2018 Fall VIU Magazine

VIU magazine

Fall 2018 VANCOUVER ISLAND UNIVERSITY

Elevating Indigenous Youth Thanks to a new learning partnership called EleV, co-created with communities, Indigenous learners at VIU are being supported to not only access post-secondary education, but thrive once they are here.

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A Journey of Self-Discovery

 Opioid Crisis

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Driven to Succeed

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(L-R) Sheila Warren, Jenn McGarrigle, Janina Stajic

As we write this, the buzz and excitement of a new school year is all around us. This year is particularly exciting as students and employees move into the new Health and Science Centre and Marine, Automotive and Trades Complex. Thanks to funding from the federal and provincial governments and our community partners, these new buildings will help VIU continue to deliver relevant, responsive and innovative programming to our community.

We are excited to tell a few stories in our next issue about how the first semester in the new buildings went, but in the meantime, we had the chance to hear about and see the impact that renovations to the decades-old Automotive building have had on student success (see page 28).

The changes will ensure our programs continue to keep providing an exceptional student experience in an increasingly complex discipline.

Another initiative we are excited about this year is entering into the second year of EleV – a learning partnership for Indigenous youth launched in September 2017 with support from the Mastercard Foundation and Rideau Hall Foundation and co-created with Indigenous partners.

VIU was one of two institutions chosen to receive funding for this important work, which aims to increase the number of Indigenous students accessing post-secondary education, and provide wrap-around supports to ensure they are successful once they are here. On page 12, we catch up with two students whose lives were changed by this program, who both have plans to pay it forward and support their communities with their education.

Here at VIU, we believe in the transformative power of education and celebrate as lives are changed every day.

Rebecca Stirling, a student who started off in our Adult Basic Education program and is now conducting graduate research in the Canadian Arctic, tells her story in this issue and shows how her experiences both inside the classroom and out – including extracurricular activities and campus jobs – helped contribute to the amazing adventures she’s now having.

We hope you enjoy reading this as much as we enjoyed putting it together! If you have a story you’d like to suggest for the next issue, please email us at communications@viu.ca.

Happy reading!

Janina, Jenn and Sheila

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When there’s a will, there’s a way.

Support a future VIU student with a gift in your will, or consider making a gift today.

I am forever thankful to those who have put these awards in place; I hope to honour their gift by applying myself and using my education to give back to the community that makes all this possible.

Joseph Monaghan Bachelor of Science, 4th year

Contact Jason to learn how your gift can change lives: 250.740.6258

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photo credit: Island Expressions Photography

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inside viu magazine | FALL 2018

6 12 16 18 21 24 28 32 38

VIU Spotlight Indigenous Students Embrace Success in EleV Partnership Kicking it with Takano For the Love of Rocks Research @ VIU What is Happening to the Children?

Driving Student Success Alumni News Q&A with Dr. Pam Shaw

COVER: Criminology student Mandii Hopkins with her sons Reginald, left, and Kenny.

Story page 12 photo credit: Island Expressions Photography

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VIU spotlight

President Nilson Reflects on 10 Years as a University

VIU President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Ralph Nilson

Ten years ago this April, feelings of excitement and anticipation filled VIU President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Ralph Nilson as he stood next to former Premier Gordon Campbell under the white-hot spotlights in the Malaspina Theatre.

Campbell was there to announce Malaspina University-College’s accreditation to a full university.

“A cannon was literally fired when he made the announcement, and a bunch of gold stars landed on his podium while he laid out the priorities for the new university,” Nilson remembers.

“There was great anticipation because no one knew what the name was going to be. There had been lots of discussion in our community, lots

of ideas given, but no one knew.

This is when our institution became known as Vancouver Island University.”

Nilson remembers that day as the day the hard work to evolve the institution into a university began.

“We had a lot to learn and many important process and policy changes to make. We went from one primary decision- making body, the Board of Governors, to having two equally weighted decision-making bodies.

This meant the creation of Senate and this enhanced the authority of the faculty for decision-making on the academic programs of the University.”

Nilson reflects that the last decade has been packed with learning, adjustments and major gains in the student experience, which has always been at the heart of the institution regardless of its name or status.

“Our foundation was so strong and rooted in our values, and this hasn’t changed since we became a university, providing a solid foundation for future growth,” he says. “Most universities get a major bump in funding when their

Volume 3 / Issue 1 / Fall 2018 VIU Magazine is published by VIU’s Communications & Public Engagement Office. It is distributed free of charge to VIU alumni and friends.

All material is copyright © 2018, Vancouver Island University, and may be reprinted only with written permission. Opinions expressed in the magazine do not necessarily reflect the views of Vancouver Island University.

In the Hu’qumi’num language of our region’s First Nations people, this means, “Thank you respected ones of this place.” We acknowledge and thank the Snuneymuxw, Tla’amin, Snaw-naw-as and the Quw’utsun’ First Nations, where VIU campuses are located, for allowing us to share educational experiences on the traditional territories of these nations. We would also like to acknowledge and pay respect to the three language groups on Vancouver Island: Coast Salish, Nuu-chah-nulth and Kwakwaka’wakw, and their respective communities as well as Métis Nations and Aboriginal organizations on Vancouver Island.

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status changes. This did not happen for VIU, and it is magical what people have been able to do here in spite of the fiscal pressures.”

Looking forward to the next 10 years, Nilson sees VIU and the high-quality learning environment it provides for students playing an increasingly important role in the region, as education is the key determinant of social change and economic sustainability.

“Our regional economy has to continue to evolve through building human capacity that can thrive in both the growing digital economy and the natural resource sector. If our children are going to build prosperous lives here, they need the best-quality education to acquire the skills and expertise that prepares them for a wide variety of careers. Through creating access to post-secondary educational opportunities, VIU will also continue its focus on nation-building between Indigenous peoples, all other Canadians and the International students who come through VIU as their portal into Canada.” 

PUBLISHER Communications & Public Engagement, Vancouver Island University MANAGING EDITOR Janina Stajic Manager, Communications and Public Engagement EDITOR Jenn McGarrigle, Communications Officer GRAPHIC DESIGN Sheila Warren, Graphic Designer WRITERS Jenn McGarrigle, Aly Winks, Rachel Stern, Rae-Anne LaPlante, Amanda Lutner

CONTRIBUTORS Gloria Bell - Island Expressions Photography (select photos) We welcome letters to the editor.

Editor, VIU Magazine Communications & Public Engagement 900 Fifth Street, Nanaimo, BC V9R 5S5 communications@viu.ca Canadian Publications Mail Agreement #40063601

VIU’s Dr. Graham Pike and Heather Pastro

VIU Shortlisted for International Award

VIU is now recognized as a world leader in teaching excellence.

The University was named a finalist for Advance HE’s 2018 Global Teaching Excellence Award. Introduced last year in association with Times Higher Education, the award recognizes and celebrates an institution-wide commitment to the pursuit of excellence

in teaching and learning. VIU was one of 17 finalists shortlisted from applications from more than 40 countries, and one of just two universities in Canada to make the list. Here’s what Advance HE had to say about VIU: “The institution’s commitment to social responsibility, and particularly to Indigenous people, shines through the submission. The priority given to teaching and learning can be seen as having the same root – the transformative power of higher education is most effective when learners experience high-quality teaching.”

Dr. Ralph Nilson, VIU President and Vice-Chancellor, says this accolade would not have been possible without the institution’s dedicated faculty, who put enormous effort into creating the kind of learning environment that achieves international recognition. “The most important relationship at this

institution is the relationship between the teacher and the learner, and as a regional university with a primary focus on teaching, this recognition is a clear demonstration of the quality of the education available at VIU,” he says. “I’d also like to give a nod to the University’s Centre for Innovation and Excellence in Learning for continually raising our expectations of ourselves in terms of the learning environment we are creating, and all employees at VIU, not just faculty, for the institutionwide effort that gets put into a culture of support and success for every VIU student.”

Dr. Graham Pike, VIU’s Dean of International Education; Heather Pastro, Vice-Chair of VIU’s Senate; and Stephanie Pastro, a VIU Social Sciences student representative, attended the Global Teaching Excellence Award gala event in Edinburgh on July 18. 

VIU is like family for Louise Mandell, Q.C. It’s one of the reasons she viewed the news of being reappointed to the role of VIU’s Chancellor as a gift.

“It’s a powerful experience being part of the VIU family. Here education goes beyond the mind – it touches the heart,” says Mandell, adding that education is a force for change and innovation. “I am proud of the University’s values and leadership in reconciliation education, which removes barriers to post-secondary education. It provides an education which brings understanding, engendering fresh paths of thinking and action.”

Mandell is known for her passion and kindness, and for being an ardent ambassador for the University.

She is a tireless voice committed to removing barriers to education and is devoted to ensuring VIU remains accessible to anyone who wants to pursue post-secondary education.

She is one of Canada’s foremost Aboriginal rights lawyers. For four decades she devoted her professional life to the advancement of Canada’s Aboriginal and Treaty rights.

She weaves her knowledge and spirit into every aspect of her work at VIU. Mandell has been recognized for her achievement with various awards, including being appointed Queen's Counsel in 1997 and receiving the Georges Goyer Q.C. Memorial Award for exceptional contributions to the development of the Aboriginal and Treaty Rights jurisprudence across the country.

VIU Chancellor Louise Mandell

Louise Mandell Reappointed Chancellor

“She embodies many of our core values, which she has demonstrated through her work with First Nations communities and her dedication to recognizing the important role education plays in reconciliation,” says Dr. Ralph Nilson, VIU President and Vice-Chancellor. 

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Katharina Rout, a translator & Honorary Research Associate at VIU

Internationally Recognized Speaker Series Comes to VIU

From striking the right balance between the needs of the collective with the needs of the individual; to reconciliation between Canada’s Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples; and cultivating world citizenship skills, seven thought leaders from across Canada shared their ideas during VIU Presents The Walrus Talks Leadership last March.

