When asked what advice he would have for the UFV community, his wish was a simple one: “Get first aid training. Everyone can learn to save a life.”

Inside a high-rise office overlooking Sydney’s endless sea of skyscrapers, Kara Chan and her team are helping solve Australia’s most pressing climate and energy-related issues.

As Senior Manager of Climate Resilience Strategy at Ausgrid, one of Australia’s largest electricity distributors, Kara puts climate resilience policies at the top of the agenda for national government regulators and industry leaders. She led a climate impact assessment of Ausgrid’s network, collaborating with climate scientists to create a white paper that maps out likely future climate situations.

Kara is only 30, but she is already making a difference. Her innovative contributions in the urgent battle against climate change have earned her the 2022 Young Distinguished Alumni Award.

After earning her BA in political science at UFV in 2013, Kara quickly rose up the ranks at local energy companies like BC Hydro and FortisBC, focusing on energy conservation and management, as well as policy proposals. Chan and her husband relocated to Sydney in 2019 and she began working at Ausgrid in 2021.

She hopes winning the Young Distinguished Alumni Award inspires the next generation of students — particularly young women and people of colour — to get involved and educated in environmental and sustainability issues. She is living proof that you can make an immediate impact.

“There’s a lot of power in diversity of thought,” Kara says. “Never be afraid to offer ideas that people have never ever thought about or present things in a different way. You’ll be amazed at how much creating meaningful change is actually in your control.”

2022 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD RECIPIENT

Matt Douma (BSc Nursing ’06)

2022 YOUNG DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD RECIPIENT Kara Chan (BA ’13)

“Get first aid training. Everyone can learn to save a life.”

“ T here’s a lot of power in diversity of thought.”

UFV Alumni are doing incredible work at home and around the world.

OUTSTANDING STUDENT LEADER AWARD RECIPIENT

Manjot Benning BSc Student

Manjot Benning is such a deeply involved UFV student that it’s hard to find an activity or organization related to her studies that she is not involved with and excelling at.

She’s a straight A Bachelor of Science student with a near perfect 4.13 GPA and has been on the UFV Faculty of Science Dean’s list since December 2019.

She is vice-president of the UFV Women in Science and Technology organization, sits on the Senate budget committee, and has served as a UFV Lead student mentor, and a wellness peer leader.

She has also worked in paid positions that help UFV students and the next generation. She’s been a Supported Learning Group leader (supporting first-year students in introductory calculus courses) and a Science Rocks summer day camp leader.

Manjot is also engaged in research at the undergraduate level, working as a research assistant on the UFV Proteomics team.

Manjot volunteers in the community, serving as a community policing volunteer with the Abbotsford Police Department, a surgical daycare volunteer at the Abbotsford Regional Hospital, a volunteer with children at the Canuck Place Children’s Hospice, and as an in-school mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Dr. Stefania Pizzirani, an assistant professor in UFV’s School of Land Use and Environmental Change, nominated Manjot for the inaugural Outstanding Student Leadership Award.

“ Manjot is clearly an exceptional individual,” noted Pizzirani. “She consistently exemplifies the qualities of determination, inclusivity, collaboration, mentorship, leadership, and genuine enthusiasm for learning. I have seen few students as passionate about community (both within and outside of UFV) as Manjot. She is truly an inspiration to me and to the wider student body as well. She is extremely hard working and leads all her actions with a good heart and meaningful intentions.”

Amy Carrick, the volunteer coordinator at Canuck Place Children’s Hospice, also wrote in support of Manjot’s nomination for the Outstanding Student Leadership award.

“Manjot has demonstrated distinct leadership through her volunteerism at Canuck Place Children’s Hospice,” noted Carrick. “Manjot is someone who is willing to step in wherever needed, and demonstrates a high level of care towards all levels of stakeholders at Canuck Place. We are truly grateful to have her as a volunteer and I cannot recommend Manjot highly enough for this award!”

UFV ALUMNI AWARDS

Outstanding Student Leader Award

Distinguished Alumni & Young Distinguished Alumni Awards

Acknowledge their contributions by submitting a UFV Alumni Award nomination package.

UFV students and alumni are making a difference in your community.

2022/2023 Financials

Statement of Operations and Changes in Net Assets (Unaudited)

OF THE FRASER VALLEY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

Statement of Financial Position (Unaudited)

A pproved on behalf of the board

Derrick Uittenbosch Chair, UFV Alumni Association

Strategic Plan

VISION

All UFV alumni will proudly identify as active and integral parts of the UFV community and be meaningfully connected with each other and their communities.

VALUES

MISSION

The UFVAA will empower alumni to:

› M entor and connect with other alumni through social and professional relationships.

› Collaborate with UFVAA, UFV, other alumni, and the communities in which they reside.

› Celebrate the diversity of UFV alumni.

SERVICE:

We have much to offer and gratefully offer it; we advocate for our alumni and serve their best interests.

COLLABORATION:

We work openly and transparently with UFV, alumni, students, and their communities while remaining accountable to our alumni.

EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE:

We recognize, respect, and celebrate all our alumni from all generations, geographies, cultures, and identities, for who they are and what they offer.

