Post on 10-Mar-2016
description
Kirsten SchuldNursing alumna brings help andhope to victims of one of theplanet’s largest natural disasters
PROTECTING OUR GROUNDWATER • FIRST SPONSORED STUDENT REFUGEE • NEW POWELL RIVER FACILITY
Pub. Agreement No. 40063601
VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 1 • SPRING/SUMMER 2010
VIU Journey 2010 - 1 Spring_Journey 2010 3.1 Spring 10-03-30 10:08 AM Page 1
Keep in touch with your fellow VIU graduates and rediscover the spirit of living and learning on the West Coast. Update your contact information at www.viu.ca/alumni and stay informed
about relevant news, reunions, and events.
Have you purchased your Alumni Privilege Card?VIU alumni can purchase an Alumni Privilege Card for an annual fee of 10 and receive discounts from:
Purchase your Alumni Privilege Card from the Development and Alumni Office, 114-59 Wharf Street,Nanaimo, or the VIU Welcome Centre, Nanaimo campus.
VIU Alumni RelationsPhone: 250 · 740 · 6215
Fax: 250 · 740 · 6491E-mail: alumni@viu.cawww.viu.ca/alumni/
The success of any school is determined by the strength of its graduates.
VIU LibraryVIU Gymnasium
VIU TheatreDiscovery Room
VIU ResidencesVIU Bookstore (Nanaimo Campus)
Milner GardensFairwinds Golf Course
Rediscover Your School Spirit
VIU Journey 2010 - 1 Spring_Journey 2010 3.1 Spring 10-03-30 10:08 AM Page 2
ON THE COVER: PHOTO BY GUNTER PICHLER Journey Spring/Summer 2010 1
C O N T E N T S
09 Keeping it Clean VIU faculty and alumni are protectingVancouver Island’s groundwater
12 The Heart of DisasterNursing graduate Kirsten Schuld treated victims in the aftermath of one of theworld’s biggest natural disasters: the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami of 2004
16 From Kenya to CanadaHow a young woman in an African refugeecamp seized an opportunity to study at VIU
DEPARTMENTS
02 Explorations w
04 Steps wPlans for a new Powell Rivertrades facility; Wood-fired brickoven built; Young donor supportssturgeon
19 Alumni In View wTeachers overseas; Dan Agius;Celebrating the Olympics; First-ever Alumni Association
23 AlumnEye w
28 The Home Stretch wWriting your way throughlabyrinths
29 Events w
FEATURES SPRING/SUMMER 2010
VIU Journey 2010 - 1 Spring_Journey 2010 3.1 Spring 10-03-30 10:08 AM Page 1
LettersThank you for hosting an event for
alumni in Tokyo, Japan. I was very
excited when Theresa Meyer informed
me about the reception and I signed up
right away. It was wonderful to see so
many friends from VIU, and we made a
lot of new friends too.
I also received my first copy of Journey
at the venue and realized that I have
been missing out on exciting news
from VIU.
If VIU plans to host another alumni
event in Japan, I would be pleased to
attend again. Thank you for the
opportunity to revisit our memories of
studying in Canada.
– Chiharu Kikuta Iwaskow (BA ’06)
I don’t know if this will mean much to
anyone, but I had to tell someone!
When I was reading the fall Journey
online, I saw a familiar face—Gunnar
Myhrer (“The Spirit of ’83,” Fall 2009).
I met Gunnar while he was a staff mem-
ber at Nanaimo Youth Services group
home where I lived as a foster kid.
Gunnar was an instrumental part of my
youth, and I never had the chance to
thank him. I was a pretty rough kid in
those days (1986), coming from the
streets to the group home just before I
turned 15. As a VIU Phys Ed grad,
Gunnar spent his time playing sports
and camping with us. Let me tell you,
we were not an easy bunch to teach
team spirit to! We were long haired,
with metal music crankin’ and more
interested in playing beer games and
fighting.
I was a very angry, violent, and
addicted young girl, sometimes
overdosing every week. Many people
did not think I would live to see
adulthood. I still had more struggles,
but I returned to school years later
(with my father by my side) and we
both graduated from the same program
one year apart. I now write about my
foster home and street experiences
through spoken word, poetry and song.
I have never forgotten Gunnar! I hope
he knows he had an influence on at
least one youth who almost didn’t
make it.
My Malaspina classmates might
remember me as Aimee Smith, but I am
now Aimee Chalifoux, daughter of Ken
and Margaret Chalifoux (both Mal grads
and the reason I went back to school).
Thanks to Journey I have a chance to say
a very special thank you to someone
who I never had the chance to thank. If
you read this, Gunnar, as well as Stuart,
Dan and Laura—Kinana’skomitina’wa’w
—thank you all!
– Aimee Chalifoux (BA ’08)
Aboriginal Employment Assistance/
Youth Support Worker, Rising Spirit
Aboriginal Youth Centre (NENAS)
Letters to the Editor
2 Journey Spring/Summer 2010
E X P L O R AT I O N S
This past October I had the pleasure of travelling to Japan to
host VIU’s first international alumni event in Tokyo. For
more than two decades VIU has been a leader in
international education and our exchange partnerships with
students and universities in Japan are very strong.
We met at the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo and VIU alumni
shared stories about their lives at VIU and their lives in Japan.
New relationships evolved and old
ones were cemented. Graduates from
last year mingled with graduates of
nearly 20 years ago. Company
presidents shared insights with
continuing students. Excited alumni
shared memories of Homestay
providers who are now family, and
friends on campus who have become
lifelong friends. A constant theme
was how much they miss Canada.
Even before one graduate told her
story of travelling more than four hours by bus to attend the
event, all of the alumni agreed that no matter where they
live, their hearts remain with VIU.
Japan was our first international initiative and it will not be
the last. Over the past four months, a student in VIU’s MBA
program has been working with the alumni office to create a
strategy for engaging our graduates around the world. I
know there are many opportunities to
start an alumni program in your
region. Please write me if you would
like to organize an event.