Speaking to a sold-out audience in VIU’s Malaspina Theatre, each presenter talked for seven minutes

on the topic of leadership. The Walrus is a registered charitable non-profit foundation with an educational mandate to create forums for conversations on matters vital to Canadians. As part of this mandate, The Walrus Talks are hosted in cities across Canada.

“The goal of The Walrus Talks is to create truly national conversations,

and we were delighted to see Nanaimo and the VIU community participating and sharing these ideas with such enthusiasm,” says David Leonard, Director of Events for The Walrus.

“For our first event in Nanaimo, and because of VIU’s reputation for leadership, we focused on showcasing established and emerging voices from the local area as well as unique perspectives from across the country.”

The speaker lineup included: Ruby Barclay, Peer Support Navigator for VIU’s Tuition Waiver Program; Stephen Kakfwi, former Northwest Territories premier and former Dene Nation President; Alicia Raimundo, a mental health and youth engagement advocate; Katharina Rout, a translator and Honorary Research Associate at VIU; Judith Sayers, President of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council; Scotty Taylor, a Guthrie Therapeutic Community alumni and arborist; and George Hanson, President of the Vancouver Island Economic Alliance.

Videos of the speakers are posted online at: youtube.com/user/ walrustelevision. 

“Absolutely thrilled. Delighted.”

This is how Dr. Cheryl Krasnick Warsh, a VIU History Professor, described her reaction to being named the University’s first Fellow in the Academy of Arts and Humanities of the Royal Society of Canada (RSC).

It’s an honour bestowed on scholars who have made exceptional contributions in their field. Election to the RSC is considered the highest academic honour a scholar can receive in the arts, humanities and sciences. Warsh joins more than 2,000 other Canadians who have received this recognition.

Warsh was recognized for her ground-breaking work in Canadian

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healthcare history, and for highlighting issues facing vulnerable populations in the 19th century, including people with mental health issues, addictions and children. She was also recognized for shaping a flourishing research field in her area of study, as editor of the Canadian Bulletin of Medical History.

Warsh’s research focuses on the everyday lives of people, with some of her more notable research delving into the lives of patients at the London Psychiatric Hospital and the Homewood Retreat of Guelph, Ontario.

“I wanted to go beyond the images, promotional literature and the glossy veneer and see what was going on in

VIU History Professor Dr. Cheryl Krasnick Warsh

History Professor Receives Highest Academic Honour

the lives of average Canadians,” says Warsh. “Everything we know about patients is through the eyes of authority figures, doctors and police.”

This is VIU’s second RSC honour.

In 2014, Susan Juby was the first VIU faculty member to be inducted into RSC’s College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists. 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at VIU’s Nanaimo Campus

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Visits VIU for Town Hall

On February 2, close to 1,600 people packed into the VIU gym for an opportunity to participate in democracy in action. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

came to the Nanaimo Campus for the last in a series of Town Halls across Canada. It was the only Town Hall held in British Columbia.

Half an hour before doors opened at 9 am, the lineup was down the block.

People arrived waving Canadian flags, playing traditional First Nations drums, carrying signs of protest, bearing

pictures of loved ones lost to the opioid crisis, and exhibiting the regalia of their Indigenous cultures.

The format was simple: Trudeau randomly called on people in the audience to ask questions or share their thoughts. It lasted for two hours and covered a range of topics, including the Kinder Morgan pipeline, the cost of prescription drugs, supports for children in care, gender equality matters, and the inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women. 

Kaitlyn Lafontaine dreams of using her education as a tool for change.

“I really want to use my education to give back to my community and make a difference,” says Lafontaine, a member of the Métis Nation.

“School has taught me I am someone who can make those changes.”

It’s important to Lafontaine to make a positive impact for Indigenous people in Canada. The First Nations Studies and Criminology alum is studying Aboriginal law in the University of British Columbia’s Peter A. Allard School of Law. It’s more good news for the former VIU Mariners student-athlete, whose final year at VIU was full of wins.

In November, Lafontaine, a guard for the Mariners women’s basketball team,

received the 2017 Premier’s Award for Aboriginal Youth Excellence in Sport – Interior Region. The win served as a nomination for the Provincial Awards, which Lafontaine also won last March – just one of 12 winners across BC. “I was very proud to represent my family, my nation and my communities both at school and back home,” she says.

The awards recognize athletes who have achieved excellence in sport, leadership and cultural awareness, and have dedicated themselves to pursuing higher education.

“Seeing Kaitlyn recognized as a winner of the prestigious Premier’s Award for Aboriginal Youth Excellence in Sport is thrilling,” says Stephanie White, VIU’s Director of High

Kaitlyn Lafontaine

Scholar-athlete Alum Wins Premier’s Award for Aboriginal Youth Excellence in Sport

Performance Sport, Recreation and Physical Literacy. “I have had the pleasure of working with Kaitlyn on various projects within the Mariners department and I am always impressed with the passion and expertise Kaitlyn shares. She is an example of the exceptional scholar-athletes we have in the Mariners family.” 

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Vancouver Island University is committed to creating a safe, supportive and respectful learning environment.

The Know More Education Campaign supports that commitment and aims to raise awareness of and create conversations about sexual violence and misconduct and its impact, as well as the support services that exist in the VIU community.

“We want to let students know that faculty and staff are here to listen and can refer students to counselling and medical supports located in the VIU student Health and Wellness Centre should they experience sexualized violence,” says Bryan Tinlin, VIU’s Director of Student Services. “These services, along with my office, can also help connect students to community resources.”

Last fall, the Know More Campaign introduced two themes: Know Consent and Know Support as a way to create opportunities for conversations.

Last spring, the theme Know How to Listen was released.

“This is certainly an interesting time to be doing this type of work – we are

Chantelle Spicer, VIU Students’ Union

Know More Campaign Raises Awareness about Consent and Support Services

all learning so much about consent and sexual violence on campuses and in society,” says Chantelle Spicer, VIU Students’ Union, Women Students’ Representative. “The goal of the Know More campaign should always be to provide opportunities for the campus community to engage in a deeper conversation about what consent means in our daily actions – it’s about more than sex! Consent intersects with

issues of basic respect for one another, Indigenous sovereignty and land rights, and digital spaces. We all have so much more to learn as we deepen our ability to live more consensual lives.”

Know More is sponsored by the Moose Hide Campaign Safe Space, Safe Place initiative and the Vancouver Island University Students’ Union.

For more information, visit: viu.ca/ know-more. 

New Lecture Series Explores Reconciliation A free monthly lecture series that aims to stimulate community dialogue about the relationship between Canada’s Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples launched at VIU last December.

Delivered through VIU’s Centre for Pre-Confederation Treaties and Reconciliation, the series has included talks by Dr. Judith Sayers, President of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council and Adjunct Professor at the University of Victoria; Adam Olsen, MLA of Saanich

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North and the Gulf Islands and a member of the Tsartlip First Nation; and Chief Robert Chamberlin, Vice-President of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs and Co-founder of the First Nations Wild Salmon Alliance.

“The intention of this series is to create community spaces to learn about and engage in complex discussions about the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in this country,” says Douglas White, Centre Director.

“Reconciliation is a new idea in Canada.

We are at an important moment in Canada that calls for national reflection of a deep kind on this topic.”

To learn more, visit: ur.viu.ca/reconciliation-road. 

No homework. No grades. No pressure.

VIU’s ElderCollege is about the pure joy of lifelong learning.

At its core, VIU ElderCollege is about inspiring learners 50 years old or better to explore new ideas, expand their knowledge and make connections in their community. Regan McKeever, Program Coordinator, says attending courses keeps the mind active and promotes healthy aging.

This fall, ElderCollege celebrates 25 years serving Vancouver Island communities. It all started in 1993 when a group of volunteers came together to create the organization. Now it has almost 1,000 members and offers nearly 100 courses annually, all led by instructors as passionate about learning as the students.

Volunteers are the driving force behind ElderCollege. Without their dedication and enthusiasm, it wouldn’t be possible to provide these learning opportunities to community members.

McKeever says when volunteers and learners come together it’s like two pieces of the same heart joining as one.

“The volunteers are the heartbeat of ElderCollege” she says. “They are the reason this program has flourished over the past 25 years.”

A celebration was held in Parksville recently to mark the occasion.

To learn more, please visit: viu.ca/ElderCollege. 

VIU Creative Writing student Shanon Sinn

Vancouver Island’s Ghost Stories Investigated

VIU Creative Writing student Shanon Sinn is fascinated by ghost stories – so much so that he wrote a book exploring some of the Island’s legendary supernatural tales.

In The Haunting of Vancouver Island, Sinn investigates more than two dozen different ghost stories and supernatural events, including stories about VIU’s Malaspina Theatre ghost. From a headless ghost, to a lady who walks on water, to the wild people of the woods, he brings these tales to life through careful research, interviews and site visits.

“It’s a fun way to look at our own mortality,” says Sinn, a self-described believer and skeptic who has had numerous supernatural experiences of his own throughout his lifetime. “The thing I love the most about these stories E D. HAUNT is they are a uniting factor for people. So many people have had encounters N D IS A L IS R L TA LE S AT U RA C O U V E all religions.”

