Alum of the Month: Dennis Año
January 28, 2021
Doing his master’s degree at VIU while working up to 30 hours a week as a Community Health Nurse was one of the biggest challenges Dennis Año (Master of Business Administration/Master of Science in International Management ’15) has ever taken on. After graduating, Año worked as Nurse Manager for the Island Community Mental Health Association and then as Director of Wellness for Amica at Douglas... Read more
Alum of the Month: Megan Yim
January 14, 2021
Dr. Megan Yim (Bachelor of Arts ’15, Major in Psychology) is passionate about helping people reach their full health potential. Yim, who went on to complete a master’s degree in experimental neuropsychology at the University of Victoria and then a Doctor of Chiropractic from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in Toronto, is now working as a chiropractor at Backfit Clinic in Victoria,... Read more
Alumni of the Month: Spenser Smith
December 8, 2020
Through his writing, Spenser Smith (Bachelor of Arts, Major in Creative Writing ’19) is attempting to change the public’s perception of drug users and add another perspective to the conversation about BC’s overdose crisis. In September 2019, he started his Master of Arts in Creative Writing at the University of British Columbia (UBC), for which he is writing a book of poetry that explores his... Read more
Alum of the Month: Ron Brash
October 20, 2020
A passion for tinkering with computer programs and designing web pages led Ron Brash to start his first year of VIU’s Information Technology and Applied Systems (ITAS) diploma program while he was still in high school. Through a partnership program between Nanaimo Ladysmith School District and VIU that allows public school students to take university courses in their senior years, Ron took his... Read more
Alum of the Month: Ariana White
September 15, 2020
After graduating from the Culinary Management diploma program at VIU in 2012, Ariana White, who has been cooking her whole life, decided to take her career in a new direction and focus on whole animal butchery. She currently works at Chop ‘N Block, a local shop in Kamloops, BC, where she hopes to continue learning as much as she can about about the trade with the eventual goal of opening her own... Read more
VIU Alum Helps Start Mobile Youth Outreach Team to Support Homeless Youth
July 10, 2020
Ruby Barclay, a Child and Youth Care alum and coordinator of the Nanaimo Aboriginal Centre’s Youth Advisory Council, is part of an initiative that aims to support and learn more about youth living on the streets of Nanaimo. “I am the example of what survival is really about on this planet.” To Ruby Barclay, Coordinator of the Nanaimo Aboriginal Centre’s Youth Advisory Council, this quote shows... Read more
VIU Alumni Adapt to New Realities of COVID-19 Pandemic
May 1, 2020
During #GivingTuesdayNow on Tuesday, May 5, 2020, VIU is highlighting stories of alumni who are making a difference and supporting communities in a time of crisis. March 2020 will go down in history as the month many of us had our lives drastically altered due to the COVID-19 pandemic, from the swift shuttering of many businesses, to a mass transition to working and learning from home, to... Read more
Alum of the Month: Sarah Dmytruk
February 28, 2020
At just 16 years old, Sarah Dmytruk’s passion for welding inspired her to enroll in VIU’s Welding certificate program as a dual-credit student, which means she earned credits to complete high school while getting her basic training to become a welder. Now two years later, having also recently earned her Welding Level B ticket, the 18-year-old is enjoying her career with B&F Manufacturing Ltd... Read more
Alum of the Month: Braedan Zimmer
February 12, 2020
Have you ever wondered what life is like after a Liberal Studies degree? Shortly after graduating from VIU in May 2019, Braedan Zimmer found himself travelling around western Canada and the United States as a representative with independent academic publisher Broadview Press, using skills he learned as a Liberal Studies student. Here’s his best advice for those looking to follow in his footsteps... Read more
Alum of the Month: Hannah McSorley
January 14, 2020
It’s been a few years since Hannah McSorley graduated from Vancouver Island University, but her connections to the institution remain strong. Thanks to a research background in environmental analytical chemistry which she gained while still a student at VIU, as well as significant field experience in hydrology, McSorley is working for the university’s Coastal Hydrology Research Lab as an analyst... Read more