I welcome your feedback and
encourage you to keep in touch. I can
be reached at alumni@viu.ca.
David Forrester
Manager, Alumni Relations
Vancouver Island University
Building World Wide Alumni Webs
VIU Journey 2010 - 1 Spring_Journey 2010 3.1 Spring 10-03-30 10:08 AM Page 2
Journey Spring/Summer 2010 3
As many of you discovered while you
were students at Malaspina or VIU, the
classroom isn’t the only place you
learn. Education also comes from learn-
ing outside the classroom. Indeed,
many of our students develop skills and
gain experience by augmenting their
classroom studies with
experiential education
in professional organiza-
tions. This experiential
education is a critical
part of VIU’s teaching
philosophy and we place
a high value on estab-
lishing and reinforcing
links with industry that
provide real benefits to
our students and partners.
Annually, more than 500 students
fulfill practicum, internship, or co-
operative education positions with a
wide range of organizations. For
example, last year a team of business
students travelled north to Aklavik,
NWT, where they worked with business
and government leaders and elders to
produce an economic development
plan for the remote community. Our
carpentry students helped renovate the
Canadian Red Cross office in Nanaimo
and fisheries students helped Trout
Unlimited Canada restore cutthroat
salmon populations in Qualicum Bay.
Our MBA program matches 140 top-
level business students with internships
in Canada and internationally each year.
A complete list of VIU’s applied
learning activities would easily fill this
magazine.
For many years, faculty members and
career services staff have
driven these industry
partnerships, but I
believe that our alumni
can increasingly play a
valuable role in our
students’ education by
offering opportunities
for practical experience
in the workplace. The
benefits to the
organization by mentoring an
enthusiastic, committed student are
enormous. Plus, many students return
with their degrees, becoming a
valuable asset to the organization.
If you are interested in being a part of
this network, please contact the
alumni office to learn how we can
create a valuable partnership with your
organization.
I welcome your comments at
viewpoint@viu.ca.
Ralph Nilson, PhD
President and Vice-Chancellor
Vancouver Island University
E X P L O R AT I O N S
President’s Viewpoint
Spring/Summer 2010 • Volume 3, Issue 1
Publisher
Office of Development & Alumni,
Vancouver Island University
Executive Editor
Director, Development & Alumni
Teresa Moore
Managing Editor
Manager, Alumni Relations
David Forrester (Phys Ed ’02, Rec & Sport ’02)
Editorial Assistants
Janina Stajic
Rachelle Stein-Wotten
Contributors
Marilyn Assaf
Matt Carter (BA ’06)
Carol Matthews
Bruce Patterson
Graphic Design
Rayola Graphic Design
Journey is published in the spring and fall by VIU’s
Office of Development & Alumni and is distributed
free of charge to alumni and friends. All material is
copyright © 2010, Vancouver Island University
Development & Alumni, and may be reprinted with
written permission. Opinions expressed in the
magazine do not necessarily reflect the views of
Vancouver Island University.
The Vancouver Island University community
acknowledges and thanks the Tla’Amin, Qualicum,
Snaw Naw As, Snuneymuxw, Quw’utsun, Halalt,
Penelakut, Lyackson, Chemainus, and Lake
Cowichan First Nations on whose traditional lands
we teach, learn, research, live, and share
knowledge.
We welcome letters to the editor.
Please address all correspondence to:
Editor, Journey
114 – 59 Wharf Street
Nanaimo, British Columbia
Canada V9R 2X3
journey@viu.ca
Advertising Inquiries
Manager, Alumni Relations
114 – 59 Wharf Street
Nanaimo, British Columbia
Canada V9R 2X3
250·740·6214
david.forrester@viu.ca
Canadian Publications Mail Agreement #40063601
Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to:
Development and Alumni
114 – 59 Wharf Street
Nanaimo, British Columbia
Canada V9R 2X3
Cert no. SW-COC-002226
h The Outdoor Classroom: More than 20 fisheries students, such as Jeff Eastman (’06) (left) andChris Godfreyson (’07), have been working since 2005 with Trout Unlimited Canada, the RBC BlueWater Fund and a consortium of BC Wildlife Federation and Fly Fishing Clubs to help restorecutthroat salmon populations. PHOTO: FRANK DALZIEL (FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE DIPL. ’83)
VIU Journey 2010 - 1 Spring_Journey 2010 3.1 Spring 10-03-30 10:08 AM Page 3
Start your engines! VIU’s Powell River trades programs are
moving from an outdated, off-campus space to a new and
improved home on-campus thanks to a grant of nearly $1-
million from the federal government. The new facility will
improve the delivery of trades programs and spur economic
development in the region, according to campus Principal
Arlette Raaen.
“It’s expected that this project will result in a $1.5-million
economic spin-off and create many employment
opportunities,” Raaen said. “In addition to the immediate
impact of the construction project, the new facility will help
us train skilled workers to be competitive in an evolving,
service-based economy.”
The new 418 square-metre building will include a
carpentry shop and a teaching garage with room to service
six vehicles and provide significant upgrades to energy
efficiencies and health and safety elements, including air
quality and ventilation.
The current facility, built in 1972 to house a car dealership,
is two kilometres from the campus. In the new facility,
students and faculty will be able to walk to classrooms,
computer labs, the library, and food services in the main
campus building in less than a minute.
Half of the funding for the new facility is coming from the
federal government as part of the Knowledge Infrastructure
Program, a two-year, $2-billion stimulus package for
Canadian post-secondary institutions. The remaining funds
will be raised by the sale of the current facility.
f For more information, visit www.viu.ca/facilities
4 Journey Spring/Summer 2010
S T E P S
h (L) Sandy Elvy, facility manager, and Arlette Raaen, Powell River campusprincipal, in VIU’s current automotive training facility. PHOTO: MATT CARTER
Trading Spaces
h I can dig it: VIU President Ralph Nilson (in excavator) celebrates the Cowichancampus groundbreaking with (L-R) Cowichan Valley Regional District Board ChairGerry Giles; Nanaimo-Cowichan MP Jean Crowder; Cowichan Tribes CouncillorAlbie Charlie; Duncan Mayor Phil Kent; Minister of Advanced Education andLabour Market Development Moira Stilwell; VIU Board of Governors Chair JohnPhillips; Parksville-Qualicum MLA Ron Cantelon; and District of North CowichanMayor Tom Walker. PHOTO: VIU COMMUNICATIONS
Cowichan Campus Groundbreaking
With golden shovels and hard hats in tow, public officials marked the
groundbreaking of the new Cowichan campus at the Cowichan Exhibition
Grounds on September 4. The 3,500 square-metre campus is slated to be
completed in December 2010.