SU PE RN T with the supernatural and they are pervasive acrossVA allNcultures, ON OF N ’S B ES TI IO EC G LL RE CO F TH E H ’S N EW SO M E O LAU N C N SI N N K TH O O N EA A BO SH The stories span the length and breadth of Vancouver Island, TH B EN Uand S FO R A . JO IN U S TH E TR H RE RT LO U N EA FO LK D S A N Dgroups Sinn includes stories from the three major First Nations language ps LEG EN K N OW N Go os eb um Gu ar ante ed on the Island: the Kwakwaka’wakw, the Coast Salish Ev er yo ne and the Nuu-chah-nulth. They are written to be W el co m e enjoyed by skeptics and believers alike. “I’m just n dr in Ha ll ow ee acknowledging that these stories exist,” says Sinn. se rv ks ac sn & The book deal came about after Sinn met Taryn Boyd, Publisher of TouchWood Editions, when she came to VIU Creative Writing Professor Dr. Joy Gugeler’s publishing class. The Haunting of Vancouver Island, published last fall, is available at the VIU Campus Store, or by going to touchwoodeditions.com. 

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Indigenous Students Embrace Success in EleV Partnership

BY JENN MCGARRIGLE

Last fall, VIU became part of EleV, a new collaboration with Indigenous communities, the Mastercard Foundation, the Rideau Hall Foundation and Yukon College. The first of its kind in Canada, this learning partnership aims to better support Indigenous learners in their post-secondary educational journeys and beyond by removing barriers and providing wrap-around support services. Students and staff share their thoughts so far.

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photo credit: Island Expressions Photography

With two young sons to support, going back to school seemed a distant dream for Mandii Hopkins.

The 26-year-old single mother of two wanted to go back to school for years, but raising her two boys had taken all of her resources. She tears up when she talks about finding a way to get the education she so desperately wants, not only to build a better life for her and her children, but also to raise up others in her community.

EleV includes a scholarship program to increase the number of Indigenous youth attending VIU by 250 as well as supports to help students navigate university and transition into the work force afterwards.

“For me, this program is the light at the end of the tunnel – there’s no way I would be in school right now without it,” says Hopkins, a Criminology student who hopes to go to law school after she finishes her degree so she can become an advocate for people in her community. “I just want to show myself and those who believe in me that I can do this, and show my sons that they can do it too – we can take that step forward to get ahead.”

Hopkins, whose mother is from Mowachaht Muchalaht First Nation in Gold River, is one of more than 80 Indigenous students at Vancouver Island University who are benefitting from a unique new learning partnership for Indigenous youth called EleV that aims to remove barriers to accessing and succeeding at postsecondary. Supported by the Mastercard Foundation and Rideau Hall Foundation, VIU and Yukon College were chosen to start the new program.

EleV includes a scholarship program to increase the number of Indigenous

Birth of the Partnership While Indigenous youth make up the fastest-growing demographic in Canada, their transition rates to post-secondary fall below those of other Canadians. Inspired by the work the Mastercard Foundation has been doing in Africa to help young people find a pathway out of poverty through meaningful employment, the Rideau Hall Foundation partnered with the Mastercard Foundation to co-host two events in 2016 that brought together national Indigenous and non-Indigenous leaders, education experts and youth to discuss a national project that would support Indigenous youth in their aspirations. The ultimate goal was to improve outcomes for these learners. The ideas discussed and developed at these sessions gave birth to EleV. “Education offers great potential for all of us to open pathways to reconciliation,” says Teresa Marques, President and CEO of the Rideau Hall Foundation. “This work cannot be done in isolation, and we are partnering with institutions and Indigenous communities to model a co-creation process that allows everyone to benefit. Success comes in many shapes and sizes, from the student who gains self-confidence through a network of support, to the pride Elders feel as the youth in their communities stand tall as learners.”

VIU was chosen as one of the institutions to pilot this new way of engaging Indigenous youth in post-secondary education because of the rich relationships the institution has already built with the Indigenous communities it serves, says Reeta Roy, President and CEO of the Mastercard Foundation.

“What we found in VIU and in their partnerships with First Nations, nurtured with such care and respect, is a rich opportunity to learn,” she says. “Reconciliation is a complex challenge and the need for action is great. Through deepening and broadening collaborative partnerships, we believe the potential of Indigenous youth to lead the way forward is even greater. We are inspired and optimistic about supporting educational outcomes that are truly meaningful for Indigenous youth and their communities.” youth attending VIU by 250 as well as supports to help students navigate university and transition into the work force afterwards. What makes the program unique is that it is being co-created with the Indigenous communities the University serves, whose input shapes what supports are delivered and how. This means the program is delivered differently at VIU than it is at Yukon College.

Navigating Post-Secondary Key to the program’s wrap-around supports at VIU are the Indigenous Education Navigators, who work on campuses and in communities to help

youth access the supports they need to start or continue along their journey at VIU. For Hopkins, having that extra support has made all the difference. Hopkins had her first son when she was 18 – before she had the chance to complete high school. The road back to education – she finished her high school in VIU’s Adult Basic Education program – has been a terrifying one as she tries to ensure her sons are not negatively impacted in any way.

The scholarship covers tuition, books and living expenses, but one month an electronic glitch set her behind on

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Explanation EleV reflects a lesson of nature – that leadership is service; that by helping others, we fulfil a greater purpose. EleV uplifts Indigenous students, embracing learning and leadership.

By encouraging students to fly higher through education, EleV creates the opportunity for young people to prosper and contribute to their communities.

The program and the students involved share a commitment to an unselfish act of leadership. The program exists to assist Indigenous students.

The students participate to help create better lives for their families and communities.

They may (in some cases) leave their communities to study, but unfailingly return to support others.

It reminds us of the migratory patterns of geese/ducks, where each member takes a turn in leading the “vee” formation.

It’s an act of extreme unselfishness – taking their turn at the hardest job to help uplift others travelling alongside them.

It’s not about control or dominance; it is doing their part to help others.

her rent. Education Navigator Emmy Manson made some calls and figured out a way to get the money sent through email transfer so Hopkins could pay her landlord.

“Without her I would have felt so alone, it would have been too intimidating to

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try to come back,” says Hopkins.

“Emmy has helped me through everything – what I need to fill out, who I need to talk to for different things. She’s gone above and beyond to get me to where I need to be. Whenever I lose my strength, she is there to lend me some of hers.”

Breaking New Ground The Indigenous Education Navigators support students from when they are still in the K-12 system – as well as youth who have disengaged from the education system – through to when they graduate from VIU, walking with them to ensure they are successful in their journeys. For Manson, a VIU alum herself, this means driving students to court dates, having coffee with them, checking in via Snapchat, and celebrating their successes with them.

“It’s been a journey of getting them to view us as a resource, but also to teach them to become advocates for themselves,” she says. “We hold them up and we mentor them. Many of my family members went through residential school and the impacts

Valley region, says explaining the opportunity to some communities has been difficult.

“A strong focus of EleV is on relationship building and trust building with our partners. The intention is that the program is co-created between VIU and our First Nations partners, and for the co-creation model to work, strong relationships need to be in place,” she says.

Part of the challenge is that the program is so new and nothing like it has ever been done before, explains Rob Depriest, a Navigator at the Nanaimo Campus.

“We are going out and blazing this new trail, which is part of the excitement for me,” he says.

“We’re experimenting as we go.

Fortunately, that allows a lot of room for student and community feedback.”

Sherry Mattice, Navigator for the Powell River region, says spending time in communities makes all the difference.

“When I went to Bella Bella, someone threw a party for me and many

VIU Indigenous Education Navigators, from left: Rob Depriest, Emmy Manson, Sherry Mattice and Tasha Brooks

of colonization run deep. For me, education has been a tool to build me up and create opportunities for me that I might never have had.

We’re reclaiming education.”

community members came and talked

The journey has not always been smooth. Tasha Brooks, Education Navigator for the Cowichan

I help live in remote communities and

to me about their educational experiences,” she says. “The teachers were excited that I was there in person.

It’s so important because the students coming to VIU might be the first time they’ve left their communities.”

The first year of implementing EleV was intense and challenging for Dr. Sharon Hobenshield, VIU’s Director of Aboriginal Education and Engagement. Most of the programs her office receives funding for are already developed and have a clear set of deliverables, whereas EleV was created from the ground up by VIU and partners. Many of the students are first-generation learners who don’t have someone talking to them about post-secondary and their experiences, which makes taking that step a lot scarier for many, she adds.

“What we are hearing and observing from students in the program is gratitude for the support as well as identification of the everyday challenges that impact their abilities to persist in their educational programs,” says Hobenshield. “As we transition into year two, I am looking forward to developing further supports to alleviate these everyday stressors, such as getting kids to daycare and knowing how to talk to instructors to clarify assignments. We have excellent resources at VIU and in the community – the vision is to be more purposeful in our collaborations, which the program is allowing us to do. VIU continually strives to be a place where we can give Indigenous learners a voice and an opportunity.”

Jen White

New Beginnings

Jen White feels like she’s been given a second chance at achieving her dreams.

Two years ago, the Snuneymuxw First Nation member hit rock bottom.

Pregnant with her youngest daughter and addicted to drugs, she was caught stealing to support her habit and ended up in jail after

New Tuition Approach for Peoples with Ancestral Lands in Canada

VIU will recognize any Indigenous peoples living outside Canada with ancestral lands in Canada as domestic students rather than international students.

Under this new tuition approach, Indigenous students with this ancestral connection will no longer be subject to an “international” tuition classification, but will be granted recognition as members of Indigenous nations and be eligible for the lower domestic tuition rate.

“VIU is committed to being a catalyst, through steps such as this, in moving the process of reconciliation forward,” explains Makenzie Leine, Chair of VIU’s Board of Governors. “It is important that universities provide access to education for Indigenous peoples by reaching out and building pathways to success for Indigenous youth and their communities.”

missing court dates and breaching probation conditions.

“I felt so lost, broken and hopeless, sitting there in that jail cell,” says White.

“I was thinking about what I was going to do differently when this baby came into the world. I knew I had to put down the drugs for her.”

After seeking treatment, White turned her mind to education. She had initially enrolled at VIU right out of high school, but put her dreams on hold to support her children. Now that she’s back, with the help of a scholarship through EleV, she has very specific goals she wants to achieve. White hopes to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Child and Youth Care, and then enter a career helping women fleeing violent situations.

