Breaking the Poverty Cycle: The Economic Impact of Post-Secondary Education
November 19, 2018
After a year of planning, Ruby Barclay arrived at Vancouver Island University (VIU) Student Residences from her hometown with two Rubber Maid totes and a duffel bag. “That was it – that was my entire life,” she remembers. “The first day was really, really tough.” While most youth transitioning to post-secondary rely on parents and extended family for support with school, living expenses and... Read more
Alumni of the Month: Peter Wizinsky
November 2, 2018
Meet Peter Wizinsky, Vancouver Island University’s first Bachelor of Science in Math graduate since the new major option came into effect this year. Peter, who will walk across the stage on February 1, 2019, wasted no time transitioning to the workforce after completing his last course in April. He is now Tilray’s Packaging Materials Co-ordinator. Born and raised in Nanaimo, Peter appreciated the... Read more
VIU Public Art Promises to Bring Smiles and Inspiration on Rainy Days
August 29, 2018
VIU alumni and faculty use Rainworks to welcome new and returning students Accessible to all, public art has the power to energize community spaces, promote discussion and debate, and transform the places we work, live, learn and play. Inspired by their mutual love of place making and public art, two Vancouver Island University (VIU) alumni, Lindsay Malbon and Laura Timmermans, collaborated with... Read more
Alumni of the Month: Slava Govorov
August 23, 2018
Slava Govorov (Business Administration Diploma ’14) has made good use of his VIU education. As owner of the Fourth Street Panago location (he’s opening a second location in Ladysmith soon) and a local development company, Slava is grateful for the community he lives and does business in. He gives back every chance he gets – for example, he’s a generous supporter of both the VIU Mariners and... Read more
VIU Global Studies Graduates Make A Difference
August 16, 2018
Five VIU Global Studies graduates and former VIU Professor Dr. Catherine Schittecatte gathered this summer to share about life after university. After graduating from Vancouver Island University’s (VIU’s) Global Studies (GLST) program, Richard Kulesza wentonto complete his law degree at the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie and is nowa Policy Analyst for the Government of Canada in Ottawa. He... Read more
Alumni of the Month: Ebrahim Lababidi
July 12, 2018
After graduating from VIU in 2016 with a double major in History and Political Studies, Ebrahim Lababidi rushed home to Beirut, Lebanon, for a quick visit with family before starting his master’s degree at the University of Toronto’s (U of T’s) Munk School of Global Affairs. While in that program he had some incredible experiences, including an internship with UNICEF Canada. Ebrahim was happy to... Read more
Alumni of the Month: Liam Ross Gibson
June 6, 2018
Growing up in Nanaimo, Liam Ross Gibson (Diploma in Jazz Studies ’10) had his passion for music fuelled by a summer jazz program that VIU faculty ran at the time. He has followed his passion all the way to graduate school, completing a master’s degree in composition from the University of Manitoba earlier this year. He recently settled back on Vancouver Island, and a piece of music he composed is... Read more
Alumni of the Month: Dr. Rosendo Da Costa
May 7, 2018
When Dr. Rosendo Da Costa moved to Canada from India at the young age of 16 to study at VIU, culture shock took a heavy toll. At first, his grades suffered as he struggled to adjust to life in a very different country from where he grew up, but Da Costa found a welcoming, supportive environment at Vancouver Island University (VIU). After graduating in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts, Major in... Read more
Alumni of the Month: Denise Tierney and Ruben Galdames
March 22, 2018
Two VIU alumni – mixed-media artist Denise Tierney (Bachelor of Arts ’17, Visual Arts major) and sculptor Ruben Galdames (Visual Arts) have teamed up to put on a show together at the Ladysmith Waterfront Gallery. Opening on Saturday, March 24 at 7 pm, Immortal Narratives reflects the artists’ common desire to translate stories of the human condition. Tierney and Galdames borrow from personal... Read more
VIU Graduate Reaches Unreachable With Unique Program
January 25, 2018
Horses help in healing old wounds No amount of talking or medication can heal some wounds. It’s when people discover this that they tend to find Anastasia Hirst and Equine Facilitated Wellness (EFW). Hirst enrolled in Vancouver Island University’s (VIU’s) Child and Youth Care program so she could continue her work in EFW. When she graduated, she was already employed at Generation Farms,... Read more