VIU Journey 2010 - 1 Spring_Journey 2010 3.1 Spring 10-03-30 10:09 AM Page 4
Journey Spring/Summer 2010 5
Get your bread, bagels, and pizza in an old-school way.
Baking students at VIU are learning traditional baking
techniques thanks to a new wood-fired brick oven, built
beside the lower cafeteria on the Nanaimo campus in 2009.
VIU is the first teaching institution in Canada to operate a
wood-fired brick oven.
Martin Barnett, chair of VIU’s Professional Baking
program, said that traditional baking techniques have
become increasingly popular in recent years and wood-fired
ovens are used more often in bakeries and restaurants to
create uniquely tasting products. While it’s easier to start
conventional gas and electric ovens and maintain their
temperatures, wood-fired ovens can cook at higher
temperatures and the combination of wood and brick
imparts different flavours and textures on baked goods.
What you lose in convenience, Barnett said, you gain in
taste and cooking speed.
“We can start baking at 600˚ Fahrenheit,” Barnett said.
“At that temperature, thin-crust pizzas are cooked in just a
few minutes. Bread, cooked right on the bricks, comes out
moist on the inside with a caramelized crust and a
wonderful toast flavour.”
Community members have an opportunity to use the oven
in a series of VIU Continuing Studies artisan baking courses
that begin in spring 2010.
f For more information, visit
www.viu.ca/ccs/courses/culinaryarts.asp
h Students in VIU’sProfessional Bakingprogram bake bread in anew outdoor oven built atthe Nanaimo campus. VIU isthe first teaching institutionin Canada to have anoperating wood-fired oven. PHOTO: VIU COMMUNICATIONS
Put a Cork in ItDo you fancy yourself as a serious student of sauvignon blancs and chardonnays? Can
you distinguish a pinot noir from a pinotage? VIU’s new Wine Business Certificate is the
perfect accompaniment to a career in the wine industry.
The program covers wine making, wine appreciation, wine marketing and tourism,
and other aspects of the wine industry. It is geared to students interested in careers
in vineyard management, wine marketing, hospitality management, culinary arts,
and event planning.
VIU Management professor Fenix Theuerkorn spearheaded the creation of the
program. As a former wine maker on Gabriola Island, he learned there was a lot
more to the wine business than tasting. “The wine business in B.C. is booming,
producing more than $150 million in annual sales, but you need a lot of specialized
knowledge to get into the industry,” Theuerkorn said.
The certificate can be earned in one or two years and courses can also be used for
credit towards Faculty of Management degrees and diplomas.
f For more information, visit www.viu.ca/calendar/Business/winecertificate.asp
Upper Crust
h Management professor, Fenix Theuerkorn, is excited for thestart of the new Wine Business Certificate. PHOTO: MATT CARTER
VIU Journey 2010 - 1 Spring_Journey 2010 3.1 Spring 10-03-30 10:09 AM Page 5
S T E P S
6 Journey Spring/Summer 2010
You’ve evolved from a sweatpants-wearing,
backpacking student to a professional who
carries a briefcase and knows the meaning
of “business attire.” But even with this
evolution, you may still want to upgrade
your business skills and stay ahead of the
competition. If you do, there’s still a place
for you at VIU. The Faculty of
Management’s Executive Professional
Development (EXDT) program will waive
course and admission prerequisites for
industry professionals who want to study
undergraduate business courses.
For information on course options and
application procedures, visit
www.viu.ca/management or contact
program coordinator Vanessa Oltmann at
250·753·3245, extension 2190 or
vanessa.oltman@viu.ca. Briefcases
welcome.
The Pros of Development
Enrolment Jumps Up!
According to the Association of Universities and
Colleges of Canada, enrolment of full-time
students in Canadian universities was up by 38,000
in 2009. This marks a 4.1 percent growth in
undergraduate programs and a 7.2 percent
growth in graduate programs.
VIU Registrar Fred Jacklin said that the growth
trend was even more pronounced at VIU because
of the institution’s recent transition from a
university-college to a university.
“Enrolment is up approximately eight percent or
the equivalent of 650 full-time students this year,”
said Jacklin. “The economy is a big factor, but we
also believe the change to full university status
had an impact. Increasing numbers of students
are looking at VIU when considering their choice
of post-secondary destination.”
Alumni Office Welcomes New Journey Editor
Janina Stajic is excited to start her tenure with VIU’s alumni office as editor of Journey
magazine. She comes to the position after working as a reporter and copy editor for a
community newspaper, the Gabriola Sounder, and freelancing for a variety of clients and
publications. Her feature articles have appeared in Resort+Recreation and on the internet
magazine AlterNet; her most recent feature, which examined the life of Cherie Smith, B.C.’s
first female publisher, appears in the spring issue of BC BookWorld.
Before settling into rural life on Gabriola Island, Janina travelled the world, visiting
countries as diverse as Thailand, Egypt and Mexico. She also lived, worked and studied in
two of the world’s most vibrant cities, London and San Francisco.
An alumna of UBC (BA with honours in English and History) and the University of London
(MA with merit in Modern English Literature), Janina looks forward to inspiring Journey
readers with the success stories of former classmates and the exciting developments
happening at their alma mater. PHOTO: DAVID FORRESTER
Did You Know?