“Being here has been amazing,” she says. “It seems unreal that I’m actually doing this and my dream is coming true. There are many different support systems on campus, and everyone has been willing to reach out and go above and beyond to help.

Emmy hosted a dinner with the scholarship students and many of us ended up in the same classes.

We're also dealing with many of the same issues like addiction. We are helping each other along the way.”

White hopes that her journey will in turn inspire her children, two of whom are now in high school.

“My hope is for all five of my children to aspire to continue with their education and use it to become whatever they choose to be,” she adds. 

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Kicking it with Takano B Y R AC H E L S T E R N

For Shun Takano, his teammates are his band of brothers. The VIU Mariners student-athlete, a midfielder who plays on the men’s soccer team, says they are like family and he receives so much support both on and off the pitch. Takano, an ESL student from Chiba, Japan, came to VIU to study English and play the sport he loves at a higher professional level. Last season did not disappoint. VIU's men's soccer team won the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Nationals and during the tournament, Takano was named Most Valuable Player.

He was also a finalist for Sport BC’s College Athlete of the Year.

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Takano’s love of soccer started when a girl in his Kindergarten class told him she thought soccer boys were cool. At the time, he was in swimming school. His father said if he wanted to play soccer he needed to pass his swimming test. He passed and promptly enrolled in soccer. While his infatuation with his Kindergarten girlfriend faded, his love for soccer never wavered. We sat down with Takano during a break from his studies to see why soccer is such a big part of his life and why he’s playing it here.

I have three favourite memories in my soccer career: playing soccer in Italy, becoming a high school national champion in Japan, and becoming a CCAA National Champion here.

When I played soccer in high school, our team went to Italy for camp training one summer. I was 17 years old and I experienced international-level soccer.

We played against teams from Colombia, Chile, South Africa, Slovenia and Italy. Those teams’ players were very skillful and stronger than us.

Playing soccer with them was hugely beneficial for my soccer career.

Second is when our team won the high school national soccer championships. Although I never cry after winning a game, I was crying after that game!

The last one is the CCAA National Championship win last year. I had never become a champion in another country. This memory was especially important because the championships were hosted by VIU so we were playing soccer on our home ground.

Nanaimo’s people and VIU students became one in the tournament.

I cannot forget the moment — ever.

Why did you decided to attend VIU? After graduating from high school, I did not enroll in a Japanese university because I wanted to be a pro soccer player, but the pro team’s talent scout did not contact me. Since pro soccer players’ careers are short, I wanted to do it right after high school. I went to Europe to try out for a professional soccer team, but I couldn’t have a contract with the pro teams in Europe

so I decided to stay in Europe to play soccer with my visitor visa. A few years later, I started to focus on education instead. I was thinking, “What will I do when I retire from playing soccer?

Be unemployed?” My friend said, “If you are interested I can contact the coach at VIU and then you can play soccer there while learning English.”

as MVP. I was confused, but my teammate sung my song, Hey Jude by the Beatles, so I could realize that I won tournament MVP. The meaning of the award is best player in CCAA men’s soccer. Therefore, the award gives me big pressure and responsibility, but I would like to keep it on my mind to achieve again.

Why did you want to play soccer at VIU?

What are your plans after you finish your degree at VIU?

I heard about my teammates and some of the VIU soccer team’s victories. Our team is a diverse group because of all the international players, which gives the team positive chemistry. VIU won the national championships before, so I thought playing for VIU would be a good opportunity to be a national champion.

After graduating with my Tourism Management degree at VIU, I would like to open a business that combines sports and tourism. I have been playing soccer for 19 years and I know other sports as well. Tourism is a big business market around the world, so connecting these two subjects is going to be a great business. I am still figuring out what I need to achieve the dream, so I cannot tell it here yet, but it will be quite a big project for people who love sports and tourism. I have not decided if I will stay in Canada or return to Japan. 

How did it feel when the VIU Mariners men’s soccer team won the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association National Championship?

I had a lot of different types of feelings, but one thought was, “Finally!” I came to VIU in August 2016.

We lost provincials that year to Douglas College. After that first season, all of us were talking about how we were going to win next year’s championships and concentrating hard on accomplishing that task.

At the tournament, you were named the CCAA MVP. How did that make you feel?

To be honest I did not expect it.

My teammates were playing so well at the tournament and I wasn’t named a National All-Star; however, they said we have one more award to celebrate.

Then they announced my name

Shun Takano

What are some of your favourite memories from playing soccer over the years?

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For the L ve of Rocks: REBECCA STIRLING’S STORY

By Jenn McGarrigle

For many students, the journey starts in VIU’s Adult Basic Education (ABE) program. Earth Science alum Rebecca Stirling is one of those students with an incredible story of resilience and determination to share

Rebecca Stirling on a trek to the Kokanee Glacier Keyhole near Nelson, BC

that starts in ABE and leads to an Arctic adventure.

ebecca Stirling will never forget the day when, lying immobile in a Victoria hospital bed, the nurse dialled her mother’s number and passed her the phone.

who was thousands of miles away in Ontario, how serious her injuries were. The accident left her with a broken pelvis and some internal organ damage.

A Journey of Self-Discovery

By this point, Stirling had been in hospital for several days after getting hit by a car in Nanaimo. She was struggling with how to tell her mother,

“I was terrified I’d never walk again,” she remembers. “Any time I lifted a toe or arm, I felt excruciating pain. I didn’t know what would happen to me.”

She was living in the Country Club area of the city and her friend would come home at lunchtime to wheel Stirling up a short hill to the library,

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While it felt like the end at the time, the accident ended up being a turning point for Stirling, who had moved to Nanaimo from Ontario when she turned 18.

where she would grab books to read while convalescing.

One book she kept coming back to described early explorers of the Arctic and Antarctic regions. She put herself in the shoes of the explorers, imagining what it would have been like to go on those expeditions. The stories sparked a new desire in Stirling to have her own exploratory adventures.

“It was in that chair I realized that I wouldn’t fulfill any of my dreams without an education,” says Stirling.

Following her Passion Over time, with the help of some intensive physiotherapy sessions, she was back on her feet. She plucked up the courage to enroll in Adult Basic Education (ABE) at VIU (then Malaspina University-College) so she could finish her high school diploma, as she left high school a couple courses shy of graduating.

Stirling conducts research in the Northwest Territories

“It went better than I ever could have imagined,” she remembers, although she struggled to pay her rent and living expenses as well as tuition.

Stirling presents her research at a conference

“I had lots of time on my hands to think about what I wanted to do and I realized that I loved to learn,” she says.

“I would wheel myself home and sit on the deck for hours, reading stacks of books. I liked non-fiction, anything about geography or science-related.”

She got through these struggles with support from people like her Chemistry teacher, Dr. Glenda Hunter, who often offered her a ride to work after class.

She started making more connections at VIU when she happened on a Campus Recreation poster advertising weekly trips to different parts of Vancouver Island and signed up for some of them.

On an overnight hike to Mount Arrowsmith, one of her peers, who was studying geology, identified all the rocks the group encountered along the way. It blew Stirling’s mind.

The next morning, when she woke up to a gorgeous pastel sunrise over the mountaintops, she resolved to continue on with her education that fall.

“Was I worried I wasn’t smart enough for university? Yes. But was I going to miss out on the skiing, paddling and caving trips? No. I knew that it was the right thing to do, and I knew if I didn’t do it then, it might not happen,” she explains. “I just decided to follow my passion. I had no idea what I was good at, I just knew I was interested in rocks and the natural environments around us.”

Working with Rocks After finishing the ABE program, Stirling signed up for the Forestry diploma program. The following summer, she got an exciting job hiking around in the bush on Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii as a silviculture summer student with Island Timberlands. But the forestry industry was crashing when she finished her diploma in 2008, so she pressed on with an Earth Science degree. By this time, Stirling was working for Campus Recreation, leading some of those trips that inspired her to continue with her education, as well as several other departments at VIU. The day she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 2010, Stirling dropped her proud parents off at the Nanaimo Airport and headed straight up Island to begin working as a geologist for a consulting company.

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Stirling at camp in the Lac de Gras region of the Northwest Territories

“I couldn’t believe that I was getting paid to work with rocks,” she remembers. “Eventually, I formed my own consulting company, doing work for junior mining companies and mom and pop prospectors, and realized I could really up my game if I had my next level of education.”

Arctic Exploration Stirling found her dream master’s program in the University of Waterloo’s Earth and Environmental Sciences Department, where she was accepted to join a team doing research in the Arctic.

“My advisor had several students apply to be part of the team and he told me the deciding factor that made me stand out was the reference letters from my VIU professors,” she says.

Earth Science Professor Dr. Steven Earle encouraged Stirling to go down this path. He says Stirling’s determination to succeed and her enthusiasm for the work made it easy to recommend her for grad school.

Stirling collecting samples as part of her research into how glaciers move across landscapes

“We’ve kept in touch since she graduated and it’s become clear that her determination and enthusiasm have only grown,” he says. “Her success in both work and academics makes me proud to have been one of her mentors at VIU.”

Stirling is researching the diverse glacial geology south of Lac de Gras in the Northwest Territories. She is studying how glaciers moved over that landscape and how and where the material under glaciers was moved – research that will have implications for drift prospecting, a mineral prospecting technique that aims to stake out and follow a mineral trail. It also has implications for climate change research, in helping scientists predict future behaviour of glaciers.

Last July, Stirling spent three weeks in the field, hiking around in the Arctic tundra and collecting samples.

“It is a landscape I could never conceive of,” she says. “There’s no trees, nothing out there except gently rolling, glacial landforms that limit the distance you can see.”

