Alumni Testimonials

"The quality of instruction offered by the UFV Visual Arts Department enabled me to challenge myself and excel. I graduated on the Dean’s List with an Undergraduate Research Excellence Award and the Bachelor of Fine Arts Graduate Award. The Visual Arts Department at UFV has proved to be a remarkable springboard for me; since graduation, I was invited to a Canadian Wilderness Residency in the Yukon. I strongly feel that the critically challenging, learning environment of the Visual Arts Department at UFV—as well as the dedicated, creative faculty and staff—has helped to prepare me to work as an art professional."

"At UFV the studio based, theory and art historical courses provided an interdisciplinary approach to education. These courses merge technical education, conceptual knowledge, creative problem solving skills, and critical understanding of the arts within an intimate learning environment. I received two Undergraduate Research Awards in Visual Arts as well as the 2nd place Assistant Vice President Award in Research due to the continued presence and encouragement of my professors, who truly care about the success and achievements of their students."

"I have been prepared by UFV's Visual Arts program—to pay attention to details, to understand desirable aesthetic values, to advise others on style and technique, and to receive similar constructive-criticism myself.I was exposed to many different artistic mediums in the Visual Arts program and was continually challenged as I endeavoured to develop my skills in each one."

“In the Visual Arts program I was introduced to the broad spectrum of contemporary art and to this day I am inspired to continually create new works. I was exposed to so many different artistic mediums and was continually challenged as I endeavoured to develop my skills in each one.”

“My academic journey at UFV has really been life changing. The Bachelor of Arts in Global Development Studies program has provided me with tangible work experiences like City Studio projects, an international internship, volunteer opportunities and professional networking. The research projects, panel discussions and internships have provided me with tangible skills (research skills, professional communication, report writing, working in different time zones, etc.) that are easily transferred to the professional environment post-grad.”

“During my studies for my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at UFV, I focused on three areas of studio production: photography, print media, and painting. My work at UFV led me to pursue a Master of Fine Arts degree at the University of Manitoba. The diverse range of resources, opportunities, as well as the faculty and support staff who are there pushed me to realize my potential and have helped develop me into the artist that I’ve become today.”

“I was motivated by my instructors to step out of my comfort zone. This resulted in my discovery of a passion that has opened numerous doors—from showings throughout North America to collaborating with other artists on amazing projects.”

“My advice to students is to engage with everything you can. Be open to learning, work hard, be curious and ask questions, be brave and speak your truth, and earn the trust of your Professors through those behaviours because they can open up opportunities to you that you don’t even know exist.”

“The connections that I made at UFV led to trusting relationships where I felt challenged and excited about what I was doing. Knowing that the faculty cared about what I was making meant that I wanted to grow as an artist and learn more about who I was and what I wanted to express. My experience as an art student was crucial in helping me realize both my interests as an art educator and an artist, knowledge I now am passing on to my students at Hope Secondary School.”

“My time spent in the Visual Arts Dept. at UFV was the most exciting and rewarding educational experience of my life. The program was engaging, challenging, and most importantly inspiring. The environment enabled me to have confidence in myself and my skills as an artist.”

“My time at UFV opened up the world of writing to me through various creative writing classes. It was because of those classes that I chose to pursue my MFA in Writing and my MA in History. UFV let me explore my interests and take a variety of classes before settling in on my major. The skills and knowledge I gained while at UFV directly prepared me for graduate work and has continued to inspire me throughout my research and studies now.”

“I gained a wealth of specialized training and experience in military, security, private investigations, and legal services, as well as extensive academic studies in law, criminology, psychology and sociology with a thematic option in law enforcement foundations. I utilized my knowledge and training to launch my business, Securus Research, a private investigation, security alarms/CCTV consulting and security training consulting business.”

“After completing the Bachelor of Integrated Studies program, I feel more confident and undeterred when speaking against injustice and racism in societies and schools. The program helped me to develop global skills and competencies. Some of the skills are Microsoft Office, podcast recording, communication, academic writing, lateral thinking, and problem solving. I am accumulating work hours to get into the B.Ed. program, along with working as ECEA at Hand in Hand and doing a supervision job at an Elementary School.”

“My most valuable experience was certainly the Adventures in Geography trip to BC's Interior that I had the pleasure of completing with my peers under the guidance of Garry Fehr and Olav Lian. It was the perfect way to cap off my undergraduate studies at UFV."

"One skill I learnt during this program that particularly stands out to me is reflection. This program gives you a unique opportunity to reflect on what you have created. I was able to self assess my learning outcomes and adapt my personal learning goals, which I believe were a great way to wrap up my university career."

“My BA from UFV prepared me for law school, criminal law in particular, as I received the Dean’s course prize for Advanced Criminal Law and earned my highest marks in all of my criminal law classes.”

“GDD prepared me for my current job position as I was exposed to the foundations of design in a constructive, nurturing environment under the guidance of qualified individuals. I would recommend the GDD program to anyone curious about pursuing a job in the design industry, and who ultimately has a desire to explore their creative abilities."

“I had the opportunity to participate in Geography 464, an experiential learning course that partners with different community members and organizations. The experience led to a job for me. I think that's one of the best things about UFV, the ability to have a unique approach to education that leads to employable skills."

“If you want to create your own path take BGS. The impact that I had on the Geography Department and Matsqui First Nation in the Mount Lehman community was incredible. I learnt that I can do this and I've found my future dream job."

