Student Stories

Trinity LaRose credits the Women in Trades Training (WITT) program at Vancouver Island University with kick-starting her interest in a career as an automotive service technician. The 12-week sampler program offers students the chance to experience to try all the different trades programs VIU offers and find out what they like the most.

While she’s always been drawn to the field of psychology, Mauricea Panchenko wasn’t sure if her interest would develop into anything further, particularly when it came to post-secondary education.

“I waited so long to go back to school because I did not believe it was an option for me,” she says.

Born and raised in Nanaimo, Thomas Leaf says attending VIU was a “logical stepping stone” in his educational path.

When Heather Finlay decided to pursue her Master of Education in Special Education, she knew VIU was the place to do it.

“I had done my teaching program with VIU and they were so supportive throughout,” she says. “When I decided to go back to school to complete my masters, I knew that VIU would be a good fit for me.”

Now, having graduated this past June, Heather says she is excited to share her research with others.

Spencer Antifave didn’t plan on pursuing a minor in psychology when he enrolled at VIU.

However, doing so turned out to be one of the highlights of his post-secondary career. In his third and fourth year, the Bachelor of Business Administration graduate decided to take “a few” psychology courses as electives.

Kelsey Moore was working as a forensic drug analyst when she decided she wanted a career that gave her a greater connection to community and nature. She enrolled in VIU’s Resource Management Officer Technology (RMOT) diploma. The program prepares students for careers related to the protection and management of Canada’s fisheries, wildlife and park resources.

Paul Wu received one of Canada’s most coveted scholarships for undergraduate students pursuing STEM studies ­– the Schulich Leader Scholarship.

He received $100,000 to study at Queen’s University, one of the 20 partner universities involved in the program. Every high school in Canada can nominate a graduating student to apply for the scholarship and each year 1,500 students compete for the scholarship and only 100 are awarded.

Ted Nathanson is currently the manager of Wildplay in Nanaimo, a position he has held since February 2019. His journey to this position began when Ted decided to enroll in VIU’s Tourism Management program.

Here’s what he says about his working at Wildplay and how VIU helped prepare him for it.

VIU History student Ethan Hummel put his classroom learning into practice at the Nanaimo Museum. He worked as a heritage interpreter at the museum through the Young Canada Works program this spring and last fall. 

Ethan says his first-year history classes gave him a strong base for working in the Nanaimo Museum. He also gained a new perspective on Canadian history because the museum works closely with Snuneymuxw cultural knowledge experts and Elders.

Olivia Wright grew up in Whitehorse, Yukon, and moved to Nanaimo just before starting high school. During her Grade 12 year, she applied to the Bachelor of Business Administration program at VIU.

“My dream is to own a successful business that positively impacts others,” she says.

Olivia is starting her career in human resources as an intern with Western Forest Products. Here’s how VIU is helping her get where she wants to go.