UFV eNews May 2009
What's new at the U? Stay current with news and events at your local university with the UFV eNews, a monthly e-newsletter published by the Marketing and Communications team at the University of the Fraser Valley.
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$7.22 million in upgrades to Canada Education Park
An investment of $7.22 million from the federal and provincial governments will improve the Canada Education Park campus of the University of the Fraser Valley, creating close to 46 direct jobs. Work at the Canada Education Park will renovate a building at the former Canadian Forces Base Chilliwack, which will allow the north campus of the University of the Fraser Valley to be sold and programs to move to the education park.
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UFV marked 35 years on April 4
This past year has been one that focused on the present and the future for the University of the Fraser Valley. Since the long-awaited university status was granted last April, much energy and hard work has been put into defining what kind of university the Fraser Valley wants and needs. But UFV is also quietly celebrating a significant anniversary. Saturday, April 4, marks 35 years since Fraser Valley College was proclaimed into existence. UFV got its start as Fraser Valley College, was transformed into the degree-granting University College of the Fraser Valley in 1991, and achieved university status in 2008.
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Fine Arts degree grads exhibit at UFV
Last fall, UFV opened a new building wing dedicated to the instruction and study of visual arts. This spring, some of the first students to experience that customized creative space are graduating with from the university’s Bachelor of Fine Arts degree program. To mark the occasion, the group staged an exhibit of their work called
Therefore. It featured a variety of submissions including sculpture, painting, photography, and new media.
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UFV geography students get involved with Arbour Day
While we all know the basic science of why trees are so important, a group of undergrad students from the University of the Fraser Valley are revealing even more scientific data about trees and their many connections to the ecosystems we live in. “The students have all conducted scientific research with a connection to trees,” says UFV geography instructor Garry Fehr. “Arbour Day is a great opportunity to share their research. We have three different projects and each one shows the very important role trees have in our ecosystem.” More...
Imagination soars at Absolute Style 2009
Creativity and imagination will spark the runway at the Absolute Style fashion show presented by the University of the Fraser Valley’s Fashion Design students. This year’s show, which took place on April 29, brought fresh new ideas to one of the most exhilarating fashion shows of the season. The designs included modern sporty medical scrubs, theatrical costumes, Steam Punk costumes for film, special-occasion children’s wear inspired by fresh garden prints, and environmentally-conscious designs that use only eco-friendly fabrics. A number of collections this year had an international flavour, including African-inspired wedding designs and modern Indo-Canadian fashions.
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Summer program at UFV gives context for Aboriginal land claims issues
With 60 per cent of BC’s eligible First Nations bands in the treaty process, hundreds of negotiations are underway across the province at any given time to address outstanding economic and social injustices. Unfortunately, many of the people involved in treaty and land claims deliberations are not fully aware of the history and context of the discussions happening today. UFV has introduced a new short certificate program to help these individuals acquire and explore key background knowledge quickly and thoroughly. The certificate in Indigenous Studies: Maps, Films, Rights, and Land Claims will be delivered May 4-25 in Chilliwack, in the heart of traditional Stó:lõ First Nations territory. More...
UFV student-artisans showcase carving work for community
Last fall, a group of eager but uncertain students took up their carving tools and, for the first time, learned how to properly care for and respect them. They listened to the stories and wisdom of the master carver assigned to mentor them. They participated in a cleansing ritual to clear their minds and focus their efforts. Only then did they take their first tenuous steps towards sculpting the rough pieces of cedar wood placed before them into something magical. Eleven student-artisans have now completed the University of the Fraser Valley’s year-long Indigenous Arts certificate and presented their completed masks to the community at a celebration of their work on Tuesday, April 28 at the theatre on the university’s Chilliwack campus (45635 Yale Rd.).
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Bench honours memory of devoted UFV student
Family and friends of former UFV student Jen Simpson, who passed away in a car accident in 2008, will always have a place to reflect on their memories of Jen, thanks to a memorial bench built on UFV’s Abbotsford campus outside the Envision Athletic Centre. Dozens of friends and family members gathered recently to unveil the Jen Simpson Memorial Bench, made in part from wood from Jen’s bunk bed. A plaque will soon be affixed to the ground in front of the bench with her name inscribed and an artist’s sketch of Jen’s picture.
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Chilliwack businesses help transform a UFV student’s image
New university graduate and single mom Tawney Gorrie has the education and the skills, but needed a boost of confidence and professional attire to get the job. For the third year, the UFV Career Centre has partnered with local community businesses to give a deserving student like Tawney a career makeover.
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Chilliwack software company partners with UFV to give computing students real-time industry learning
Most of us lament the number of passwords we have to remember in our busy lives; everything from bank cards to voice mail, email, and even the library requires an access code. Imagine what it’s like if you’re a business owner trying to protect hundreds or thousands of accounts on its corporate network. This past winter, a group of six senior computing students at UFV joined the Scorpion Software team to work on a new project that turns mobile devices - like cell phones, Blackberries, and PDAs - into authentication devices. More...
Let science rock your summer at UFV
If your children are innately curious about the magical, mystical world around them, they may find some kindred spirits and a great learning adventure at UFV’s science summer camps this year. Science Rocks! is a package of three different science-oriented camps for local students in Grades 4-6 (as of Sept ’09) that the university is running over three weeks in July. Each camp is structured to encourage the development of scientific problem-solving skills and to help campers learn fundamental scientific principles in a fun, hands-on way.
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Farewell to Dr. Skip Bassford gala dinner - Saturday, June 20
After 11 years as President of the University of the Fraser Valley, Skip Bassford is moving on. Please join us to celebrate his accomplishments and wish him well in his future endeavours. More...
Keep in touch by watching the news and events listings at
www.ufv.ca .
