Vancouver Island University
900 Fifth Street V9R 5S5 Nanaimo, BC, Canada

Did you know that it's Education Savings Week? If you live in BC and your child is between the ages of 6-9, you can receive $1200 for their post-secondary savings completely free! It’s called the British Columbia Training & Education Savings Grant which is a free $1200 for their Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP). All you need to do is sign up for an RESP with your bank and they will help you with the rest! In just 15 minutes, you can get started from home using the S...mart Saver platform online (https://mysmartfuture.org/viu). To apply, you need, your social Insurance number and primary ID and your child’s Social Insurance number and birthdate. If you have any questions, you can book a time to chat with us or visit www.viu.ca/clb for more information. https://bit.ly/35NVgXA

This year our recruitment team will be hosting a number of virtual events for future students, parents and mature students. If you know of anyone who's interested in applying and has a few questions or wants to sit in on an info session, please make sure to tell them about the page linked below. Check the page for details on specific events: https://connect.viu.ca/recruitment-events

Check out our 2019-20 Research and Creative Activity Highlights Report. Inside we share stories about research, creative activity and projects happening at VIU. Read the report @ https://research.viu.ca//2019-20-research-higfhlights-repo #CanadianInnovationWeek

HALLOWEEN CONTEST ALERT Carve your way to winning a stylish VIU hoodie by sharing a photo or video of your carved pumpkin with us on Instagram. Be sure to tag @VIUniversity and use the hashtag #carveitupVIU so we don't miss your awesome creation This contest is open to all current VIU students. Two winners will be chosen randomly on Friday, October 30, 2020. Happy creating!... Huge thanks to the Mount Benson Market for donating the pumpkins used in this video!!

VIU Professor Les Malbon reflects on the progression of a Bachelor of Kinesiology degree as well as his own evolution as a teacher in the program over the past four decades. What's been beautiful about my tenure is that as a lifelong student as well, I have evolved too. The transition from Physical Education to Kinesiology began in 2016. The evolution has been a slow progress, but it’s been nice to be able to examine what we’re offering and how to make sure we’re delivering the best program that we can which includes both the hard sciences and social sciences, says Louis Mattar, Chair, Kinesiology Programs. Read the story at https://bit.ly/35uWqH8

Vancouver Island University and North Island College have partnered to create a one-stop-shop online hub, called Vancouver Island Work-Integrated Learning, to provide a regional approach to enhancing work-integrated learning opportunities for students. The initiative also includes a partnership with Mitacs, a not-for-profit organization that fosters growth and innovation in Canada by solving business challenges with solutions from academic institutions, and RBC Foundation to focus on engaging rural employers. Read more: bit.ly/35DFY67 #coop #internship #jobs #TrainingBC #studentemployment

Three VIU graduates are back with the sports teams they have devoted so much of their time to over the past five years as apprentice coaches. The Mariner Alumni have been chosen to participate in the CCAA Female Apprentice Coach Program. In the program’s 15-year history, 233 female apprentices have been supported. This is the first time there are three female participants in one year at VIU. Meet the young women here: https://bit.ly/3kkLlgO

VIU biology student Genevieve van der Voort is presenting at an international conference this November! She’s sharing her insights on the diversity of insects that interact with bog orchids (Platanthera orchids) on Vancouver Island during the Entomological Society of America’s Entomology 2020 Virtual Online Conference, which is being held November 11-25. There weren’t previous studies looking at bog orchids on Vancouver Island and their associated insect diversity. Her resear...ch adds important information to an understudied area. I’m very excited to have the opportunity to present at Entomology 2020 this year. This is the first time I’ve presented research at an international conference, and it’s exciting to be able to represent VIU, says van der Voort. I’m glad to have the opportunity to share this research, it was a great project to work on. I’m thankful to Dr. Jasmine Janes for her support and guidance on this project!

What would you change about Nanaimo? What would you want to stay the same? VIU is giving away a 100$ gift certificate (to a select local business) EVERY DAY for the next week to students who complete the ReImagine Nanaimo online survey. You can fill it out the survey online here: https://bit.ly/3kFtArY... Or register on VIU's Co Curricular Record app (details below) and be entered to win a $100 gift certificate every day. Winning students will be able to select their own 100$ gift card from a list of locally owned businesses. This list includes: Pomme Natural food market, White rabbit cafe, The Buzz Coffee, Drip coffee, Mon petit choux, Nori Sushi, Coal city cycles, Valhalla Pure Outfitters, Common Foundry Stationary, Lucid clothing, La Stella, Country Grocer and Thrifty foods. Follow these steps to register Step 1: Download the Co-curricular app here: https://bit.ly/32RQTZz Step 2: Open the app. Open the menu on the top left and select the "Pathways" option. Enroll in "Re-imagine Nanaimo". Fill out each survey through the link, then answer the question to enroll in the draw. Good luck!

