MyVIU student news: June 4, 2025 | Vancouver Island University
Bursary Description
Next week, graduating students wearing caps and gowns and their families will be making the Nanaimo campus a busy place during convocation ceremonies on June 9 and 10, with Semélshun Indigenous Graduation Recognition ceremony on June 12. More info.
Also, VIU has nearly $300,000 in funding to support students participating in work-integrated learning for the rest of 2025. See the “Money available for work experiences” blurb below for instructions on how to see if a bursary is available for you.
Need to know
Pride Month at VIU
Thank you to everyone who came to the Flag Raising and Show Your Pride event on Monday. Read the Celebrating Pride Month at VIU message. Look for more resources shared in the next newsletter and join us to walk in the pride parade! (see writeup below)
Honouring Indigenous history, culture and community at VIU
June marks National Indigenous History Month across Canada, a time to reflect, learn and honour the diverse cultures, histories and knowledge of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples. At Vancouver Island University, we acknowledge the responsibility that comes with being situated on the traditional lands of the Snuneymuxw, Quw’utsun, Tla’amin, Snaw-naw-as and Qualicum First Nations. We are guests here, and we remain committed to listening, learning and acting in ways that respect Indigenous rights, title and governance. Acting President Emily Huner and David Paterson, AVP of DEHR, have written a message to the community for this important month. Look for more details about a Relational Lunch and Learn hosted by the Office of Indigenous Education and Engagement on June 23 in future issues of this newsletter.
Money available for work experiences 💰
Are you in a trades or undergraduate program that requires you to complete a work experience course? Is that work experience unpaid? If you answered yes to both questions, you may be able to receive a CEWIL iHub Project grant of up to $1,825. Log in to the Experience Hub today, navigate to the Experiential Learning module and apply to one of the open CEWIL iHub Projects to find out if a cheque is waiting for you. There are a limited number of bursaries available so don’t delay!
More scholarships still open – apply now! 💸
Did you miss the deadline for VIU scholarship applications? We have lots of external awards listed online that have later application deadlines. Thanks to the 1,564 current and future students who completed their VIU Scholarship, Award and Bursary profiles before the March 31 deadline. The Financial Aid team has completed selections for entrance awards for our future students and will spend the next couple of months doing selections for the remaining 400+ awards and scholarships that will be disbursed in September.
What are land acknowledgements? 🗣️
At VIU, practicing land acknowledgements and protocol is a way to respect and recognize the unceded traditional territories and lands its campuses are situated on. Want to learn more about how to be a respected guest while working, living, learning or playing on traditional lands? Heather Burke, Manager of Indigenous Initiatives, has written a guide to land acknowledgements and protocol.
Student shoutout
Congratulations to Simon Martin who took home the gold medal in Culinary Arts at the Skills Canada national competition in Regina. This is Simon’s second time at the nationals. He attended in 2024 as a Grade 11 student from NDSS. This year he competed as a VIU Culinary Arts student, mentored by Chef Jason Lloyd. Rumour has it that recruiters are after him to join their team.
Hairdressing student Brenna Smith competed in the post-secondary level Hairstylist competition and her mentor was Arden Magtiza. The standard was incredibly high, and Brenna did an incredible job representing VIU.
Connect
Nanaimo Pride Parade 🌈
Join the Positive Space Alliance in representing VIU by walking with us in the Nanaimo Pride Parade on Sunday, June 8! Students and employees are welcome to join. Please email PositiveSpace@viu.ca for more information about the meeting location and time.
Applications open: Unique research course 📖
Calling all VIU students! Want to gain real-world research experiences to add to your resume and get class credits at the same time? Applications are now open for the Community-Based Applied Interdisciplinary Research course. This course pairs students from different faculties to work on a project with community partners. For the 2025-26 academic year, we’re excited to be partnering with:
Nanaimo’s Acute Response Team
Community Circles Restorative Justice Society
The Nanaimo Community Safety Office (RCMP)
Learn more about CBAIR.