EXCELLENCE:

We celebrate excellence and commit to continuous growth; we believe that if something is worth doing, it is worth doing well.

› Champion alumni successes and the value of the UFV alumni status.

› Access personal, professional, and academic resources through UFVAA partnerships, programs, and events.

› Support fellow alumni, future alumni, and UFV, with time, treasure, and talent.

STRATEGIC PILLARS ENGAGEMENT

To create space for alumni and students to connect, contribute, and grow. Programming, opportunities, experiences, and storytelling that incorporate shared wisdom from alumni, intentional discussion-based engagement, and the potential for long-term connections.

ADVOCACY

To activate alumni as advocates, incorporating one-time participation as well as long-term opportunities for alumni to engage municipal, provincial, and federal levels of government on behalf of UFV and its alumni.

PHILANTHROPY

To enable alumni to contribute their time, talent, and treasure to UFV and its students, recognizing that there are many ways alumni can give back to UFV and make a difference in the lives of others.

To leverage the strength of alumni and partners to grow UFVAA endowments.

GOVERNANCE

To strengthen the Board of Directors and Executive Director, as well as key partners, by creating a robust governance model that empowers team members to engage effectively in their roles. To incorporate a continuous cycle of strategic planning into the fabric of our organization, allowing us to be nimble and agile as we face evolving circumstances.

ALUMNI STEWARDSHIP

To enhance and foster alumni stewardship and engagement across UFV. By collaborating and co-creating with our university partners, we can ensure that we are coordinating outreach to alumni in a way that is intentional and can result in a broader reach. This ensures that all alumni have opportunities to benefit from quality programs, interact with graduates from their faculties, and tap into a vast network of alumni. We can also ensure that we are tapping into the full potential of our existing partnerships.

49,535 44

995 1,122

3,416 alumni are donors contacts updated through Stay Connected

total alumni countries events (hosted, sponsored, or attended)

alumni volunteers on Linkedin

37

Alumni Wine

Special thanks to our 2022 alumni wine label artist

Shannon Thiesen (BEd ’12) is an artist, a fifth-grade grade teacher, and 2016’s UFV Young Distinguished Alumni Award recipient. She graduated from UFV’s Teacher Education program in 2012 and has since gained a Graduate Diploma in Arts Integration and a Master’s degree in Imaginative Education from SFU. Inspired by the BC landscape and fueled by the energy of her students, Thiesen believes art and creativity can amplify voices and spark change.

Introducing our 2023 alumni wine label artist

Danielle Deschamps (Cert ABT ’15) began her journey in art by learning to knit and sew with her grandmother as a child in Northern Ontario. Since then, she discovered watercolour media in her adult life, finding inspiration in the natural beauty of British Columbia. She enjoys sharing this passion with other amazing artists and continues to study watercolour at workshops. The flowers featured in the paintings on this year’s labels are white roses and apple blossoms, which she saw on a trip to White Rock.

SUPPORT STUDENTS WITH EVERY SIP

Celebrate the class of 2023 with the purchase of limited edition commemorative wine produced and bottled by Chaberton Estate Winery.

Since 2005, the Alumni Association has partnered with local wineries for its annual alumni wine program. Labels feature artwork by an alumni artist and proceeds from the program support the UFV Alumni Association’s bursary fund to benefit UFV students.

The 2023/2024 alumni wine features artwork by UFV alumna Danielle Deschamps (Cert Applied Business Technology ’15). Free delivery included. Scan the QR code to place your order!

Learn more at alumni.ufv.ca/benefits/alumni-wine

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

Office

YOUR Alumni Relations team is proudly made up of all UFV alumni – representing the communities of Chilliwack, Abbotsford, and Mission.

DIRECTOR, ALUMNI RELATIONS

Whitney Fordham (MPA, B BA ’09)

COORDINATOR, ALUMNI RELATIONS

Maggi Davis (BA ’17)

DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT

STRATEGIST

Anthony Biondi (BA ’15)

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

Board

CHAIR

Derrick Uittenbosch (BA Crim ’13)

VICE-CHAIR

Tony Dhaliwal (BA ’12)

ASSOCIATE VICE-CHAIR

Tricia Taylor (AA ’09, BA ’10)

ASSOCIATE VICE-CHAIR

Jennifer Trithardt-Tufts (BBA ’17)

DIRECTORS

Keenan Beavis (BBA ’19)

Aman Khinda (BGS ’10)

Jessica Levesque (BBA ’20)

Bradley Menard (BGS ’14, BAAE ’21)

EX-OFFICIO DIRECTORS

Dr. Andy Sidhu (DLitt ’17), UFV Chancellor

Derek Froese (BCIS ’13), Chair Emeritus

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UFV ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

Whitney Fordham (MPA, BBA ’09)

ALUMNI REPRESENTATIVES ON THE UFV BOARD OF GOVERNORS

John Pankratz (UT ’80), Chair

Maxine Bouthot (BBA ’07), Director

ALUMNI REPRESENTATIVE ON THE UFV SENATE

Derek Ward-Hall (BBA ’17)