Vancouver Island University will
be celebrating its 75th
anniversary in 2011. The
institution started in 1936 as a
vocational school called the
Dominion Provincial Youth
Training Centre before becoming
Malaspina College in 1969,
Malaspina University-College in
1988 and Vancouver Island
University in 2008. Look for more
details on the celebration in
future editions of Journey.
VIU Journey 2010 - 1 Spring_Journey 2010 3.1 Spring 10-03-30 10:09 AM Page 6
Celebrating Malaspina’s 40th
Journey Spring/Summer 2010 7
Five-year-old Alden Thom is one of
VIU’s youngest donors.
Alden was so impressed by his
November visit to the sturgeon tanks at
VIU, he decided to raise money at his
fifth birthday party to help the
endangered species.
“Instead of presents for himself,
Alden decided to collect twoonies
from the kids at the party so he could
do something important,” said his
mom Karen.
On January 14, Alden donated $35 to
VIU President Dr. Ralph Nilson and Dr.
Harald Rosenthal, president of the World
Sturgeon Conservation Society.
Rosenthal was on campus to review
plans for VIU’s $5.25-million
International Centre for Sturgeon Studies
(ICSS), currently under construction.
Sturgeon can live up to 150 years, and
are the largest freshwater fish in the
world, dating back to the Jurassic period
more than 200 million years ago. They
are often referred to as living fossils.
Alden, who attends kindergarten in
Ladysmith, is a “big nature enthusiast
and loves fish,” said Karen. “He’s
naturally inquisitive. He spends hours
poring over books, especially stories
about fish and other marine life and
was thrilled when he got to touch a
sturgeon. He really wants to see the
sturgeon moved into bigger tanks.”
Alden will soon get his wish. The ICSS
in Nanaimo is expected to be
completed by summer.
VIU is the only academic institution in
western Canada to have captive white
sturgeon old enough to spawn. For
several years, VIU has provided
fertilized eggs and fry for the start-up of
B.C.’s only commercial white sturgeon
culture operation in Sechelt, B.C.
Researchers will use the ICSS to
address the conservation and
protection of sturgeon species
worldwide, and investigate the viability
of environmentally responsible
sturgeon aquaculture through land-
based, closed containment facilities in
B.C. and Canada.
Julie Keenan, manager, Major Gifts
and Legacies in VIU’s Development and
Alumni office, said that funds have
been secured from the B.C. Knowledge
Development Fund, the Canada
Foundation for Innovation and the
Island Coastal Economic Trust.
Fundraising continues for the
additional required funds.
“Alden’s $35 donation may be small
but it is still significant,” said Fisheries
and Aquaculture technician Gord
Edmondson. “We greatly appreciate his
efforts to help the sturgeon.”
Ladysmith Boy Collects Twoonies for VIU’s Sturgeon
h Five-year-old Alden Thom of Ladysmithdonated $35 to VIU’s sturgeon centre. Aldenpresented a plastic baggie of small changecollected at his fifth birthday party to Dr.Harald Rosenthal, president of the WorldSturgeon Conservation Society. Alden showsoff a stuffed toy sturgeon he received fromthe VIU Fisheries department. PHOTO: VIU COMMUNICATIONS
h Several members of the inaugural faculty,including President Carl Opgaard (6th fromright), returned to campus in November tomark the 40th anniversary of theestablishment of Malaspina College. PHOTO: DAVID FORRESTER
VIU Journey 2010 - 1 Spring_Journey 2010 3.1 Spring 10-03-30 10:09 AM Page 7
8 Journey Spring/Summer 2010
S T E P S
Women’s Soccer
• The team had a strong
season, finishing second in
league play before finishing
fourth at the 2009
provincial championships.
• Katie Flynn, Aileen Holder,
Heather Iverson were
named to the all-star team.
Men’s Soccer
• The team had a great
season on the pitch,
finishing first in league play
and taking home a silver
medal at the 2009
provincial championships.
• Goalkeeper Robbie
Cochrane was named
Rookie of the Year.
Women’s Volleyball
• After a third place finish in
league play and a silver
medal at the provincial
championships, the team
captured a wildcard berth
and placed fifth at the
nationals which were held
in Gatineau, Quebec.
Men’s Volleyball
• A fourth place finish in
league play was doubled by
a fourth place finish at the
provincial championships.
Badminton
• Highlights of the provincial
championship at VIU
included a gold medal for
Jenny Aronson and Mike
Clark in mixed doubles,
silver for Megan Yim in
women’s singles and
bronze for Luke Couture in
the men’s singles.
Golf
• Sixth place finish for the
men’s team in the final golf
tournament of 2009.
Women’s Basketball
• After finishing third in
league play, VIU hosted the
provincial championships
from March 4-6, 2010, and
the home team took away
the bronze medal.
• Kayla Gromme and Sarah
Fraser were named to the
all-star team.
Men’s Basketball
• They were second in league
play and then captured the
silver medal as hosts of the
provincial championships
from March 4-6, 2010 at VIU.
• Jacob Thom and Mike
Wohlers were both named
to the all-star team.
Mariners in Review
It’s been another successful—and busy—season for VIU’s
Athletic department, which captured its fourth straight
aggregate title as BC Colleges’ Athletic Association top athletic
program. Here’s a season recap:
h Freshman guard KaylaGromme drives to the basketagainst the Langara Falcons atthe VIU gymnasium inNovember.PHOTO: BRENT DUNLOP
VIU Journey 2010 - 1 Spring_Journey 2010 3.1 Spring 10-03-30 10:09 AM Page 8
If Canadians thought that their drinking water was
guaranteed to be safe in the year 2000, they were wrong.
There was outrage and disbelief when the rural town of
Walkerton, Ont., made national headlines for all of the
wrong reasons, as E. coli bacteria entered the local water
system and public officials failed to warn residents of the
contamination. Nearly half of the 5,000 residents became
ill and seven people died.
