Q: What is one positive or inspiring experience you have had so far as a VIU student in a BA program?
A: If I had to choose just one, I would say the campaigning season for the 2016 Students Union Elections. I was able to be all over campus, engaging with students, talking about what matters most, food initiatives, stress free learning, advocacy, campus inclusion and rocking being a student!
Cal Rosenthal
Q. What is one positive or inspiring experience you have had so far as a VIU student?
A. One of the most inspiring experiences I've had at VIU so far has been my two- semester directed study research project that I completed through the Geography department and the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region Research Institute (MABRRI). I've spent the past eight months working on my project, looking at the relationship between interpretive signage and sense of place. For my research, I visited parks and other natural sites within the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region, near VIU, and I evaluated the interpretive signage available at each site. It was a great excuse to go hiking through some amazing places on the island!
Haley Robinson
Q. What is something you've learned in your program that has really surprised you, or altered the way you think about something?
A. Learning about art has dramatically altered the way I think about art. I entered the program intending to improve my studio art skills. These skills were acquired but, more importantly, I learned how to see, experience and interpret art. This was accomplished through critiques, classes on critical thinking, and chats with the professors and other students.
Denise Tierney
Q: What is the most interesting or most memorable concept you have learned in your program?
A: Question everything, it's our civil and moral duty. Propaganda is vast, and inconspicuous.
Sebastian Barkovic
Q. Share an experience where one of your profs made an impact on your learning experience
A. I've learned from one of my favourite profs that it pays to be an independent learner. In life no one is there to hold your hand, and it's the same for university. It's my job to know when things are due or when I should be studying, and at the end of the day if I perform poorly it's on my own accord. This prof has also taught me my most impactful upper level courses and I've learned so much more than I ever expected I would from his courses.
Geordana Clint
Q. Can you share one of the memorable experiences from your program?
A. Being able to be a part of a work-op under the supervision of one of my professors for two years had a great impact on my learning experience. Through the work-op I not only gained job experience, but I was also able to engage with historical material hands-on and also discover new interests, which led me to doing a directed studies course.
Paige Fehr
Q. What do you consider your most impressive accomplishment?
A. My most impressive accomplishment at VIU is that I finished my undergraduate degree being a student-athlete. It takes a lot of commitment, energy, organization, time management and dedication to perform in both areas that the majority of students are not willing to take.
Diego Bustas
Q. What has been your favourite class so far and why?
A. I absolutely loved forensic anthropology – this class captivated my attention and snuck into my thought process even outside of class time. Professor (Cheryl) Roy was always happy to spend time with us exploring our latest hypotheses. This experience is what led me to pursue directed studies in human osteology, and two international internship opportunities focused in biological anthropology, forensic science and human rights initiatives.
Cari McIntyre