Stirling finishes her master’s in September 2019, after which she hasn’t decided whether she will grow her consulting business, use her specialization to expand her career to water resource management or infrastructure development, or return to the forestry industry.

When she thinks back on the past 15 years, Stirling is grateful for discovering that passion for learning while wheelchair-bound, and for the inviting and welcoming environment VIU provided – both in class and through the many outdoor extracurricular activities she participated in.

“It was a culmination of everything I have done, from when I started in ABE to when I decided to go back to school to do my master’s, that made me qualified to do what I am doing now,” she says. “From the beginning I persisted through constant doubts and difficulties without giving up, which inadvertently prepared me for the amazing adventures I’m having now.” 

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Research@VIU Every year, faculty and students at VIU go out into communities to participate in research that is having significant impacts on the region as well as giving students important experiential learning opportunities. Here are a few projects they engaged in this year.

Helping Salmon and Sturgeon Survive Rising River Temperatures

Dr. Dan Baker, a VIU fish physiologist, with sturgeon fry housed at VIU's International Centre for Sturgeon Studies

stages of white sturgeon and salmonids.

These species aren’t able to adapt to temperature changes the same way fish that live in the rivers and streams all year round can. White sturgeon and salmonids are anadromous, which means they go to sea for part of their life and then return to spawn.

“Sturgeon and salmon are two of the most important fish in British Columbia economically, culturally and ecologically,” says Baker.

“The Discovery Grant will allow me to focus on conservation topics critical to the survival of these species.”

Difficulties arise when hot, sunny days increase water temperatures, which may in turn greatly alter rates of larval development. Increased water temperatures can speed up development, but this could also lead fish to deplete food sources in their ecosystems before they are ready to head out to sea, says Baker.

When the temperatures get too high, development is abnormal, and fish die shortly after they hatch.

Climate change is having devastating effects on species around the world.

In North America, where river systems continue to get warmer year after year, just one day of intense hot weather has the potential to raise water temperatures enough to devastate an entire population of white sturgeon or salmonid eggs and larvae, says Dr. Dan Baker, a VIU fish physiologist.

Baker is researching how increasing temperatures are affecting these populations thanks to a $115,000 Discovery Grant, to be distributed over

five years, from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

Discovery Grants provide funding for Canadian researchers to pursue promising breakthroughs and ideas in their field of study and are meant to foster research excellence. The grant also allows Baker to train undergraduate students, as well as several graduate students, to work with him on the research project.

Baker’s research could open the doors for other scientists to work on management strategies. Baker says once temperature thresholds are better understood, it could lead to prioritizing management strategies aimed at protecting the fish or manipulating water temperatures of spawning grounds. 

Baker is trying to discover how water temperatures affect the early life

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Research@VIU Working Where the Devil Dances Blaney and her team found that individual and collective resilience is based on inter-relationships between six core categories: relationships, personal resources, meaning-making, culture, leadership and knowledge.

Firefighting can be an intense, stressful job. Of the 14,000 people who do this important, life-saving work, more than 10,000 of them are volunteers, says VIU Health and Human Services Professor Leigh Blaney, who for the past decade has been researching resilience — the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties.

Her research led to a new definition of resilience for rescue workers such as firefighters, nurses, police officers and others who deal with trauma on a regular

basis, and has contributed original knowledge and additional insights into how we think about resilience.

Blaney found that resilience is not a linear model, but a multi-dimensional, interactive and dynamic concept, which people experience differently.

The research is important because it uncovered ways to build resilience in front-line workers who, due in part to the work they perform, may be at higher risk of developing mental health problems.

The Messages in the Medium Historians can tell a lot about how people were thinking, feeling and living during a certain time period by examining what they were reading, writing and, starting in the last century, watching on television.

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Blaney continues to tour the research presentation “Working Where the Devil Dances” and is developing programs and curricula on how to apply resilience in high-risk professions. “A starting place for an organization would be to use one or more of the resilience categories such as culture and relationships to focus on the interplay of those categories,” she says. 

anti-communist, patriotic messages about fighting for American values.

The researchers are also looking at what the shows convey to young watchers about gender roles. There are few female characters and those that are present are portrayed as helpless and have strictly domestic roles.

VIU History Professors Dr. Katharine Rollwagen and Dr. Cheryl Warsh are investigating the role 1950s television programs for American children played in reinforcing Cold War ideologies.

“Television was a new medium and lots of producers were experimenting with different types of programming,” says Rollwagen. “In the context of the Cold War, TV was a powerful medium for messages about things like democracy, capitalism and the Soviet menace. Being able to prevent the spread of communism was something children were told they should participate in – not in explicit ways, but in more subtle ways.”

“Volunteer firefighters are a unique group because they are asked to deal with the same situations yet generally have less training and less dollars available to them than career firefighters, and despite their vast numbers, less consideration is given to their mental health,” Blaney explains. “They may attend a fire or a severe accident, and then have to go back to their job with little or no time to debrief.

These challenges make it important to capture health information from the volunteer perspective.”

To do their research, Rollwagen and Warsh each spent time in the film and television archives at UCLA in Los Angeles. Looking at programs like Captain Midnight, about a Korean Air Force veteran dedicated to fighting crime and advancing international diplomacy, Rollwagen and Walsh are documenting

Rollwagen, a firm believer in the power of historical context to help societies react to contemporary events in a more reflective way, says the research she and Warsh are conducting not only examines what it was like growing up in that time period, but also contributes to the wider discussion about how media influences children.

“What we’d like to be able to add to that discussion is a little bit of historical insight into the fact that these discussions keep happening,” she says.

Rollwagen and Warsh are co-writing an article summarizing their findings. 

Research@VIU What stops a person from adopting a change in their business operations, and what factors could convince them to make that change?

Students in VIU Professor Dr. Matthew Bowes’ upper-level Cultural Geography class attempted to answer these questions this spring as part of his latest research project, which employs a political ecology approach to explore the enablers and constraints of bio-diesel use in commercial, industrial and institutional vehicle fleets within the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN).

Bio-diesel is produced using renewable resources such as waste cooking oils.

The research project received funding through VIU’s Regional Initiatives Fund, a partnership between the University, the provincial government and a community partner – in this case the Cowichan Bio-Diesel Co-op (CB-DC) — to enable students to participate in meaningful, community-based, applied research that directly responds to community needs.

Bowes hopes the research will both target potential greenhouse gas (GHG)

VIU students Jordan Lineker (L) and Caleb McIntyre

Cultural Geography Students Investigate Perceptions of Bio-Diesel

reductions in the RDN and increase awareness among commercial and industrial fleet operators about bio-diesel as an alternative to fossil fuels. According to the provincial government, fossil fuel-dependent transportation accounts for 37.2 per cent of BC’s total GHG emissions. The focus on large fleets would put a large dent in that total if business owners chose to make the switch.

“This is an opportunity to dispel some of the myths about and create awareness of bio-diesel as an alternative to fossil fuels,” says Bowes.

Bowes hired three research assistants – two from VIU and one from the CB-DC

– to conduct an inventory of commercial, industrial and government fleets operating in the RDN region, collect background research on the use of bio-diesel in large fleets and come up with a short list of fleet operators for students in Bowes’ class to interview. Each student interviewed one business operator and wrote a paper summarizing the results of their findings.

“It makes you really aware of the ways you think and how our backgrounds shape our behaviour,” says Global Studies student Jordan Lineker, who wants to become an urban planner. “To ask people to do something differently, you need to recognize where people are coming from.”

The Cowichan Bio-Diesel Co-op produces and distributes bio-diesel from waste cooking oils collected from restaurants and people’s homes to about 250 members on Vancouver Island.

“It’s really important for us to try and get an understanding of how people perceive it so we can better present it to the public as a feasible alternative,” says Co-op President Brian Roberts, who is also a sessional instructor at VIU. 

Homemade Tourism: The Artisan Economy

From microbrews and ciders to handmade jewelry and pottery, the re-emergence of the artisan economy offers significant opportunities for Vancouver Island residents.

“We conducted a study in 2016 on food artisans in BC and found evidence that consumer demand for artisanal products has been increasing,” says John Predyk, a VIU Recreation and Tourism Professor.

In that study, VIU concluded that nearly half of artisans generated all of their

income from their business, while 40 per cent of artisans earned at least half of their income through that work.

Most of the employment generated by artisan businesses was likely to be full-time or permanent. Artisans were interested in seeing their businesses continue to grow, but they were seeking guidance to make the next steps on their entrepreneurial journeys.

“There is a need to support this new economy, as most artisans are not trained in entrepreneurship and are largely self-taught,” explains Predyk.

VIU researchers are at the forefront of discovering the challenges and prospects of the sector to support the success of local businesses.

In 2017, VIU partnered with the province and Société de développement économique de la Colombie-Britannique (SDÉCB) to evaluate the economic impact of adoption of the ÉCONOMUSÉE© model for artisans. The ÉCONOMUSÉE© model promotes the preservation of

traditional knowledge and local entrepreneurship by using cultural tourism to showcase artisans and encourage the purchase of locally produced artisanal products.

All except one of the artisans participating in the research saw an increase in revenue after adopting the model. All businesses surveyed saw increased traffic and had extremely positive visitor experience satisfaction, with 96 per cent of visitors stating they would recommend the artisan to others.

The project, supported by the VIU Regional Initiatives Fund, provided research experience and employment for four VIU Faculty of Management students.

Next up in his artisan economy research, Predyk and students are expanding on that knowledge by conducting another research project to identify and map the emerging artisan economy across the country.  FA L L 2 0 1 8

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by Aly Winks

VIU Students Helping Most Vulnerable Victims of Opioid Crisis People who experience childhood trauma often describe the event as life-changing, and rarely for the better.

Research suggests that early intervention after such events can make all the difference in a young person’s life.

That’s where VIU Child and Youth Care students and faculty hope to make an impact.

