Starting at 6 pm tonight, VIU’s top talent will battle it out on the Malaspina Theatre stage to win prizes and bragging rights. Come cheer on your fellow students in this showcase of creativity and talent! Learn more about VIU’s Got Talent below.
Also in this issue:
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Fill out the travel survey
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Frost events by your students’ union
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Mental health check-up
Need to know
Tell us how you travel to VIU 🚙
We want to hear from you! VIU is conducting a Transportation Demand Management Study to evaluate the evolving transportation needs and infrastructure on campus. It also aims to reduce VIU’s carbon footprint by encouraging sustainable modes of transportation. Share your thoughts through an online surveyto help us understand travel patterns. The survey is open until January 29. Enter yourself into a draw for a $50 gift card to the VIU Campus Store!
Free hot meals 🥘
No Hunger at VIU, an initiative by the VIU Students’ Union, Political Studies Students’ Association and Social Sciences faculty, will offer free hot meals for all VIU students on January 29 in Building 355, Room 211 from 11:30 am to 1 pm. Care packages will be available as well, and the Political Studies Students Association will be playing a movie.
VIU’S Got Talent 🎤
Get ready for an evening of amazing performances on Wednesday, January 22 from 6 to 9 pm at the Malaspina Theatre! Watch as the finalists take the stage to showcase their incredible skills and compete for top prizes. Plus, you’ll have the chance to vote for your favourite act and win a prize yourself! Reserve your free seat.
Frost free skate ⛸️
Join us at the Nanaimo Ice Centre on January 22, 1:30 to 3 pm, for free skating with the Mariners Men's Hockey Team. Skating is free for students with valid student ID.
Free mental health check-up 🧠
Take a quick 20 to 35 minutes on January 30, between 11 am and 2 pm, to visit the Royal Arbutus Room in the main cafeteria for a free, anonymous and confidential mental health screening. Discover fun, interactive activities focused on stress, mood, anxiety, support and self-care. Prioritize your well-being, stop by and learn something new! For more details, visit VIU Thrive.
An important note about the VIU phone system
As many of you know, the phone systems were compromised by the severe windstorm our area experienced last fall. While key numbers are working, some individual employee lines are not working. If the number of the student services person you are trying to reach is not going through, please reach out by email.
Student shoutout
A huge congratulations to VIU's 2025 MBA Games team on a stellar performance at the MBA National Games at University Canada West earlier this month! The team placed sixth overall out of 14 universities across Canada, include a second-place finish in the Case Competition and third place in Fundraising. Last fall, the VIU team also won the BC MBA Games Cup and VIU will host those games next fall!
Connect
Mental Health Awareness day 📲 🗣️
The Thrive crew is ready to hang out with you at the upper cafeteria on January 22 from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm! Join this fun national campaign from Bell as we keep the conversations about breaking down mental health stigma and boosting wellness going. We’ve got Bell swag, awesome resources, uplifting messages, toques and so much more waiting for you!
Wellness peers and dog cuddles 🐶
Visit the Wellness Peers in the Nanaimo campus Library for a cozy experience featuring free hot beverages, stress-relieving fidgets, adult colouring, warm conversations and adorable therapy dogs. The Wellness Lounge is open Tuesdays through Thursdays. For more details, check out the VIU Thrive website.
Frost Ski Bum Party ⛷️🍻
Finish off Frost with a night of good music and great company at the VIUSU Pub, January 30 from 8 pm until late. We’ll have frosty drink specials all night and DJ Kurtis Johnstone.
Hunger Hack 2025 🍎
Calling all changemakers! Let's DO SOMETHING about student hunger! Want an opportunity to apply your skills in a multidisciplinary student team to make a difference doing a real thing for real people with real funding? Sign up for the Hunger Hack, February 19 to 21 to improve student food security on campus. Your team could win one of three chances to pilot your idea with $5,000! Apply now. Have a question? Have a lot of questions? Email Cyrill.Rohr@viu.ca.
Food security research 🍽️
Help us improve food security on campus! We're conducting a research study to enhance food security and assistance programs at VIU. Your input is crucial in shaping the future of student support. This is your chance to be heard. Take the anonymous, short survey to have your say.
CREATE 📚
Registration for VIU’s CREATE Conference is now open! Don’t miss the chance to showcase your research and creative activity. We will distribute over $15,000 in cash prizes! Learn more about CREATE and register.
Fulbright Scholar meet and greet 🗣️
The Office of the Provost is hosting a meet and greet for VIU’s 2025 Fulbright Canada Visiting Research Chair in Indigenous Studies, Dr. Kimberly Coleman. The event will take place on January 23 from 12 to 1 pm in Shq’apthut (Building 170). Bring your lunch! Light refreshments will be provided. RSVP through Eventbrite.
Culture Couch 🛋️
The Culture Couch is a place to engage in cross-cultural understanding and learning. The couch symbolizes the casual, comfortable nature of this student-led initiative. Each session is uniquely crafted by student volunteers who take on the role of hosts and share aspects of their culture with their peers. Culture Couch happens Tuesdays from 5 to 6 pm in Building 255, first floor learning commons.
Supports and services
Exchange support sessions ✈️
Exchange is an incredible opportunity to explore new cultures, gain global experience and broaden your academic and personal horizons. Our Exchange Support Sessions are here to guide you through the process, ensuring you’re fully prepared for this exciting journey.
