Future Students

For third-year Visual Art student Enigye Amarkah, expressing oneself isn’t about being limited to one particular medium.

“I don’t like to specify my style because sometimes when you want to express yourself, it’s going to work better as a sculpture, or it’s going to be a good photograph, or it will be a painting, so I don’t like to focus on just one aspect,” says Enigye, whose name translates to "Happy," a moniker he more commonly goes by.

Irlanda Gonzalez Price, head of Student Affairs, wants to remind you about the supports and services available to you – both on campus and virtually – as we transition back to a new sense of normal.

Denman Moody was working in Victoria in an industry she didn’t love, and was considering returning to university when a chance encounter with a family friend during a summer camping trip changed the direction of her life.

Her family friend had graduated from Vancouver Island University’s Fisheries and Aquaculture Technology Diploma program and told her how much he loved the industry and how many opportunities the training opened up for him.

A decision made “on a whim” has turned into a new career path for Julia Blair.

“I had been struggling for a few years through my 20s to find something that felt like a good fit,” 30-year-old Julia says. 

A decision to switch from pursuing a Certified Professional Accountant (CPA) designation to the recreation and tourism field paid dividends for Monir Shahzeidi.

Monir recently finished a Master of Arts in Sustainable Leisure Management at VIU. Beyond just graduating, however, she is also recipient of this year's Governor General’s Academic Gold Medal award.

Campus tours are a big part of every new student’s journey and while they are an important way to get to know the school you’re planning on/thinking of attending, they can be a little overwhelming. Here are some helpful tips to ensure you leave with the information you need and how to find out more.

Show up on time!

Campus tours are only for a short amount of time, and we wouldn’t want you to miss any opportunity to see our lovely campus or get your questions answered.

Reprinted with permission from The Discourse

Vancouver Island University (VIU) attracts international students from around the world and from various different climates. For Lurana McClure Rodriguez, who grew up in Puerto Rico, Vancouver Island’s environment felt like the closest home away from home. Wanting to study something design and arts-related, interior design gave her a wide range of opportunities to learn and specialize in. Now, at the end of her degree, Rodriguez finds that her final grades aren’t the greatest achievement.

The power of our hearts and minds can uplift us and help us create the life we want, Noelle Hanuse (Wuikinuxwv), a Wellness Advisor with VIU’s Office of Indigenous Education and Engagement. She has created a series of videos around this theme to help Indigenous students navigate their lives and their post-secondary goals in a healthy way.

“I hope students will understand how our thoughts are linked to our feelings and subsequent behaviours and actions, and how changing their thoughts and actions will help them feel better and lift their spirits,” she says. 

“If you have an academic goal you want to achieve, we’ll get you there.”

That’s the simple and straightforward message from Jean Maltesen, Dean of Academic and Career Preparation, for those who enroll in VIU’s Adult Basic Education (ABE) Program.

And while the message may be simple enough, there are numerous ways it can be tailored to help individual students pursue their educational journey.

But who is ABE for? What are some common misconceptions? And what are the benefits of considering ABE in the first place?