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British Columbia is currently in the middle of a medical health crisis that is leaving untold numbers of traumatized children in its wake. Every day, the opioid crisis takes the lives of about four individuals in the province, according to the BC Coroner’s Service.

Its collateral damage includes children who have lost parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and other loved ones to overdose deaths. Others are affected in less direct ways, such as through the media or having other adults or friends in their lives who are users.

Community in Crisis Simply keeping people alive after fentanyl and carfentanil poisonings has frontline workers burnt out – emotionally and physically exhausted from what they see and do every day.

Aside from these obvious victims of the opioid crisis are their family members and friends.

It was in this context that Child and Youth Care students at VIU started asking what was happening to the 26 VIU Magazine

children who are involved in the crisis – and discovered a gap in support.

Emma Gillis is one of those students. She began her degree with an interest in addiction, but did not know where her education might lead her. When the opportunity for her practicum came up, this topic and its unseen victims drew her in.

Gillis and her partner discovered

are children. There was a gap for the most vulnerable people in our population. To compound the tragedy, we know that early treatment in dealing with trauma can make all the difference in a young person’s life.”

This led Gillis to develop, for her practicum through VIU’s Centre for Community Outreach and Care (CCOC), a program that aims to help children touched by the opioid crisis.

use and their loved ones.

However, nothing is ever as straightforward as it seems and Gillis, along with her mentor, Child and Youth Care Professor Teri Derksen, quickly realized simply getting in touch with their target audience was a considerable challenge.

“We just kept asking ourselves, ‘What is happening to the children?’” the fourth-year student says. “Statistics show that most poisonings happen in homes or buildings, and wherever there are homes, oftentimes there

“We started reaching out to various community organizations as we thought we may be able to build a coalition to get the required care to these children. The groups we spoke to were receptive and our current coalition includes Island Health, NARSF Programs Ltd. and the BC

the biggest obstacle to helping this vulnerable group of children is the stigma that surrounds those who engage in substance

Ministry of Children and Family Development,” Gillis says.

Gillis and her partners discovered the biggest obstacle to helping this vulnerable group of children is the stigma that surrounds those who engage in substance use and their loved ones.

“Our community partners kept talking about how hard it is to get people who are facing these challenges to come in and discuss their problems,” says Derksen.

“The shame people experience stops them from getting help. So, the people who see their children suffering from the epidemic may feel so guilty they almost can’t do anything.”

Recognizing this, Gillis, Derksen and their team decided the best way forward was to develop some communication with the professionals who work with these groups.

From there, they would be able to determine how to eliminate barriers to accessing services and programs.

Long-term work with community groups takes funds, and time was running out on Gillis’s practicum.

Teri Derksen and Emma Gillis

Breaking Down Barriers

“It started to become a question of what was going to happen when Emma left,” says Derksen.

Next Steps Gillis did not want to leave with the work unfinished either. In the midst of developing the programming, they began, with help from their community partners, a hunt for funds.

“We submitted a proposal to the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, and we were amazed to find out we were successful for the full amount we requested,” Derksen says.

“I think it was a recognition of the importance of the work.”

Province Launches #StopOverdose Campaign There is a public health emergency in BC. People are overdosing on illegal substances in high numbers. Drugs like heroin, fake oxys and other illegal opioids can contain toxic fentanyl or carfentanil. Other illegal drugs may be contaminated, too.

The Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions has launched a Stop Overdose BC campaign to challenge people’s perceptions about people who use drugs and call on all British Columbians to get involved, get informed and get help.

Visit StopOverdoseBC.ca for life-saving information, and use #StopOverdose to join the conversation online.

HOW YOU CAN HELP *: 1

| Start courageous conversations with loved ones

2 | Words matter, learn how positive language makes a difference 3 | Learn how to recognize and respond to an overdose 4 | Make time to thank those working on the front lines of the crisis 5 | Get involved – add your voice to the #StopOverdose conversation 6 | Call 8-1-1 for non-emergency help and advice, 24/7

It was enough to extend Gillis’s position beyond the end of last school year, and enabled them to begin hosting a series of community dialogues at the end of April 2018.

“After we finish talking to community groups, we hope we can gain some traction with people who may want to share their stories. Our plan is to host community dialogues throughout the fall and winter,” Gillis says.

“The most direct way to break down the stigma is to humanize the issue.

The more people relate to each other, see themselves in each other, the more likely they will be able to accept these challenges for what they truly are.”

So what, exactly, are these challenges from Gillis’s perspective?

“There are no stereotypical drug users. Addiction does not discriminate.

We need an integrated approach that reflects the needs of the people who are living these experiences every day,” Gillis says. “The more we humanize the people behind the crisis the better all aspects of treating it can be. This includes prevention. If we have programming for these kids that helps them work through growing up around substance use, we can decrease the risk of future substance use and addiction — we are can make a real difference.” 

Professor Buns

*from StopOverdoseBC.ca

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Driving Student Success An overhaul of VIU’s Automotive building is having a huge impact on how students in this technology-intensive trade learn. Part of the federal and provincial governments’ investments in VIU, the renovations are helping the institution meet the demand for skilled workers and ensure students are prepared to start work as automotive service technicians.

From left to right: Automotive apprenticeship students Brendan Overeem, Sibisiso John, Chad Conley and Kyle Fellowfield

BY JENN MCGARRIGLE

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Automotive apprenticeship student Michel Andrade

Trevor Rea-Stewart has noticed a huge difference in the way learning takes place in Vancouver Island University’s Automotive building since renovations were completed last fall.

add an LNG/CNG bay; and moving the Motorcycle and Marine Technician program next door to take advantage of the similar technology needs the two programs have.

so students get realistic training in a facility similar to what they would find in the workforce.”

“It’s much more open now. Before, the instructors were great, but it was obvious the facility was old and needed lots of love,” says the fourthyear automotive apprentice student.

“It makes me feel like the community cares about this place. The auto industry employs a lot of people in the province, so having a really well-built facility shows that they think it’s important.

The Automotive building renovations include a 225 m2 addition with a larger tool crib and an apprenticeship lab; a renovated customer service area designed to look just like a real dealership; a reconfigured shop area that now fits up to 24 vehicles compared to 16 in the former layout; and renovated classroom spaces to promote more dynamic learning opportunities.

The renovations include a new lab for apprentice students that is separate from the main shop, where the foundation students are trained. The 10-month foundation program prepares students to find work as an automotive apprentice or as a trainee parts person or service advisor, and the apprenticeship program includes four levels of technical training for practicing automotive service technicians who are working towards Red Seal certification.

The renovations are part of the $20-million Marine, Automotive and Trades Complex expansion and redevelopment project announced in December 2016 by the federal and provincial governments. The project also includes a new building for the Carpentry program; renovations to the Heavy Mechanical building to

“It’s a whole new shop inside,” says Dean Cadieux, Automotive Program Chair. “The building was built in 1972 and the general consensus was it had to be replaced, but the structure is still good, so they kept that and rebuilt everything else to more closely mimic the layout of a typical dealership shop.

We treat the program like a business

“Before, the apprentice students were kind of stuffed in at the end of the classroom with the foundation students,” says Rea-Stewart. “Having our own space is important because our training is much more specialized than what the foundation students are learning, so it allows us to focus on our own topics. There’s a lot to learn

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in the trade — new cars have a lot of technology. Thanks to the renovations, everything is laid out a lot better too — for example, the tool crib is more centrally located so it’s easier to access.”

On top of an improved learning environment, the new configuration and extra space will allow the program to add more students, which ReaStewart says will help future students get access to training more quickly — he was on a wait list for two years before getting into the program.

Cadieux says up until now capacity was one class of 36 foundation students and 96 apprenticeship students per year. Now the program could add an extra foundation class and an extra apprenticeship class of 16 students.

Construction at VIU

In late 2016 and early 2017, the provincial and federal governments announced funding for three major construction projects at VIU’s Nanaimo Campus – the Marine, Automotive and Trades Complex, the Health and Science Centre and a District Geo-Exchange Energy System.

Funding for the project comes through the federal government’s Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund, the provincial government and VIU community partners. The majority of renovations to the Automotive building – part of the Marine, Automotive and Trades Complex redevelopment and expansion project – wrapped up in the fall of 2017. The other components of the projects funded by the government – the new Trades Complex, District Geo-Exchange Energy System and Health and Science Centre – opened in September 2018.

“Our apprenticeship classes are booked more than two years ahead,” he says. “Before our students finish the foundation program, 65 per cent of them have already found work. We are fielding calls weekly from businesses looking for technicians.”

From left to right: Automotive program instructors Roger Harvey, Daryl Pushor, Kevin Karstad, Dean Cadieux and Dale Baumel

Employers are also excited about the changes. Keith Ladouceur, Fixed Operations Manager for GAIN Automotive Group, which oversees the BMW, Mercedes Benz and Subaru dealerships in Nanaimo, says local dealerships are dependent on the workforce VIU produces.

“The automotive industry has changed so rapidly in the last 20 years — the complexities of the systems technicians are dealing with now is staggering,” says Ladouceur, who is also chair of the VIU Automotive

1972 Year the Automotive building first opened

30 VIU Magazine

Program Advisory Committee, a group of industry professionals that works with VIU to ensure the program remains relevant to industry needs.

“This type of work is now dependent on continued learning.”

Not only is education more important than ever, but the industry is experiencing a shortage of trained workers, he adds.

“I’m excited about the increased volume of students the VIU program will be able to handle because we are dealing with a shortage in the workforce,” says Ladouceur. “There will be jobs for students equipped to deal with the realities of the automotive trades. Graduates from the VIU Foundation program and current apprentices have been well-prepared for that new reality.” 

