Current Students

With more than 120 programs to choose from ranging from trades certificates and diplomas, to undergraduate and graduate degrees, it's safe to say there's plenty of opportunities to discover a variety of places, courses and connections at Vancouver Island University.

With the fall semester starting up, there will be many opportunities to meet new people, forge academic and social connections, and learn some fascinating things. But, as much as there are many exciting things happening, any novel experience has the potential to create burnout.

Burnout is a state of thinking, feeling and behaving that results from feeling exhausted. This can manifest as feelings of anxiety, depression, isolation, general tiredness and absence, to name a few.

Welcome back to all returning students and welcome to VIU to all students starting studies here this fall. I want to start the year off by introducing myself. My name is Dr. Mike Quinn, and I am VIU’s new Provost and Vice-President Academic. I started in this role in June and am looking forward to experiencing the increased vibrancy and excitement that September brings – and to meeting as many of you as I can.

Are you ready to start the school year? Whether you’re looking for some free kitchenware or other household supplies, to meet new friends or get some extra support academically, you’ll find info on how to access of these things in this newsletter.

The Student Pulse is delivered to your inbox every two weeks throughout the school year. 

Are you looking for help with writing a resumé or cover letter? Want some advice on how to prepare for an interview? Wondering what career options might be a good fit? This fall the Centre for Experiential Learning is launching a new service, called Career Studio, to deliver services vital to building lifelong career planning skills.

What originally started as a “small summer project” for Samantha Beynon has now led to a published children’s book.

Samantha is a VIU Bachelor of Education student who is heading into her fifth year this fall. She says the book, Oolichan Moon, published by Harbour Publishing, will be widely available on shelves as of this October.

“I actually wrote it a couple of years ago, and self-published it,” she explains. 

Student Affairs is developing its 2022-27 Foundation Plan, which will align with the six commitments found in VIU’s Strategic Plan, People, Place, Potential

As a university student, one of the most important areas you’ll want to get familiar with is the library. University libraries play a key role in enhancing your learning experience, ensuring you have the materials, resources and services you need to succeed. 

Did you know the Nanaimo campus library is visited more than 500,000 times by members of the VIU community each year? The space includes:

Back to school is just a few weeks away! In this first edition of the Student Pulse newsletter for the 2022-23 academic year, we have the information you need to get off to a good start.
 
For new students looking to get familiar with VIU services and supports in advance of school start-up, RockVIU new student orientation starts on August 29. More details below! 

Madelaine Jones says students should enrol in VIU’s Co-operative Education program because they can gain work experience that could help them land a good job after graduation.

She is currently completing an eight-month work term for the Federal Government of Canada doing software development and loves it. For the first half of her work term, Madelaine worked remotely. For the second half she moved to Ottawa, Ontario. One of the great things about co-ops is you can discover which jobs are the right fit for you, says Madelaine.