“My BGS allowed me to explore a myriad of subject areas, such as English, Sociology, Math, and Visual Arts. It also allowed me to develop various skills and provided the opportunity of working with Bard on the Beach as a Shakespeare Ambassador, as well as the ability to start my my own tour guiding business in Vancouver. In addition, I have been able to pursue my post-degree teacher certification."

“I think that the French major especially has a lot of great professors who help you along and really push you to learn more. I also really enjoyed the interaction with students and small class sizes."

“I graduated on the Dean’s List with 'Outstanding Achievement.' I’m so grateful I went to Art School at UFV, it was one of the best things I could have done for my practice. I’ve met so many amazing people, artists, art lovers, and mentors. I made amazing connections in the industry, had awesome opportunities, and stacked my portfolio. A lot of doors opened up for me."

“My experience in the BFA, Visual Arts program was wonderful. Not only did it challenge and strengthen my theory, but I gained the necessary tools to succeed as a professional artist. I learned how to properly document my work, apply for exhibitions and set up a gallery. Currently, I am using my degree as an artist and influencer. Along with my art practice I run a blog on cultivating creativity."

"My time studying philosophy at UFV was formative and it provided me with fantastic opportunities to work and volunteer within the school community. Meaningful conversations with professors and the opportunity to pursue my particular academic interests through directed studies made for a truly exceptional and individualized experience. This year, I am beginning graduate studies in the UK, and I credit UFV for preparing me for this exciting new venture."

"UFV has been so great for me. When I was in high school I felt really untapped. There was so much I wanted to do and learn and I didn’t really find that in the high school setting. I actually started coming here and volunteering with Indo-Canadian Studies when I was fourteen doing little research projects, and I found faculty and staff here have been really incredible. I was always able to find ways to grow and push myself here, and those resources have been really incredible."

"I graduated from UFV in 2014 with an Honours degree in English literature and am now the managing editor of PokerNews Canada, the country’s largest poker news website. The faculty in the English department were incredible. They always took a personal interest in the areas I wanted to research or discuss and treated me like an equal. I believe this went a long way in giving me the confidence to get to where I am today, not just professionally, but personally."

"At UFV Arts I had the opportunity to form very close bonds with a number of faculty members, which I don't think I would have experienced at a larger school. I've worked closely under a number of profs and I've come to do a lot of research through those relationships, and have good references now. 

I think the Student Psychology Association is also a really important part for psychology students. It's a strong group and there are very interested students there. I think, overall, UFV fosters really interested students who want to learn and be there. There is a strong sense of community and I think having a smaller student body really helps develop that because we all are close. I’ve taken a lot of classes with the same people, over and over again. I’ve developed some really strong relationships here. I actually met my best friend in my program.

I also think UFV Arts is where I learned to actually like school. I actually dropped out of high school because I found it to be so terrible, but here I found school challenging and interesting. I had so many profs who were especially interested in my work and really wanted to see me do well, so that was really meaningful and that was a great part of the experience that I had."

"What sets UFV Arts programs apart from the others is the involvement that comes with being in the various programs. There's so much happening all the time. I've been able to attend lots of events and meet new people. It's changed my view of BC and Canada as a whole."

"The connections you make with the professors, students and staff are fabulous. I had the opportunity to work with a lot of people who helped me network in my program. In the end, I was able to finish my degree in three years."

"Charn Kingra's course in Criminal Justice was one of the most memorable classes in my entire degree. He was able to include personal stories and somehow relate it back to us students."

"I love teaching and I love helping people get better at art. And, also helping them learn how to love it. Painting is so good for you. To be able to push around colour and make something from nothing on a flat thing using brushes and paints is really wonderful. It's a real joy to be able to teach that."

"My professors were encouraging patient and profoundly experienced, taking the time to offer constructive criticism and making me aware of other opportunities to improve. I now can happily say I just finished a 68 page Visitor Guide for the town of Jasper. If you're passionate about creating, this is the field for you."

"I transferred into the Bachelor of Integrated Studies (BIS) program one semester into my Post-Secondary Education at UFV so that I could expand my knowledge and explore different UFV departments. As an Aviation student, besides our Government Issued licenses, there are little requirements to be a pilot. Many opportunities require Post-Secondary education, specifically a degree. However, there is rarely a requirement for a specific degree. I felt that the BIS was a good option as it fulfilled many of the requirements for the Aviation Industry, and allowed me to explore different subjects that I had an interest in."

"My geography degree has equipped me with extremely relevant info and experience for my current job in property development. Property developers need to have a solid understanding of urban planning in order to navigate re-zoning, permits, and licensing processes required by municipalities. Large scale property developers also are active public space makers for cities. We need to have some working knowledge of how the natural world interacts with what we plan to build, and what environmental assessments need to be done. Geography has proven to be a subject area that has provided me with knowledge and insight into so many aspects of the world around me. It has truly allowed me to see the connections between people and spaces, from large scale to small."

"I’m someone that really knows what my interests are, what I want to learn and how I want to apply myself in the real world. When I took the Indigenous Maps, Films, Rights and Land Claims certificate, I was able to immediately apply it to help build a strategic plan and to roll out programming. I had the flexibility to then turn that into a directed studies about Indigenizing curriculum and it ended up being my practicum for a course that I had to take. I really enjoyed that flexibility. The College of Arts was a good fit for how I wanted to learn and what I wanted to get out of my learning journey. I’m really glad I found my way here."