Current Students

The other day, I was having dinner with a few friends. As we talked about rent and mortgages, I realized that somewhere between arguing about whether Ronaldo is better than Messi, and whether investing in stocks is better than mutual funds, we grew up.

The sad but true reality is that we’re adulting. And whether we like it or not, finances are a big part of that. We must learn how to deal with our money so we can pay for school and still have money left over for groceries. It can be scary and confusing, but it’s important.

Did you know that last year, VIU had a total of more than $4.5 million in scholarships, awards and bursaries to distribute, with funds available to both domestic and international students? All thanks to generous community donors. Don’t forget to fill out your online Scholarships, Awards and Bursaries profile to get in the running for some of them! 

Danielle Alyward is a big fan of learning through play.

The fourth-year Child and Youth Care (CYC) student is a regular volunteer at Friday Night Lights, a free program for youth and their caregivers that operates out of Georgia Avenue Elementary School. A partnership between the City of Nanaimo’s Parks, Recreation and Culture department, School District 68 and Vancouver Island University, the program provides a space for local children and their caregivers to play sports, do crafts and socialize together.

The dynamic nature of artificial intelligence (AI) technology has captured Andrew Szilagyi’s interest.

“The recent boom in AI development with tools like ChatGPT became a large topic of discussion worldwide and particularly in my life as a student,” he says.

The fourth-year VIU Psychology Honours student is delving deeper into the subject, with a new research project looking at how different levels of exposure to AI in the workplace can influence how workers perceive their identities when working alongside AI systems.

Are you thinking about what you want to do this summer? If you're looking a work experience opportunity, VIU's Career Studio is hosting a couple career fairs. Details below.
 
In this issue:

Born and raised in the Okanagan, Sydney Solland describes herself as an avid outdoor adventurer. When she learned about VIU’s Master of Arts in Sustainable Leisure Management program, it felt like a perfect fit.

Paige Pierce’s first exposure to poetry came about in her last few years of high school. But it wasn’t a smooth introduction.

“A lot of the poetry I was interacting with did not feel relatable or accessible to youth, so I started my writing career as a bit of a poetry hater,” she says.

Still, Paige persevered.

For VIU students looking to expand their global horizons and study internationally while pursuing their undergraduate degree, there is a lot of funding available to help make this dream come true. VIU’s Education Abroad office is giving out more than $200,000 in scholarships and grants this year.

Grace Poirier has always thought a career in pastry arts is “the coolest job ever.”

Now, the second-year VIU Baking and Pastry Arts student has taken another step towards that goal.

It’s February, which means there’s a lot happening on campus, from Black History Month to Valentine’s Day events and Mariners games.
 
In this issue:

• Graduating this year? Don’t forget to sign up for convocation by February 29!
• Mariners men’s and women’s volleyball teams final home games
• Upcoming scholarship opportunities

Pictured: Chemistry Professor Dr. Kyle Duncan in the lab with Kiera Nguyen and Nicholas Woytowich.