An inquiry revealed that the source of E. coli was cow
manure that had drained into the underground water
supply following a heavy rainfall. Further water testing
across the country uncovered more aquifers with dangerous
levels of bacteria and chemicals. The diarrhea-inducing
parasite Cryptosporidium showed up in North Battleford,
Sask., and the industrial solvent trichloroethylene was
found in wells in Beckwith, Ont.
Keeping groundwater free of pollution is a constant
concern for hydrogeologists, civic planners, and health
officials. While pollutants flow quickly out of surface water
sources, such as rivers and lakes, groundwater moves
incredibly slowly—sometimes millimetres per day—so it
could take years to flush out pollutants. On Vancouver
Island, there are more than 22,000 wells which draw water
from aquifers, bodies of rock that hold water or through
which water flows. All aquifers, including the one in
Walkerton, are vulnerable to contamination, and these risks
Keeping it CleanConcerned hydrogeologists fear that increased development could have an impact on
Vancouver Island’s aquifers, so VIU professors and alumni roll out a tool to help protect the
Island’s underground drinking water. BY MATT CARTER
h Rushing to map Vancouver Island’s aquifers: (L) VIU Geography professor Alan Gilchrist and groundwater researcher Pam Newton (BA ’05, GIS ’09).PHOTO: MATT CARTER
Journey Spring/Summer 2010 9
F E AT U R E
VIU Journey 2010 - 1 Spring_Journey 2010 3.1 Spring 10-03-30 10:09 AM Page 9
could increase as the Island’s
population continues to grow.
“We’re expecting Vancouver Island’s
population to increase substantially
over the next 10 years, so we can’t stop
developing,” said Pat Lapcevic, section
head of water protection for the B.C.
Ministry of Environment. “We had to
find a way to manage land use so our
aquifers aren’t impacted. Once aquifers
are polluted, they are very difficult to
clean up and repair.”
Agriculture runoff, industrial pollu-
tion, fertilizers, pesticides used in agri-
culture and on golf courses, and waste
from deteriorating septic systems can seep silently through
the soil into aquifers. Obviously, the best way to avoid this
would be to refrain from using these potentially contami-
nating substances near the aquifer. However, developers on
Vancouver Island had no convenient way of finding out
where aquifers were, and if they were particularly suscepti-
ble to contamination.
Cue VIU’s involvement. Based on recommendations from a
Vancouver Island working group on water management,
professors Alan Gilchrist (Geography),
Steven Earle (Earth Sciences), and Erik
Krogh (Chemistry) teamed up with the
B.C. Ministry of Environment and indus-
try representatives to create the
Vancouver Island Water Resource
Vulnerability Mapping Project. Using a
wide range of hydrogeological data, VIU
researchers created maps that located
the Island’s aquifers and identified their
relative vulnerability to pollutants.
“The project committee noted that
VIU had the technical expertise in geo-
graphic information system (GIS) appli-
cations to create these detailed maps,”
Gilchrist said. “It was also seen as a chance to give valuable
experience to students and recent graduates.”
Geography alumna Regan Purdy (BA ’06) was hired to
gather physical aquifer data from existing government and
industry reports. In addition to full days compiling data in
VIU’s Institute for Coastal Research, she promoted the proj-
ect to municipal planners, media, and VIU students.
“During my time working on this project, I learned that
there are a lot of misconceptions about our water
h Maps created by VIU researchers indicate the location of aquifers on Vancouver Island andtheir vulnerability to pollutants. The maps are a useful tool in influencing land use decisions.
10 Journey Spring/Summer 2010
F E AT U R E
h Regan Purdy (BA ’06) compiled data to helpprotect aquifers.
VIU Journey 2010 - 1 Spring_Journey 2010 3.1 Spring 10-03-30 10:42 AM Page 10
Journey Spring/Summer 2010 11
Water Facts
Spring cleaningGroundwater is often
better for drinking than
surface water because it is
typically cleaner. “Before
we can drink it, surface
water has to be treated to
remove organisms,” Pat
Lapcevic said. “The move -
ment of groundwater
through cracks in bedrock
and sand filters the water.”
Water, water,everywhere Nearly one million square
kilometres of Canada’s
total surface area is
covered by fresh water and
there’s even more water
underground. Ground -
water aquifers provide
drinking water for eight
million Canadians,
including 80% of the rural
population.
AquifersUnderground water
concentrates in areas
called aquifers—layers of
permeable bedrock or
porous loose material
(clay, gravel, sand) that
allow water to flow
through them. Useable
aquifers range from a few
hectares to thousands of
square kilometres in size,
and exist from only a few
metres to nearly two
kilometres beneath the
surface. If you can find an
aquifer, you’ve got an ideal
spot to dig a well.
resources,” Purdy said. “We look out our
windows and see water everywhere, but
that doesn’t mean it’s all useable for drink-
ing. Groundwater is a vital piece of many
municipal water management plans.”
Purdy spent months collecting and
inputting soil, water chemistry, construc-
tion, well, and hydrology data from the
Nanaimo and Cowichan Valley regional dis-
tricts into a master database. The data was
analyzed with a methodology that com-
bined seven soil, topography, and water
flow parameters to produce aquifer vulner-
ability ratings.
Gilchrist gave the ratings to students
Lynne Lawson (BA ’08, GIS ’09), Chris
Achtzner (BA ’06, GIS ’09), and Pam
Newton (BA ’05, GIS ’09), who converted
the data into high-resolution maps as part
of their GIS studies. The maps are now
available for government and industry use
through the Ministry of Environment and
the Nanaimo and Cowichan Valley regional
districts. They’ve already influenced land
use decisions in the region and possibly
saved a large aquifer that serves many peo-
ple south of Nanaimo.
“We immediately saw the value of the
research when we analyzed the groundwa-
ter systems in Cedar and Cassidy,” Gilchrist
said. “About 75 percent of the area is served
by well water and the Cassidy airport sits
directly over the Cassidy aquifer. When the
Airport Commission proposed an expan-
sion of the runway, our research showed
that the ground is porous and the ground-
water sits close to the surface, so it’s very
vulnerable to contaminants. In response,
the Commission put forward a plan to
design an apron to contain fuel spills and
construct a fuel treatment facility. It’s a
great example of how science can be
included in community planning.”