Automotive by the Numbers 2

225 m

Additional space added to the Automotive building

24

Number of vehicle bays the shop has, up from 16

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Alumni News

2000s 1990s

What happens when an artist loses her ability to conjure images inside her head? This is the situation Sheri Bakes (Diploma of Fine Arts – Visual Arts ’93) found herself in following a stroke at age 29 that left her with aphantasia, a rare condition where one cannot visualize imagery, meaning she cannot paint from visual imagination. Bakes persisted in doing what she loves, spending the last 17 years developing her unique painting style, and now supports herself with her artwork.

Her remarkable story and artwork caught the attention of Canadian Art magazine, and a feature on her was published in May 2017.  Thanks to encouragement from his wife, parents and VIU professors, Dr. Rosendo Da Costa (Bachelor of Arts ’08, Major in Psychology) has accomplished his lifelong dream of becoming a doctor and is currently working at two walk-in clinics in Toronto, Ontario. In Da Costa’s free time he volunteers as an assistant physician for a free medical clinic tending to the homeless, refugees and patients with no medical coverage in Canada. 

Two alum were featured in an exhibit at VIU’s The View Gallery sponsored by TimberWest’s First Nation Cultural Art Showcase Program. Vince Smith (Fine Arts 1976-1981) of the Ehattesaht Nation and Mulidzas-Curtis Wilson (Bachelor of Arts ’03, Major in First Nations Studies) of the Wei Wai Kum Nation were two of three First Nations artists participating in the show, which ran from September 13 to November 3. 

32 VIU Magazine

Seeing people grow and make positive changes in their lives is what led Jenna Beck (Bachelor of Arts ’07, Major in Criminology) to her career as a Community Corrections probation officer. With lots of options for change and growth, Beck loves her job and plans to stay in it for some time. 

Producing high-end food in a relaxed, approachable and comfortable environment is what Ian Blom (Culinary Arts Diploma ’09) aims for as Executive Chef at the Old Firehouse Wine and Cocktail Bar in Duncan. Blom was recently written up in Boulevard Magazine and became a finalist for a Black Tie Award from the Duncan Cowichan Chamber of Commerce this year. Not only did Blom fall in love with food at VIU – he also met and fell in love with his wife Kim while both were in the Culinary Arts program. Their final pièce de résistance is their 4-year-old son, David. 

2010s

After being diagnosed with progressive multiple sclerosis, Kim Clark (Bachelor of Arts ’09, Major in Creative Writing) returned to school at VIU, where she says the coursework and professors helped re-energize her and give her the confidence to keep going. Since then, Clark has become a well-respected poet and author.

Accolades include becoming a finalist in both Theatre BC’s Playwriting Competition and The Malahat Review’s novella contest, and she has a novella under option for a feature-length film! For more information, visit kimclarkwriter.com. 

Connie Graham (Bachelor of Arts ’16, Major in Anthropology) credits experiences she had while at VIU with helping her land her current position with the shishalh Nation (Sechelt Indian Band) as their Implementation Coordinator for the tems sayamkwu Hydro Project.

A run-of-river renewable energy project being developed in the territory with partner company BluEarth Renewables, Graham handles the project’s administrative work. While at VIU, she worked with Indigenous communities and Elders through her Anthropology and First Nations Studies courses.

Being involved with the VIU Students’ Union board taught her about governance and policy – all of which help her in her current job. 

An avid horse enthusiast, Anastasia Hirst, (Bachelor of Arts ’13, Major in Child and Youth Care) has combined her VIU training with her love of horses to practice Equine Facilitated Wellness (EFW). Time and time again, Hirst watched as children dealing with trauma started to transform and thrive in the presence of horses. Wanting to get the word out on the impact of EFW, Hirst and her partner, John Fulton, a videographer and photographer, began travelling through North America creating their documentary series Equus: Healing Through Horses. Each episode covers a different person who has used EFW to overcome deep trauma or pain.  As the Events Coordinator for the Parksville & District Chamber of Commerce, Caitlin Woon (Bachelor of Tourism Management ’17) is now planning the local events she’s enjoyed attending as a guest over the years.

With previous experience organizing events such as Parksville’s Sand Sculpture Competition and Exhibition and the Tourism Vancouver Island Conference, her new role was a perfect fit. 

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Early on in life, Darcy Good (Bachelor of Science 2010 – 2014) witnessed first-hand the impact that saving one life can have on both the individual and those around them when his step-father suffered a major heart attack. After attending VIU for most of his degree, Good, a member of the Snuneymuxw First Nation, was accepted into the University of British Columbia’s (UBC’s) medicine undergraduate program. He started UBC’s Vancouver Island Psychiatry Postgraduate Program in July. Good plans to use his education to support the mental health needs of his community. 

Adding to people’s personal well-being in a meaningful way is what Lindsay Jacobson (Professional Esthetics Certificate ’14) likes about her career as an esthetician. Immediately after graduation, Jacobson was hired by Nanaimo’s Breze Salon and Day Spa. 

After graduating, Leah Trippell (Bachelor of Science ’10) wasn’t sure what direction to take until she received an email from one of her VIU professors who suggested she consider medicine. Trippell found her calling in the Southern Medical Program at UBC Okanagan. Ultimately, Trippell would like to practice medicine in a way that allows her to incorporate global health into her practice. 

Excited to be part of an amazing team at Raymond James Ltd., Virginia Fournier (Bachelor of Business Administration ’16, Double Major in Finance and Economics) hopes to deepen her knowledge and skill set in Operations (Corporate Actions). An avid sea wall runner and practicing salsa dancer, Fournier also finds time to volunteer with the Alumni Engagement Committee for the Association of Women in Finance. Fournier’s ambition is to start her CFA designation process within the next two years. 

After winning first place in the PanGlobal Training Systems’ 2017 Student Achievement Awards with a 90.7 per cent average, Tim Ryper (Power Engineering/ Process Operator 4th Class ’17) has gone on to work as a power engineer at Catalyst Paper in Crofton, where he did his practicum. Ryper loves the busy nature of his job, which involves a lot of problem solving.  For much of her degree, Elissa Doerksen (Bachelor of Arts ’18, Major in Media Studies) created videos about student life on campus that are still prominently displayed on VIU’s website, YouTube channel and social media feeds. She was also class valedictorian at her February Convocation ceremony. Doerksen has her own photography and videography business. She’s also landed a job in media production for a local non-profit. 

Welder Cam Rogers (Welding Level B ’17) did all of his training through VIU; now through the company he works for – Nanaimo-based B&F Manufacturing – the first Quadra Jet M-225 parts washer he worked on is in use at his alma mater.

The machine made by Rogers is being used by VIU’s Heavy Mechanical Trades program. Visit quadrajet.ca to learn more. 

34 VIU Magazine

Working on big projects and having input on how they are built is what makes Josh Gait (Carpentry Level 4 Apprentice ’10) excited to come to work.

Gait began working for Saskatchewanbased Coram Construction in 2014 and has helped manage sizeable projects in Saskatoon and Regina.

Gait hopes to one day be in charge of running some of the biggest projects in the country. 

SOCIAL SCIENCES RADIO HOSTS Two Social Sciences graduates had the unique experience of creating their own radio shows while studying at VIU. Michael Robert Caditz (Bachelor of Arts ’18, Major in Philosophy), the first student to graduate from VIU with the new Honours in Philosophy degree option, created Spring Forward: The VIU Philosophy Show on the campus-community radio station CHLY 101.7 FM while taking the new philosophy internship course. Every Thursday evening, Caditz hosts special guests, debates philosophical topics, brings callers on-air to join the conversation, and responds to email comments. Caditz is applying to graduate school and his long-term career goal is to get a PhD. Chelsea Forseth (Bachelor of Arts ’18, Major in Anthropology) created Culture Talks Radio for broadcast on CHLY and podcast on MixCloud. A weekly talk show “about all the unique things that make us human,” Forseth has covered a broad range of topics, from culture shock and reverse culture shock, to food and identity. She plans to eventually become a radio documentarian, and has accepted a short-term position at the Nanaimo Museum. 

Born in Somalia, civil war forced Hamdi Aweys (Bachelor of Business Administration ’18, Major in Accounting) and her family to flee the country to a refugee camp in northeastern Kenya.

She came to VIU in 2013, sponsored by the University’s World University Service of Canada (WUSC) local committee – a program she says changed her life completely by giving her the chance to get a quality education. Aweys has landed a job at an accounting firm in Duncan.

Throughout her time at VIU, she’s given back to the program that made such a difference in her own life by serving as VIU WUSC co-chair and mentoring incoming refugee students. 

Through various mentorship opportunities at VIU, Troy Barnes (Bachelor of Arts ’17, Major in First Nations Studies) had the chance to hone his leadership skills. He’s now using these skills to help potential and future students in their own academic journeys as an Aboriginal Education Advisor at North Island College. 

After graduating from VIU, Ebrahim Lababidi (Bachelor of Arts ’16, Double Major in History and Political Studies) started his master’s degree at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs. At the end of his second semester, he started working as UNICEF Canada’s International Policy and Communications Intern. He also worked on assignments for the Corporate Social Responsibility team and published an op/ed about child inequality in the Huffington Post on behalf of UNICEF Canada. Lababidi’s long-term goal is to work for the United Nations.  Two VIU alumni – mixed-media artist Denise Tierney (Bachelor of Arts ’17, Visual Arts major) and sculptor Ruben Galdames (Visual Arts) teamed up to put on a show at the Ladysmith Waterfront Gallery this spring. Immortal Narratives was Tierney’s first major exhibit since graduating from VIU. She is currently the artist-in-residence at St. Andrew’s United Church in Nanaimo. Galdames, a retired architect from Chile, took visual arts courses at VIU for personal interest over the past four years and has exhibited his work in several group shows. 

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ADVENTURES ON ICE: JENNIFER WILLIAMS

Travelling onboard the Canada C3 Expedition was a life-changing experience for Jennifer Williams (Bachelor of Education ’16).

