VIU Student Pulse News: February 24, 2021

As you saw last week, VIU will continue in an alternative delivery education format for our intersession/summer session. We are planning for all scenarios for the fall and will share more details with you as soon as we can. In the meantime, please keep an eye on our COVID-19 Updates & Info page and check out some of the resources we have listed below, including course lists for summer session, job hunting advice and tax help.

Need to know

Job hunting advice to get you working ✏️

Now more than ever, job searching, resume writing and interviewing skills are key to every students’ success in the job market. These quick, fun and interactive webinars will help you develop confidence in your career journey. Log on to theStudent Employment homepage to view upcoming webinars.

Earn credits in just 7 weeks! ☀️

Summer Session 2021 registration appointments are available now! Summer Session classes are going ahead in an alternate course delivery model. These seven-week courses starting in May or June can help you finish your program faster or reduce your course load for the upcoming year. Take a look at the Summer Session web site for full details.                

Need some tax help? 💰

Tax season is upon us! To help students learn about Canada’s tax system and how to complete their tax return, check out the CRA Outreach Program to access free services and information geared towards understanding taxes.

Welcoming all emotions in 2021 🙃

Are you struggling to match your hopes for 2021 with the reality of what the year has been like so far? You’re not alone. Counsellor Gemma Armstrong has some advice for whenever you find yourself thinking, “this year isn’t as I had hoped” in this letter to the VIU community.

Connect

Tourism networking event for students 💻

VIU has partnered with North Island College and Tourism Vancouver Island to host a virtual networking event called CONNECT to build connections between students and tourism businesses and hear more about the future of the industry. Whether you’re interested in a tourism career or a fun summer job, come out on Wednesday, March 3 from 3 - 5 pm.

Participate in student research on sustained attention 

Tara Cooper, a psychology student, is researching how taking breaks affects your ability to stay focused on something. She is seeking volunteers aged 18-40 years old willing to participate in a 25-minute online experiment. For more information, check out her webpage.

Showcase your work at VIU’s CREATE conference

Want a chance at winning $12,000 in prizes while showcasing your research and creative activity for the VIU community? Sign up now for CREATE 2021. Highlights include a photography contest and the 3-Minute SLAM for your chance to win $250 (register by March 5). Questions? Connect with Kendra.Stiwich@viu.ca.

Get active with Mariners Athletics & Recreation ⚽️🏀

With weight room sessions, open gym floor and outdoor recreation programs, there is something for everyone! Visit our online booking system to reserve your spot today! Please be aware of our updated mask policy prior to booking.

‘su’luqw’a’ & summer programs

Learn how incorporating Indigenous knowledges into the academy enables students to stand in their strength and give back through mentorship: February 25 from 11:30 am - 1 pm. Register for the su’luqw’a’ & summer programs session.

‘su’luqw’a’ Community Cousins training

Are you an Indigenous student at VIU who would like to connect with your peers and be more engaged? Training for new peer mentors takes place March 12 and 13. Email communitycousins@viu.ca for an application!

Thuy Thut for Indigenous students 📱

Chat, ask questions, learn about resources and meet other students at these virtual check-ins. Indigenous Education Navigators, Community Cousins and Elders-in-Residence will be there. Thuy Thut check-ins take place Mondays 12 - 2 pm and Wednesdays 11 am - 1 pm via Zoom.

• Meeting ID: 63774938597
• Password: 126267

Supports and services

Get money to help pay for school 💰

VIU gives out more than $3.5 million in scholarships, awards and bursaries every year. The deadline to apply for the next round is March 31 at noon. Complete your profile in four easy steps via your VIU Student Record.

Learn how to write a resumé and cover letter ✏️

Not sure where to start? Sign up for the Centre for Experiential Learning’s Resumé and Cover Letter Workshop in VIULearn. Email cel@viu.ca with your full name and student number to be enrolled in this self-paced course.

Info about STIs 

The Healthy U Crew, a group of Nursing students based in Cowichan, has some information to share about sexual transmitted infections (STIs). To learn more about signs and symptoms, how and where to get tested, what to do after getting tested and tips for safe sex, check out their latest post on the #VIUBlog.

Indigenous men’s wellness circles & Indigenous women’s circles 

Looking for a safe space to chat or ask questions? Indigenous men’s wellness circles are March 4, March 25 and April 15 from 1 - 2 pm on Zoom (meeting ID: 678 14437934, password: 652404). Indigenous women’s circles are March 4, March 25 and April 15 from 4 - 5 pm (meeting ID: 655 2636 8858, password: 316841).

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Group 

Join VIU Counsellors for seven weeks of Mindfulness practice and learning. This series will provide you with foundational training in the practice of mindfulness and its application in reducing stress and improving functioning. EmailArt.Phipps@viu.ca to learn more.

Student employment opportunities with Statistics Canada 

Want to gain valuable work experience at one of the top statistical agencies in the world? Statistics Canada is looking to hire approximately 32,000 people across Canada to assist in census data collection activities! 

Holistic Energy Care with Noelle Hanuse (Wuikinuxv), Counsellor

Register on Eventbrite for this workshop on March 24 from 12 - 1 pm.
• Learn how your energy works – what depletes, blocks and replenishes it.
• Learn practical tools to conserve, balance and enhance your energy.
• Access your own peace and inner strength. 

FREE text-to-speech/study tools

All current VIU students and employees are able to access VIU's site license for Kurzweil 3000, a comprehensive text-to-speech/study tools software program.Self-register for an account.

Reminder: Nanaimo library open 24-7 📖

Use your VIU ID card to access the Nanaimo campus library’s third and fourth floors 24-7, 365 days a year. Check our Covid-19 updates page for the latest info on all library services, including virtual research help.

Student Copyright Education Survey 

Do you use images, video clips, music and other materials for your assignments or for your VIU student job? Copyright can be confusing, and the Copyright Office wants to know what copyright education and support you need. Complete a 5-minute Copyright Education Survey by February 28 to be entered into a draw for a VIU hoodie!

Black History Month

February is Black History Month in Canada. Here you will find content honouring and examining Black History in BC and Canada, exploring anti-Black racism and discussing what we can all do to build a more inclusive community at VIU and beyond:

• Canada's slavery secret: The whitewashing of 200 years of enslavement – This CBC Ideas program discusses hiding two centuries of enslavement in Canada.
• Listen to this interview on CBC's All Points West with Creative Writing Prof Dr. Sonnet L’abbe, which also includes the song she wrote for the City about her experience of being “Black in Nanaimo.”
• Know Your History, Know Your Greatness – In Canadian schools, Black history is too often left off the curriculum. Small heritage sites are trying, despite the odds, to ensure the next generation hears these stories. 
• Educate Yourself: Online Racial Equality Workshops. This collection of workshops tackles topics from white fragility to systemic racism to reproductive rights and so much more. Courses are offered through March 2021. 
• British Columbia’s Black Pioneers: Their Industry and Character Influenced the Vision of Canada: This online exhibit was developed by the BC Black History Awareness Society.
• The Vancouver Art Gallery’s current exhibition – Where Do We Go From Here? examines this question in light of George Floyd’s death and the Black Lives Matter movement.
• Learn about notable black people in Canadian history, as curated by the Government of Canada.

Mark your calendars

February 26 is … 

• The last day for overdue Spring Semester fees to be paid to avoid deregistration from Spring courses. Visit how to pay to learn more.
• The recommended deadline to apply for student loan funding for intersession/summer semester classes. Visit Financial Aid for more info.