Student Success

VIU Students Heading to Skills Canada National Competition

June 3, 2014

Students Toshi Akama, Thalia Austin, Cam Chanin and Erin Hollywood have been working hard to perfect the skills they’ve learned in Vancouver Island University’s (VIU) Culinary Arts, Construction and HVAC programs, and will be putting those skills to the test against competitors across Canada at the Skills Canada National Competition (SCNC) in Toronto June 4 to 7. “I’m nervous, and I feel like... Read more


VIU To Award Five Honorary Degrees and Two Alumni Awards at Spring Convocation

May 10, 2014

Vancouver Island University (VIU) will be awarding five Honorary Degrees and two Distinguished Alumni Awards at the 2014 spring convocation ceremonies at Nanaimo’s Port Theatre, June 2 - 4. Five Honorary Degrees will be awarded to celebrate the recipients and their considerable achievements. These five outstanding individuals are being honoured as each speaks to VIU's values. Although they come... Read more


Carvers Chosen for VIU Students' Union Totem Pole Project

May 7, 2014

Carvers representing three Vancouver Island First Nations have been selected to create two totem poles to grace the entrance of Shq’aphut, the Aboriginal Gathering Place at Vancouver Island University (VIU). The four carvers who will begin their work on donated logs are George Hunt Jr. (Kwakwaka’wakw), Qwaya Sam (Ahousaht First Nation), Noel Brown (Snuneymuxw) and Thomas Jones (Snuneymuxw). The... Read more


Tourism Students Awarded in 'Project Change 3.0' Competition

April 29, 2014

Vancouver Island University (VIU) Tourism and Hospitality student projects exploring local food sustainability and opportunities for ethical giving through Nanaimo non-profit organizations have earned awards in the annual Project Change 3.0 competition sponsored by LinkBC. The two winning projects originated from a third year Tourism class taught by Dr. Aggie Weighill, earning third and fourth... Read more


Student Creates Award-Winning Website for Nanaimo Park Users

April 23, 2014

Student Kim Wetten combined her two passions – birding and physical fitness – to create a new website for Nanaimo park users. The website provides information about public parks in Nanaimo, including photographs, bird species and an estimate of how many steps it takes to walk through park trails. Entitled “Steps, Sparrows and Smartphones: Modernizing Nanaimo’s Parks and Birding Information,”... Read more


VIU Senior Year Visual Art Students Present Year-End Exhibition

April 17, 2014

Graduating students in Vancouver Island University’s (VIU) Visual Art program will present their exhibition, entitled "Explorations”, running April 25 through May 31. The exhibition will be displayed at the Nanaimo Art Gallery on VIU’s campus. Under the instruction of Jane Cole, eight senior students have diligently worked throughout the spring semester to create original art work specifically... Read more


VIU Graphic Design Grads To Display Final Projects At Year-End Event

April 16, 2014

Creative work from the portfolios of 22 Graphic Design students from Vancouver Island University (VIU) will be on display at a special event Wednesday, April 23 at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre (VICC) in downtown Nanaimo. Graduating students will present their exhibit, titled “process”, and welcome guest speaker Emrys Damon Miller of Victoria-based boutique graphic design studio,... Read more


Students In VIU’S First Nations Studies Benefit From New Internships

April 10, 2014

Students in Vancouver Island University’s (VIU) First Nations Studies program are completing the last few weeks of a new internship program that will help them deepen connections in the community and explore career options. Five community organizations in the region have opened their doors to 10 First Nations Studies students keen to gain work experience and learn on the job, said professor... Read more


Engineering Students Test Skills In Bridge Design Contest

April 3, 2014

First year engineering students at Vancouver Island University (VIU) are building model bridges with popsicle sticks to test their design skills – and now they want the public to help choose a winner. In a friendly competition, 11 teams in Dr. Brian Dick’s Engineering Design II class have been creating model bridges to replace the Johnson Street bridge spanning Victoria’s Inner Harbour. Their... Read more


Spring Showcase Concerts Feature Music Students And Guests

April 1, 2014

The talents and hard work of Vancouver Island University (VIU) Jazz Music students will be on display in an end-of-term concert series at VIU’s Malaspina Theatre April 7, 9 and 10. Sixty students will be joined by faculty and musical guests for 7 pm concerts over the three evenings. Admission is by donation. VIU Jazz Music program chair Bryan Stovell says students have been practicing and... Read more