I view my job as harm reduction to reduce the harm that colonial institutions do to my community and, frankly, to almost everyone and to make life more livable, while we’re living here in the now." We are excited to introduce the presenter at VIU's sixth annual Indigenous Speaker Series - longtime CBC columnist, broadcaster and arts leader Jesse Wente. His keynote talk will be delivered on Wednesday, November 25. Read more about Jesse and register for this FREE event: https://news.viu.ca/viu-indigenous-speaker-shares-story-joy

Do you know anyone who is currently considering their post-secondary options? VIU recently launched a new digital viewbook to make it easier for students to understand what we offer at VIU and the different services available to help get started. The overall goal of our new site is to make people feel inspired and empowered to take the next steps towards their educational goals. Check it out, and forward along to anyone you think needs to see it: https://info.viu.ca/about-viu/

More than a dozen businesses donated material, equipment and training time to help students in the VIU Horticulture Technician Foundation Program with the conversion of an established lawn and garden area into a drought-tolerant, pollinator-friendly meadow. The meadow project will expose students to changing trends, new technologies and people’s desire for ecologically responsible yards and gardens, says Jessica Gemella, VIU Horticulture Technician Program instructor. Students also received training to become certified Allan Block installers and received equipment to help them identify plant pests. Learn what’s happening here: https://bit.ly/3mVBOO5

Congratulations Taish Tommy on winning the Mike Coleman Citizenship Award. Taish is a student at the VIU Cowichan campus and is working hard taking sciences in preparation for the next step in her educational journey and dream career. Read her inspiring story here: https://bit.ly/2TdUzPZ

Looking for work? It isn’t business as usual these days, but VIU’s Centre for Experiential Learning has some tips to help you break into the pandemic job market. Read more about job hunting during COVID-19 in the VIU Blog: https://www.viu.ca/blog/job-hunting-during-covid-19

Did you know that October is Women’s History Month in Canada? This is a time to celebrate the women and girls from our past, and our present, who are contributing to a better, more inclusive Canada. In honour of this occasion, we wanted to share a video outlining why Dr. Deb Saucier, VIU’s first female, Indigenous president, is the 2020 recipient of the Indigenous Women in Leadership Award from the Canadian Council of Aboriginal Business. The theme for Women’s History Month ...this year is #BecauseOfYou and we think Deb’s quote below illustrates perfectly what she hopes to do to help raise up other women in post-secondary. I really believe in the transformative nature of education and being a woman president, and being an Indigenous president, I thought, could I make a real difference in the lives of Indigenous women, because if I can do it and become a president, anybody can. Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22CgqB6Yr6A&t=4s

With the Thanksgiving long weekend just about to begin, we wanted to share this message from our President, Dr. Deb Saucier, about connecting with friends and family (in safe and in some cases new ways) and take some time for yourselves: https://gov.viu.ca/presid/three-things/message-thanksgiving Saturday, October 10 is also World Mental Health Day and in honour of this important day, we thought the words and advice of VIU Counsellor Gemma Armstrong are important to share: h...ttps://www.viu.ca/blog/shining-light Thanks to everyone who shared their self-care strategies in VIU’s Co-Curricular Record App this week. If you haven’t yet, it’s not too late! By posting, you will be entered to win a Best Buy gift card and your submissions will be transformed into a digital communal art project! Deadline is Saturday! Happy Thanksgiving everyone! #Thanksgiving #WorldMentalHealthDay

There's still time to get tickets to our first VIRTUAL Engaged Citizens Speaker Series event - Food Security in the Age of COVID-19 - happening TONIGHT at 6:30 pm Register for your FREE ticket here: https://bit.ly/3jUc97e And to give you an idea of what tonight's discussion will look like, we wanted to share an infographic produced by our presenter, Dr. Evan Fraser, and illustrator Scott Mooney, about the impacts of COVID-19 on our food systems: https://feeding9billion.com/...F9B-COVID-19-and-Our-Food-Syste Hope to see you tonight!

VIU answers industry appeal for specialized Information Technology program offerings in the mid-Island area to meet the growing demand for skilled workers in this field. Registration began this October for two new ITAS diploma programs for the fall 2021 term. Read about it @ https://bit.ly/36lFjZ6

Did you know that Saturday, October 10 is World Mental Health Day? In honour of this important day, VIU wants to hear from you! From now until October 10, post in VIU's CCR app and let us know: "What self-care strategies do you use to stay well? And what does mental health mean to you?" By posting you will be entered to win a Best Buy gift card and your submissions will be transformed into a digital communal art project! In this short video, VIU's Mental Health Strategist, Sara LaMarre, explains Download the app: https://services.viu.ca//vius-new-co-curricular-involvemen

Congratulations to Kira Gill-Maher and Colin Pybus! Both are current VIU graduate students who received the Canada Graduate Scholarship Master’s Program, $17,500, for 2020-21. These two students also received the British Columbia Graduate Scholarship, $15,000, in 2019-2020. What an amazing accomplishment! Gill-Maher is a Master of Community Planning student researching the role of local government planners in climate change mitigation. I am researching this because planne...rs play a significant role in shaping the form of our communities, which is a crucial piece of the puzzle in understanding how we can reduce climate change, says Gill-Maher. Pybus is a Master of Education in Educational Leadership student. His research will focus on creating a better understanding of how school-based physical education is delivered within the Northwest Territories (NWT). My study will gain insights from current NWT physical education teachers about what is working well in their classrooms, what needs they have in supporting classroom practices, and sharing their visions for the future of NWT physical education instruction, says Pybus.

We were so proud to celebrate our 2020 graduates yesterday with our online graduation celebration! Such an inspiring group of students! And thank you to our valedictorians who shared their inspiring words with us. This video below shares some highlights of their awesome valedictorian speeches. #VIUGrad2020 https://bit.ly/36pPyfc