After completing the central Island maps,
the project team began to map the rest of
the aquifers on Vancouver Island.
According to Gilchrist, the mapping is
expected to be completed by the summer
of 2010 and will represent the largest land
mass in Canada to be analyzed with the
drastic methodology (see drastic illustra-
tion). It’s a testament to the expertise of
VIU’s geography professors and students.
“It’s great that the university can
con tribute to such extremely valuable
research,” Newton said. “For me, it’s been
a great way to gain technical experience
with GIS mapping and it’s definitely
increased my knowledge of water resource
issues.”
Like Newton, Purdy has gained a new
appreciation for water resource issues from
the project. After completing her work on
the project, she was hired as a project plan-
ner by the Ministry of Environment and is
enrolled in a graduate program in
Environment Management at Royal Roads
University. She’s proud of the water map-
ping research, viewing it as more than just
a tool to protect aquifers, but a way to edu-
cate people about water protection issues.
“Looking at the big picture, water sustain-
ability issues are all about our survival,”
Purdy said. “On this project, I surveyed
areas where I grew up, so it meant a lot to
me to know that I was involved in a project
that is working to maintain the quality of
drinking water in these communities. At its
core, this kind of research helps shape the
future of the Island.” J
h DRASTIC methodology determines if an area'sgroundwater is likely to be contaminated when apollutant is placed on the surface. DRASTIC is anacronym for the seven factors that determine howlikely an area's groundwater is to be contaminated:Depth to water, net Recharge, Aquifer media, Soilmedia, Topography, Impact of vadose zone, andhydraulic Conductivity.
VIU Journey 2010 - 1 Spring_Journey 2010 3.1 Spring 10-03-30 10:10 AM Page 11
12 Journey Spring/Summer 2010
the Heart
When Kirsten Schuld (BSc ’04)
was in her first year as a
trauma nurse, she volunteered
to go to Indonesia after one of
the planet’s largest natural
disasters in recorded history,
the 2004 Indian Ocean
earthquake and tsunami.
In extremely trying circum -
stances, she discovered the
remarkable resilience
of the human spirit.
BY MATT CARTER
h An Indonesian boy surveys the devastationcaused by the massive tsunami that hit hishomeland on December 26, 2004. PHOTO: TRAPPE / GETSTOCK.COM
While much of the world
celebrated Christmas Day
in 2004, the floor
beneath the Indian Ocean was
preparing to explode.
As one tectonic plate slipped under
another, a thousand-year battle for
position ended with a 9.2 magnitude
earthquake that caused the Earth to
shudder for nearly 10 minutes, an
eternity compared to a typical
earthquake that lasts just a few
seconds.
However, most of the damage from
this enormous quake did not come
during these 10 long minutes but
during the hours following. The
seafloor jumped by several metres
along a 1,000 kilometre stretch,
forcing the ocean to surge upwards. It
created a series of tsunamis that
blindsided and obliterated coastal
communities in 11 countries.
VIU Journey 2010 - 1 Spring_Journey 2010 3.1 Spring 10-03-30 10:10 AM Page 12
Journey Spring/Summer 2010 13
t of Disaster
VIU Journey 2010 - 1 Spring_Journey 2010 3.1 Spring 10-03-30 10:10 AM Page 13
In Vancouver, B.C., first-year trauma nurse Kirsten
(Reems) Schuld (BSc ’04) watched the destruction on
television. Commentators compared the images of flat-
tened towns to the bombing of Hiroshima. Hundreds of
thousands of people were missing, dead, drowned—sucked
out into the ocean or buried in their own homes.
While a local reporter interviewed a spokesperson for Rose
Charities Canada, a non-profit organization that links
volunteers with international poverty and disaster relief
projects, Schuld thought back two years when she and
seven classmates in VIU’s nursing program went to Vietnam
on a seven-week field school, which included attending to
children with injuries or Down syndrome in orphanages in
Hue and Hanoi.
“We gave out toys and cooked and played with them as
part of their care,” Schuld said. “Simple things to us, but it
made a huge difference in their world. It opened my eyes to
the blessings that I had in my life and I pledged to my
classmates that I’d return overseas to help others.”
Now, listening to the Rose Charities volunteer, she saw her
opportunity. Schuld called and offered to help in any way
she could. When the Rose Charities coordinator learned she
was a nurse, he said that she could help the most by going to
the afflicted areas as they were desperate for nurses and
doctors. Schuld agreed to go.
Her next phone call was to her father, Nanaimo physician Dr.
Hendrik Reems. Schuld invited him to join her. He accepted,
as this was more than an opportunity to help out a city in
crisis; it was a once in a lifetime chance for a father to work
side by side with his daughter as she started her career. Two
days later, they were on a flight to Banda Aceh, Indonesia, a
city of 250,000 people that was 250 kilometres from the
epicentre of the earthquake. The tsunami had hit it head-on.
When they arrived in Banda Aceh, most of the
flood waters had receded, but the city was still
swimming—in corpses, hanging from trees and
strewn about the ground in thousands. The tsunami had
dumped fishing boats in front of factories kilometres away
from shore. Roads were washed away and whole neighbour-
hoods had disappeared, rendering maps useless.
Approximately one-third of the city was flattened.
“For the first time in my life, I felt totally…,” Schuld
paused to catch the right word, “…dispensable. There was
violence, people dying in front of you, massive aftershocks,
you couldn’t drink the water… there were so many threats
to your life that you had this overwhelming feeling of
insignificance and a realization that you aren’t so
important.”
Schuld and Reems were assigned to work with a group of
Asian doctors and an Australian military team. Together,
they took over an unused hospital that had been damaged
by the earthquake, but not flooded; the tsunami had
subsided 20 feet from the front door. The team set up
makeshift operating rooms and blood labs. A local with
medical experience arrived “out of nowhere” to operate the
X-ray equipment. Across the city, the main hospital was
stretched past its limits, so patients swarmed in once word
spread that a second hospital was open.