For Williams, who graduated in 2016, there weren’t just one or two poignant moments — it was the entire voyage that made a lasting impression.

“What always impacts me in all my experiences are the people I meet along the way. Each person I met, both in the communities we stopped at as well as the participants we had onboard, enriched my understanding of our country and I am so grateful for that,” says Williams.

Williams had a unique position on the voyage as the Canada C3 Program and Participant Coordinator for the final five legs of the journey, from Kugluktuk, Nunavut to Victoria.

This role was part of her full-time position, which she continues to hold, with the Students on Ice Foundation (the Foundation that ran Canada C3) as the Education and Alumni Program Manager.

The Foundation also runs youth expeditions to the Polar Regions that focus on experiential education, sustainability, cross-cultural exchange and leadership development.

“Our expeditions are something that generate a spark in the participants, inspiring them to move forward as agents of change in their communities,” says Williams.

The Canada C3 voyage was a 150-day expedition from Toronto, Ont. to Victoria, BC through the Northwest Passage. The expedition ran from June 1 to October 28, 2017 and was a Canada 150 Signature Project meant to explore issues of diversity and inclusion, reconciliation, youth engagement and the environment.

John Phan (Welding Level B ’18) had zero experience in the trade when he enrolled in the Welding Foundation program at the Cowichan Trades Centre in 2016 and was afraid he’d be overwhelmed. Instead, he found himself having fun in class. Fast forward two years and Phan is now a fully certified welder working for Pacific Industrial Marine welding pontoons and bridges – a job he found out about through VIU Welding Program chair Mike Hallam. 

Williams loves working with youth but also loved working on the Canada C3 voyage with adults.

She felt that the learning outcomes were similar to what she’s experienced with youth and she is looking forward to seeing what Canada C3 alumni get up to across the country after their experiences. 

Since finishing her training, Melissa Saxby (Professional Esthetics Certificate ’16) has been working full-time pampering her clients. In April, Saxby helped VIU Esthetics Instructor Lesley Osborne open a Lesley’s Esthetics location in Nanaimo. 

With the help of a $36,000 funding package, Erica Greenup (Bachelor of Arts ’18, Major in Liberal Studies) starts her master’s degree at the University of Victoria this fall. Over the next two years, she’ll focus on the history of secularization in Canada – a blending of what she’s learned in her Liberal Studies and History classes at VIU. One favourite memory from her time here is attending the Quebec Universities English Undergraduate Conference in March to present a paper. Her ultimate goal is to become a history professor. 

36 VIU Magazine

Kesa van Osch (Carpentry Level 4 Apprenticeship ’17) is a carpenter with Victoriabased Knappett Projects by day and a national-level curler in her spare time.

She loves the variety of the work she does – no two days are alike on the job site. On the ice, she made it to the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, Canada’s national women’s curling championships, for the second time this year, where her team made it to the championship round.  There are 403 steps from the bottom to the top of VIU’s Nanaimo Campus.

For one of her final projects before graduating, Amber Morrison (Bachelor of Arts ’18, Major in Visual Art) highlighted this unique feature by spray painting a baby-pink number on each one of them – a high-profile project that caught the attention of many in the VIU community and beyond. Morrison is the Program Coordinator at the Nanaimo Art Gallery. She plans to pursue a master’s degree, develop her studio practice and eventually become a university professor.  After getting two and a half years of political science courses under his belt, Jacob Gair (Bachelor of Arts ’18, Double Major in Political Science and History) became the second youngest person in BC to be elected as a school trustee in 2014.

Gair is a trustee for School District 69 (Qualicum) and his crowning achievement is getting his board to pass a motion seeking to reduce the voting age of those who can elect school board trustees to 16 – a bid to empower students to participate in local democracy. Gair is planning on taking a break from politics to seek further education – either a master’s program or law school. 

EDUCATION FOR EMPOWERMENT: MORGAN AND GINA MOWATT

A desire to effect positive change for First Nations communities has sisters Morgan and Gina Mowatt leveraging what they learned at VIU to pursue graduate studies at the University of Victoria (UVic).

Gina (Bachelor of Arts ’15, Major in First Nations Studies) is pursuing a Master of Arts in Colonial Histories. While in Victoria, she co-founded the Innovative Young Indigenous Leaders Symposium, an annual event that aims to unify Indigenous youth and facilitate systemic change across the province

and country. She says her experiences at VIU were exactly what she needed to prepare her for the journey she’s on.

in September 2018, along with a Graduate Certificate in Indigenous Nationhood.

“I was a weak student who had not done well in high school, and at VIU I had the support and encouragement I needed to transform into a confident student,” she says.

“I believe the study of Indigenous politics is a core concern of political science in Canada, which is why I’ve chosen to conduct my research in that space,” says Morgan. “Also, a PhD will ensure I am qualified to teach these topics at universities, which I hope to do in the future, along with on-the-ground community work.”

Gina, who plans to start a PhD after finishing her master’s, wants to work with Indigenous nations “to be the best we can be for future generations.

The goal is not specific to a career – young Indigenous people like myself have to adapt to fit many different roles to fight for our people to have the rights and privileges to their lands and waters, and to live in a healthy and vibrant way.”

Morgan (Bachelor of Arts ’17, Major in First Nations Studies) is just finishing up a Master of Arts in Indigenous Governance. She started her PhD in UVic’s Political Science department

One highlight of Morgan’s VIU education was the involvement of her family in her educational journey – they were invited to feasts and welcome in the classroom. When she graduated, her dad said he felt as though he was graduating, too.

“Family is everything to me, so this affirmed that VIU’s approach to families is meaningful,” she says. 

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Q&A

with Dr. Pam Shaw

Dr. Pam Shaw, Director of VIU’s Master of Community Planning Program and Research Director of the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region Research Institute (MABRRI), understands the importance of getting students excited about learning. As an undergraduate at a large university, she was uninspired by the lecture hall until she met a professor whose passion changed her perspective and ignited her lifelong love for community planning. photo credit: Adam Scotti

She worked in the field for 20 years before finding her way back to

the classroom. For the past 17 years, Shaw has been guiding students at VIU on their own path of education and career development, focused on getting her students involved in applied research or projects that benefit a local community or agency. For her experiential teaching methods, Shaw was recently awarded the prestigious 3M Fellowship for Excellence in Teaching in a Post-Secondary Institution in Canada – an honour that only 320 people across Canada have received since 1986. Shaw answered a few of our burning questions about the evolution of her teaching – and where education needs to go next.

What is your philosophy on bringing teaching to the next level?

I am a passionate advocate of experiential learning and strengthening the link between knowing and doing.

VIU started in 1936 as a trades school.

This history, based in grit, persistence, a compulsion to create regionally relevant opportunities for students and a willingness to push past defined edges, is what attracted me to VIU. I feel strongly that this “can-do” attitude will carry this university to the next level.

with a community partner (often a First Nation or small local government). Students grapple with difficult issues, and feel a personal stake in addressing them as we work with people on issues that are defined by the community. These projects have grown in complexity and impact over the years. While the scope may seem daunting to the class at the start, the energy of students always moves us to completion. My PowerPoint use has decreased to a much more tolerable level.

How has your style changed over the years?

At first, my approach to the classroom was quite static. Naively, I thought that as the leader in the classroom it was my job to provide a one-way flow of information to students. I also thought that a good PowerPoint slide should be filled with many, many rows of text – 100 words was better than 10!

As I gained confidence, more aspects of my professional life seeped into the classroom. Local examples replaced those described in the textbook and we began to venture out during class time to examine sites and developments. A decade ago, I began to include experiential projects with concrete deliverables as part of each class, ones that joined

What is the best part of your job?

There are so many “best parts.” A few that pop to mind are: getting to know students at an interesting time in their lives; the theatre of the classroom (you never know what might happen next!); seeing students grow from the first year of their undergraduate degree through to convocation and sometimes grad school; and hearing back from students from years ago on their journeys and successes.

I also work with tremendous colleagues and am delighted to come to this place every day.

38 VIU Magazine

How do you prepare students for today’s job market?

My challenge is to ensure students are faced with relevant learning

opportunities that prepare them to be stellar employees as well as life-long learners. Both our graduate and undergraduate students do well across a wide range of professions thanks to VIU’s approach to applied, experiential learning.

Can you share an inspiring story from you classroom?

Some of the best moments in the classroom are those of discovery – that moment when you see that someone has been captured by an idea, made a connection, or found their own academic inspiration.

When reading assignments, I have been wildly impressed on many occasions by the depth of thinking and enthusiasm for the subject matter that leaps off the page at both undergraduate and graduate levels.

You have a reputation for constantly thinking of new and creative ways to push learning. What is next on your mind?

I am excited about expanding opportunities to get students involved in relevant, community-defined, applied research activities. Developing these prospects between First Nations, local governments and community agencies is my evolving focus area; who knows where we might end up! 

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Every child should have the opportunity to access education Help Vancouver Island University Foundation prepare youth for the jobs of the future

Currently, an estimated 70% of jobs will require some form of post-secondary education, yet less than half of the students graduating from high schools in the Nanaimo region are transitioning to university. For many of these families, saving for university is a huge challenge.

While government grants such as the Canada Learning Bond are available to help low-income families save for their children’s post-secondary, uptake is low. That’s why Vancouver Island University Foundation and SmartSAVER have formed a unique partnership to raise awareness about the importance of saving for post-secondary education. Statistics show that children who have $500 in a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) are 50% more likely to attend post-secondary.

The Canada Learning Bond Accelerator Project aims to raise $50,000 to support 100 local children in need with an additional $500 incentive when families open an RESP and sign up for the Canada Learning Bond.

Your donation today can make a huge difference to a child’s tomorrow. For more information visit: viu.ca/clb