Call for RockVIU volunteers 🙌
Want to make a lasting impact at VIU? Sign up to volunteer as a RockVIU leader and help welcome new students to campus! RockVIU 2025 is looking for a fun, diverse and dedicated team of volunteers to bring a variety of abilities, personalities, backgrounds and expertise between August 25 to August 29. Don’t miss this great opportunity to get involved! Sign up to volunteer. For more questions, email tejas.sawant@viu.ca.
Perform at RockVIU 🎶 🎤
Are you a singer, dancer, spoken word artist or performer ready to share your talent with the VIU community? The Connect Fair and Community Corner at RockVIU 2025 is looking for student performers to help us kick off the new academic year with energy and creativity! Students will perform on Thursday, August 28, from noon to 4 pm at the Nanaimo campus in parking lot G. Sign up to be a performer. Spots are limited, so don’t wait! Let’s make this event unforgettable together. For questions, contact Shubhangni Kapoor at shubhangni.kapoor@viu.ca.
Supports and services
Work out at the VIU gym 🏋🏽
The VIU gym’s weight room is currently open from 8 am to 7:30 pm during the week and VIU students get free access after registering at the gym’s front desk (Building 190). The gym floor is also open weekday afternoons and evenings in May, bring some friends by to shoot hoops or play badminton.
Discover the library’s pride displays 🏳️🌈
Happy Pride Month! The VIU library has both a physical display (in the Nanaimo library location) and an online display available here! Both are full of streaming movies, fiction, memoirs, academic writing, and more, all highlighting the voices and experiences of the 2SLGBTQ+ community. Please check them out!
Check out the library’s summer fun guide 📚
If you’re taking summer courses, remember library research help is available. Looking to relax a bit? Check out our summer fun online guide for movies, games, books and other fun things in our collection. Have little ones that you want to keep busy while you study? Check out our family room at the Nanaimo campus library! If there’s anything else you need, just ask!
IT Helpdesk news: Windows 11 is here! 🖥️
We have started to move our student labs and workstations over to Windows 11. It changes how you log in and a few other things. Check out our Knowledge Base article for more details.
New to VIU? 🥳
Check out our top 5 advising tips for new students:
- Read all emails from VIU carefully. It is important information that deserves your attention.
- Build as much support around you as possible. Advising is a good place to start.
- Ask questions wherever and whenever you have them. This includes instructors and advisors.
- Check out Learning Matters, a digital resource of study, reading and writing tips and strategies.
- Thrive at VIU, a collection of events, activities and resources to help you be well.
Connect early, connect often with academic advisors.
Learn about international study opportunities ✈️
VIU students have access to unique international travel and study opportunities through the University Mobility in Asia and the Pacific (UMAP). This summer, we are highlighting Program C opportunities, short-term (one to eight week) summer programs hosted by UMAP partner institutions around the world. These programs focus on a range of academic and cultural themes, and many offer full or partial scholarships that may cover tuition, accommodation or both. Learn more about Program C opportunities and reach out to InternationalMobility@viu.ca for help with how to apply or any other questions.
Food Services and Campus Store hours 🥪
Hours are as follows:
- Main cafeteria (Building 300) is open 8 am to 2 pm until August 22. The cafeteria will be closed June 9 and 10 for convocation.
- Lower cafeteria (Building 185) is open May 12 to June 12 from 7:30 am to 2 pm (Monday to Thursday). Closed June 13 to August 24.
- Campus Store Nanaimo: open 10 am to 3 pm until August 15. Open 8 am to 6 pm on June 9 and 10 for convocation gown drop off.
Substance use and overdose prevention website 🖥️
Did you know that VIU has a substance use and overdose prevention program aimed at providing education, resources and training to support the health and safety of our community? This initiative is available to all VIU employees and students. We encourage our community to bookmark the substance use and overdose prevention website, where many of these resources are shared and upcoming training sessions will be listed. This website also details where you can find naloxone kits on campus.
Physiotherapy services 🏃
Physiotherapy services are coming to the VIU Health and Wellness Centre! Call 250.740.6416 or come in person to book. Payment due at the time of the session. Invoices can be submitted to VIUSU Greenshield Health Benefits or employees can access their benefits for reimbursement! Learn more.