After establishing an Intensive Care Unit and treating the
sickest patients the team focused on the need for blood. “No
one had ever heard of blood transfusions,” Schuld said.
“They couldn’t comprehend the idea of giving blood. We
finally convinced the head of the police force to donate, so
everyone said, ‘okay, if he’s doing it, we’ll do it’.”
Their medical team worked late into the nights. Schuld
cleaned infected wounds, dispensed medication, and set up
beds and cots for patients wherever they found space. In
one room, she attended patients who were healing, without
pain medication, after amputations. In another, she helped
patients with aspiration pneumonia—brought on by
inhaling dirty tsunami water—breathe by fabricating
breathing apparatuses out of straws. “They were literally
drowning in their own lung fluid,” Schuld said.
Many more who thought they had escaped the tsunami
with only scrapes or cuts arrived in pain at the hospital a
week later with tetanus, a disease caused by exposure to
bacteria from soil or animal waste that leads to progressively
14 Journey Spring/Summer 2010
C O V E R F E AT U R E
h Kirsten Schuld comforts one of the victims of the Indian Oceanearthquake and tsunami in a makeshift hospital after the disaster.PHOTO: COURTESY KIRSTEN SCHULD
VIU Journey 2010 - 1 Spring_Journey 2010 3.1 Spring 10-03-30 10:10 AM Page 14
Journey Spring/Summer 2010 15
severe muscle spasms, strong enough to break bones. In this
environment, it was fatal.
“Tetanus was pretty much a death sentence,” Schuld said.
“We had no vaccines. All we could do was put them in
rooms with no stimulation to prevent their muscle
spasms…it was horrible.”
Schuld was also responsible for post-operative patient
care. She listened to patients’ stories: how family members
had been lost to the ocean, how homes and businesses and
possessions were swallowed up, how the tsunami sounded
like a freight train as it
roared over beaches
and into the city. But
because of this hospital,
they were alive.
When the flow of
incoming patients
slowed down, Schuld
and Reems trekked
inland to distribute
medicine and conduct
public health clinics in
outlying communities.
The villages were green
and lush with
vegetation, a respite
from Banda Aceh
which had been
stripped of all but its
tallest and hardiest
trees. Schuld found
further relief by spending her spare time with children. “I
would throw on funny sunglasses and a funny T-shirt and
we’d do our best to make each other laugh,” Schuld said.
“They already thought I was bizarre because I had curly
blonde hair.”
Schuld was asked how many people she treated during the
three and a half weeks she was in Indonesia. She sat silently
for a minute, as if she had never considered the answer to
that question.
“Hundreds,” she said, shifting uncomfortably in her seat.
“This sounds horrible, but by the end of the first week,
there wasn’t much left to do. You’d done your amputations
and people were healing. Everyone else had died.”
Over the next two years, Schuld assisted victims of
two more disasters. In 2005 she went to
Jacksonville, Mississippi, attending to minor
injuries and distributing medicine from a church basement
following Hurricane Katrina.
In May 2006 she returned to Indonesia after Yogyakarta, a
popular tourist destination on the island of Java, was rocked
by a 6.6 magnitude earthquake which also awakened Mount
Merapi, a volcano only 30 kilometres away from the city.
Her team was posted to a hospital in the city of Solo that was
built to handle 200 patients: 500 were there when she
arrived.
“They were so appreciative of any help you could give
them,” Schuld said. “We had one patient who lost his wife
and three of his kids and we had to amputate his leg. And
you know what he said? He was thankful that he still had his
arms. This man lost everything in his life and he’s lying in a
hospital saying, ‘at least I still have my arms.’ I was
incredibly moved.”
On Schuld’s last day in Indonesia, Mount Merapi erupted.
The lava flowed away from Yogyakarta, allowing the
rebuilding of the city to continue. At the hospital, Schuld
watched specks of ash rain down on the window in her
room as she packed for the trip home.
In September 2009 an earthquake hit the island of
Sumatra in western Indonesia. News agencies reported
that more than 1,000 people were feared dead and
thousands more were injured.
In Vancouver, Schuld watched the reports on television
and yearned to help, to jump on a plane, to experience the
paradox of extreme exhaustion and exhilaration at the same
time, caring for grateful patients late into the night. But her
life story has moved to a new chapter.
She completed a master’s degree in nursing at UBC,
married, and started a new job as a clinical director for a
company that leverages purchasing power for hospitals and
health care institutions when buying supplies and products.
It’s not a situation that is conducive to leaving the country
for two weeks on a day’s notice, but she continues to
volunteer at a community church and for local Rose
Charities fundraising events, knowing that there are still
strides to be made at ground levels as well as ground zeros.
“You don’t have to wait for a disaster to happen to make a
difference,” Schuld said. “Look at your own town. Help
with a homeless dinner or a needle exchange. You’ll see
suffering, but it will make you a stronger person and you’ll
appreciate life so much more.”
Her father has contemplated a return overseas after he
retires, encouraged by the contribution he was able to make
in Banda Aceh. Schuld believes that she’ll do the same when
she retires, and as she continues working in health care in
Vancouver, the people of Banda Aceh, the southeastern
United States, and Yogyakarta continue to rebuild their
communities and families, proving that humankind hasn’t
forgotten about one of its great gifts: the ability to heal
others, and ourselves. J
“...there were somany threats toyour life that youhad thisoverwhelmingfeeling ofinsignificance anda realization thatyou aren’t soimportant.”
VIU Journey 2010 - 1 Spring_Journey 2010 3.1 Spring 10-03-30 10:10 AM Page 15
16 Journey Spring/Summer 2010
From Kenya to CanadaDisplaced from her Sudanese home at the age of four, Liz Atong (R) grew up in an isolated
refugee camp in northern Kenya with minimal chances of receiving a university education.
