In the Community

Lawyer John Horn receives Honorary Doctorate of Laws from VIU

June 5, 2008

Esteemed lawyer John Horn received an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from Vancouver Island University (formerly Malaspina University-College) at the spring graduation ceremony held recently in Nanaimo. “The awarding of an honorary doctorate is intended to encourage a standard of excellence and innovation that is exemplary to students, faculty and staff, and to society generally,” said VIU President... Read more


64-year-old mother and grandmother fulfills lifelong dream

June 4, 2008

Maureen Adkin remembers the day vividly. At age 10, she came home with a straight A report card and her father asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” “I want to be a nurse,” Adkin replied at the time. “With grades like these, you could be a doctor,” said her dad. “Girls can be anything they want to be.” With tears streaming down her cheeks, Adkin remembered her late father’s words as... Read more


Outstanding service award for campus leader

June 4, 2008

When Robert D. Lane retired from Malaspina University-College, his former students started the S.O.B. club – Students of Bob, to honour their former professor and carry on some of the discussions his lectures and teachings had inspired. Now, after almost 40 years of outstanding service to Malaspina University-College (now Vancouver Island University) all the S.O.B.’s can celebrate because their... Read more


Student receives Governor General’s Academic Silver Medal

June 3, 2008

Theresa Deering of Nanaimo has reason to be proud. She’s the top graduating student from Vancouver Island University (formerly Malaspina University-College) and has a medal to prove it. Deering received the Governor General’s Academic Silver Medal for outstanding scholastic achievement at the spring convocation ceremony held in Nanaimo Tuesday, June 3. The medal is awarded to the Bachelor’s... Read more


Community leaders to receive honorary credentials at convocation

June 2, 2008

Biographies of Honorary Credential Recipients Honorary Doctorate of Technology: Dr. Harald Rosenthal, Ph.D. Dr. Rosenthal has made extensive achievements in the fields of fisheries science and aquaculture. As an internationally renowned scientist from the University of Kiel in Germany, his work has helped raise Malaspina University-College’s profile as a leading institution in sturgeon studies... Read more


VIU receives more than $400,000 towards shellfish research

June 2, 2008

Vancouver Island University will expand existing research capacity at the Centre for Shellfish Research by establishing a Shellfish Genomics Laboratory  thanks to an investment by the Government of Canada through Western Economic Diversification Canada.  Federal funding of more than $400,000 was announced today by James Lunney, Member of Parliament for Nanaimo—Alberni, on behalf of the... Read more


VIU leads by example during Bike to Work Week

May 30, 2008

Students, staff and faculty at Vancouver Island University will lead by example during Bike to Work Week June 2 to 8. VIU is joining forces with the City of Nanaimo, Regional District of Nanaimo and BC Transit to encourage people to get out of their cars and use alternate forms of transportation such as biking, walking, taking the bus or carpooling. VIU President Ralph Nilson, Vice-President... Read more


Culinary and Baking Sudents bring back gold medals from EAT Vancouver Competiton

May 28, 2008

Chefs Debbie Shore and Rita Gower and two star students headed to Vancouver on Friday for the competitions at the EAT Vancouver Show. Baking Apprentice Jenny Jones won Golds medals for her Chocolate Sculpture and her Sugar Sculpture and Bronze for her Chocolates. Last year, Jenny's chocolate work won her a trip to the Belcolade Chocolate Factory in Belgium. After spending the week there watching... Read more


BookFest comes to Malaspina May 31

May 21, 2008

Aliens are about to invade the central Island area. They will pop out of the world created by Canadian children’s author Arthur Slade at this year’s BookFest, May 31 at Malaspina University-College in Nanaimo. Arthur Slade will not only explore the story printed in his FBI approved novel Invasion of the IQ Snatchers (FBI stands for Fun Book Institute). He’ll explore exactly what is so fabulous... Read more


Technology pioneered by retired Mal-U prof due to land on Mars May 25

May 20, 2008

Retired Malaspina University-College Physics and Liberal Studies professor Russell McNeil can't wait for May 25. That's the day technology he helped pioneer 35 years ago is expected to land on Mars. Optech lidar (laser radar) technology, first developed by McNeil and Dr. Allan Carswell in 1972, has been tweaked and fine-tuned into modern day technology currently on board NASA’s Phoenix Mars... Read more