- Dates: January 14 to April 29, 2025
- Time: Every Tuesday, 11 am to 12 pm (drop in anytime throughout the hour)
- Location: Building 255 reception, Room 205 (left of reception area)
For questions ahead of time, email internationalMobility@viu.ca.
Silent computer lab in library 💻
Did you know the top floor of the library has a silent computer lab that is regularly open for student study? It does! Room 508. Did you know that it had major upgrades over the break? It did! All computers in the 508 Lab now have Windows 11, Geforce RTX 4060 Graphics Cards, Adobe Creative Suite, ARCGIS and large monitors. Come and check it out!
Career Studio 💼
The Career Studio is open for appointments Monday to Thursday from 10 am to 3 pm and Fridays from 10 am to 1 pm. Stop by Building 255, Room 204 during those hours, book an appointment on the Experience Hub or email careerstudio@viu.ca to get started on your career goals today.
Resume & cover letter writing workshop 📃
Looking to improve your resume and cover letter? Join us Thursday, January 23 from 11:15 am to 12:50 pm (lunch provided) for this practical workshop. Learn how to:
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Build a clear, professional resume
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Write a tailored cover letter to stand out
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Get tips to strengthen your job applications
This session is designed for students at all levels – whether you're just starting out or updating your materials. Register.
Health, safety and your rights in the workplace 💼
Gear up for success in your work-integrated learning experience! This interactive workshop covers essential topics like employment standards, WorkSafeBC guidelines, and tackling workplace bullying and harassment. Come join us in the Career Studio (Building 255, Room 204) on January 29 at 11:15 am (lunch provided). Register early on the Experience Hub as seats are limited! Register.
Health and dental plans 🩺
Does it show in your student record that you have been assessed the Health and Dental Fee for the Spring Semester? By accessing your benefits, you could be saving thousands of dollars on prescription costs, massage therapy, dental coverage, counselling and more. If you have equivalent coverage with another provider, and you don’t wish to have dual coverage, you can opt-out by the specified deadline. For most students, the opt-out deadline was January 20. For more info visit VIUSU Health and Dental or email healthanddental@viusu.ca.
Computer science labour market round table 🖥️
Come and learn from industry professionals in Computer Science. You will have a chance to engage with industry professionals through panel and round table discussions. Start building your network and learn about what you can do with your degree.
- Date: Tuesday, February 4
- Time: 5 to 6:30 pm
- Location: Building 300 Room 401
- Registration Link: CSCI Labour Market Round Table
Engineering labour market panel 👨🔬
Join us to learn where your degree may take you from hearing from industry professionals in Engineering about their day-to-day work tasks, company culture and more!
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Date: Thursday, February 6
Time: 10:30 to 11:20 am
Location: Building 315 Room 216
Registration Link: Engineering Labour Market Panel
Housing support 🏠
Looking for help with finding housing and roommates, temporary accommodation, contracts and fees or other tenancy issues? Contact Off-Campus Housing or book a meeting.
Wavemakers 👩💻
Are you a post-secondary student? Join the Wavemakers program to level up your skills and connect with top employers.
✅ Mentorship from industry leaders
✅ Access to 50K+ connections
✅ Learn future-proof skills
✅ Connect with students across Canada
✅ $1,500 scholarship opportunities
SafeTALK Workshop 🗣️
If you're passionate about learning how to help prevent suicide, this is the workshop for you! Join us for the SafeTALK session on January 31 from 9 am to 1 pm. Learn how to recognize warning signs, engage someone in need, and connect them to the proper support. This essential workshop is open to all VIU staff and students. Best part? It's free! Register easily through your CCR app today.
Undergraduate Student Research Awards 💰
Gain research experience by working full-time on a faculty project over the summer (domestic students only). Applications due on January 27. Questions? Please connect with Vanessa.Moraes@viu.ca. Learn more.
Cannabis and mental health
Did you know? Using cannabis daily or near daily can harm your mental health. It can increase symptoms of anxiety or depression and can affect your memory, thought patterns, attention span and speech. Learn more at Canada.ca/cannabis.
Mark your calendar
Leadership in government workshop
The Student Leadership Circle is hosting a workshop on leadership in government and how students can make a difference featuring Nanaimo-Lantzville MLA George Anderson. The VIU alum shares his journey in government and leadership, providing actionable insights for students to influence change effectively.
- When: Tuesday, January 28, 5 to 7 pm
- Where: Royal Arbutus Room
Important semester dates and deadlines 🗓️
Check out the Dates and Deadlines calendar to stay on top of important deadlines:
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Last day for 50% refund of fees for course withdrawal is January 31
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Spring Semester Study Days (February 18 to 21)
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Last day for academic penalty-free withdrawal from a Spring Semester course or to change from credit to audit in academic programs is March 28
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Deadline to submit online Scholarships, Awards and Bursaries Profile is March 30
Need help with charting your path to success? Connect with an advisor.
Policy consultations
Policy consultations are now open on the following policies and run until 4 pm on February 7: CS03: Emergency Management and Critical Incidents Response (draft) and CS04: Health and Safety (draft). Please visit open policy consultations to find out more about the policies and to provide your feedback. These consultations are part of the policy renewal process to bring VIU’s Board of Governors-approved institutional policies in line with the new Policy Framework. As part of this process, the VIU community will be invited to provide feedback on every new policy under development.
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