Community Engagement

News Stories

VIU's Indigenous Speakers Series featuring Wilson Williams (Sxwíxwtn)

Indigenous speaker shares story of fight for the return of traditional lands

November 22, 2022

Wilson Williams (Sxwíxwtn), a Squamish Nation councillor and spokesperson, will deliver the keynote address at VIU’s 2022 Indigenous Speakers Series event on November 29. Wilson Williams (Sxwíxwtn) grew up without knowledge of his culture or history. His parents, both residential school survivors, did not talk about any element of their First Nations background and it wasn’t until Sxwíxwtn was in... Read more


A group poses with the Career Studio sign and banner

VIU launches new service to help connect students and employers

November 18, 2022

What: Career Studio grand opening When: Monday, November 21, 2022, 11 am to 1 pm Where: The Career Studio, Building 255, Room 204 at VIU’s Nanaimo campus (see campus map) The latest BC Labour Market Outlook report forecasts more than one million job openings in the province over the next 10 years. Of these one million job openings, almost 80 per cent are expected to require post-secondary... Read more


Giving Tuesday postcard

VIU Giving Tuesday campaign raises funds for students in need

November 17, 2022

University’s ninth annual campaign runs from November 15 to 29, 2022. Access to quality, nutritious food is vital to academic success, but with inflation eroding students’ spending power, it is getting harder for some to meet this basic need. That’s why the Vancouver Island University (VIU) Foundation is raising money for Give a Meal, a new initiative launched by VIU’s Ancillary and Food Services... Read more


Head shot of Delani Valin

Alum of the Month: Délani Valin

November 16, 2022

Délani Valin’s passion for words started at just 10 years old when she would find interesting words in the thesaurus and write poems about them or insert them into poems. Now, the VIU Creative Writing grad has released her first book of poetry, Shapeshifters. This latest development should come as no surprise to anyone who knows Valin, who won The Malahat Review's Long Poem prize while still a... Read more


Nathan and Sam in front of vines on a wall

VIU expands awareness activities for free education savings grants

November 8, 2022

Funding from the Government of Canada’s Canada Learning Bond Program will be used to help more students and families sign up for these education savings grants. As post-secondary institutions across the nation welcome the first batch of students who are old enough to start using their Canada Learning Bond (CLB) education savings grants, Vancouver Island University (VIU) is stepping up awareness... Read more


Three people standing in front of a VIU residence building

VIU hosts summer camps for Indigenous students

June 29, 2022

The camps are organized by the ‘su’luqw’a’ Community Cousins Indigenous mentorship program. A pair of free summer camps that aim to make the transition to university easier for Indigenous youth are returning to in-person delivery at Vancouver Island University’s (VIU’s) Nanaimo campus this summer. The Thuy’she’num Tu Smun’eem: Building a Foundation for our Youth summer camps take place July 18-22... Read more


Barbara Paterson

VIU awards honorary degree to acclaimed Canadian sculpture artist

June 15, 2022

Barbara Paterson will receive an Honorary Doctorate of Letters at the June 24 morning convocation ceremony.    ­­ If there’s a piece of advice Barbara Paterson would like to offer this year’s graduates at Vancouver Island University (VIU), it’s to “start out small with your ideas, promote those ideas, keep working on it and just don’t stop.” Paterson is an internationally acclaimed Canadian... Read more


Portrait photo of William Good

VIU awards honorary degree to Coast Salish Master Carver and Traditional Storyteller

June 15, 2022

ts’usqinuxun’, William Good, a Hereditary Chief from the Snuneymuxw First Nation, will receive an Honorary Doctorate of Letters at VIU’s June 23 convocation ceremony. ts’usqinuxun’, William Good has played an integral role in the revitalization of Coast Salish art. “When I first started, nobody understood the art, nobody recognized the art, people were learning through different books. Now there’... Read more


Portrait photo of Stephen Jarislowsky

VIU awards honorary degree to respected philanthropist and businessman

June 15, 2022

Stephen Jarislowsky will receive an Honorary Doctorate of Letters at VIU’s June 24 afternoon convocation ceremony. There are two things you need to do to get ahead in life – you have to learn how to think and you need to lead an ethical life. This advice comes from Stephen Jarislowsky, who directed the growth of one of the largest and most successful management firms in Canada, and who has... Read more


Deborah Saucier and Stephen Jarislowsky signing documents seated at a table

Vancouver Island University receives $2 million to educate future public service leaders

June 8, 2022

VIU has been selected to join a prestigious new network to establish a Chair in Trust and Political Leadership. Vancouver Island University (VIU) is one of five Canadian universities selected to form a unique network focused on educating future politicians and civil servants. The Jarislowsky Foundation has chosen Acadia University, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (in collaboration with l’... Read more