Thanks to the efforts of fourth year Anthropology student Kalila Wilkinson, Atong has left
everything behind for an opportunity to study in Canada as VIU’s first sponsored student
refugee. BY MATT CARTER
F E AT U R E
VIU Journey 2010 - 1 Spring_Journey 2010 3.1 Spring 10-03-30 10:10 AM Page 16
Journey Spring/Summer 2010 17
On the outside, Liz Atong, 20, is like
many other first-year students. She is
enrolled in a full load of biology, chem-
istry, math, and global studies courses, lives in a
house with four other students, follows current
fashions, and marvels at VIU’s lush campus. Her
plan is to become a nurse, or maybe a journalist;
like all first-year students, anything is possible.
However, this is where the similarities with
her colleagues end. Atong was born in the
Jonglei province in southern Sudan but hasn’t
seen her homeland since she was four years old,
when her family fled the war-torn country and
crossed the southern border into Kenya. They
resettled in Kakuma, a refugee camp 100 kilome-
tres from the border. Kakuma, which is the Swahili word
for nowhere, is a barbed-wire fenced community that
sprawls across a 25-kilometre radius of dust and thin trees,
home to 60,000 refugees, most from Sudan, Somalia, and
Ethiopia. Patchwork rows of shacks, huts, and tents mark
living spaces and businesses. Sporadic violence between
refugee groups and locals from outside of Kakuma keep resi-
dents in fear. Food and water are rationed and the average
daytime temperature is 40˚ Celsius.
The education system is not pleasant, either. While pri-
mary schools are free and open to everyone, government
regulations restrict the numbers of Sudanese refugees who
can attend the camp’s high school, and even fewer get a
chance to go to university. If you are a woman, the chances
are even slimmer.
However, Atong managed to keep her education going.
After completing primary school, she earned a scholarship
from the Jesuit Refugee Services, a humanitarian organiza-
tion with ongoing ties to Kakuma. The scholarship allowed
her to study at a Kenyan high school outside of the camp.
Ironically, the Kakuma high school that couldn’t accept her
as a student invited her to teach and tutor students in sci-
ence and English after she graduated. Atong accepted the
offer, a rare opportunity for a refugee to earn money in the
camp. She was younger than some of her own students who
struggled to graduate, an understandable situation in class-
rooms where thirty students might share one textbook.
While teaching at the high school, Atong learned of the
World University Service of Canada’s (WUSC) Student
Refugee Program, a program that links young refugees
with opportunities to study at post-secondary institutions
in Canada. Kenyan partners of the WUSC distributed
program literature at her school. Atong read it with
interest. She fulfilled all of the program’s requirements:
she was recognized by the United Nations as a refugee, was
single, proficient in English (as well as Dinka, Arabic, and
Swahili), and a high school graduate with good grades.
Atong’s world changed when she received a call from
WUSC informing her that she was one of only 50 students
worldwide who were selected to resettle and study in
Canada. Six months later, she had packed a small suitcase
and was headed for the Nairobi airport, ready to fly away
from Africa. Her family remained in Kakuma’s dust bowl,
praying for her safety and success.
h Life in Kakuma is very challenging with many families housed in crowded, open-sidedsheds with crumbling floors and thin sheets hung for some slight privacy. PHOTO: FR. KENNETH J. GAVIN - JESUIT REFUGEE SERVICE/USA
Nairobi
Kakuma
KENYA
TANZANIA
UGANDA
IndianOcean
LakeVictoria
LakeTurkana
SUDANETHIOPIA
SOMALIA
h Kakuma Camp, 100 km from Kenya’s northern border with Sudan.
VIU Journey 2010 - 1 Spring_Journey 2010 3.1 Spring 10-03-30 10:10 AM Page 17
18 Journey Spring/Summer 2010
F E AT U R E
“It wasn’t easy to leave my family, but this was my only
chance to get a university education,” Atong said. “It
helped that I heard from other students from Kakuma who
went to Canada, and they were very impressed with the
country.”
Only when she arrived in August 2009 did she meet the
person who spearheaded the Canadian efforts to bring her to
Canada. Kalila Wilkinson is a fourth-year anthropology stu-
dent at VIU who started VIU’s first WUSC club in 2008 and
raised more than $13,000 to sup-
port a student refugee’s journey to
Canada. Wilkinson was motivated
to bring a student refugee to
Canada after hearing a group of
former student refugees share
their stories at a WUSC conference
in Ottawa.
“These students came out of hor-
rible situations,” Wilkinson said,
“but what really impressed me
was how they rose to the occa-
sion when given an opportunity
to study in Canada.”
When it came time to select one
of the WUSC’s student refugees,
Wilkinson and her partners chose Atong, the only female
applicant from Kakuma. “We chose Liz based on the diffi-
culties that female refugees face in getting an education.”
Wilkinson has been asked why she chose to help someone
from Africa when there are needs right here at home. “In
my opinion, we are all one,” Wilkinson said. “The entire
planet is connected. Wheat farming practices in Canada
affect bread prices in Kenya. In a global
perspective, Liz and I were neighbours
long before she arrived in Canada. VIU
students can learn so much from some-
one like Liz.
“Some of the cultural differences are
amusing,” Wilkinson added. “Liz can’t
believe we keep animals in the house
and feed them out of dishes. She thinks
it’s hilarious.” Atong was also a little
unsure about her first exposure to snow
that the Canadians promised would
arrive sooner than later. “I’d only ever
seen it in movies,” Atong laughed.
Atong is VIU’s first sponsored student
refugee, and so far, she’s enjoying life
in Canada. She’s made friends, spent
her birthday touring Vancouver, and
plans to learn French. However, the
distance between Atong and her family
in Kakuma weighs heavily on her. She
talks with her mother on the phone reg-
ularly, absorbing as much about home as she can while
keeping up with her classes.
“I miss my family so much, but I need to work hard to
keep up,” Atong said. “So far, I’m passing all of my classes.
My professors are very helpful.”
Wilkinson and Atong have become good friends and both
want the student refugee program continued at VIU. A ref-
erendum Wilkinson put forward in the spring of 2010, ask-
ing students to support a small student fee increase to bring
a student refugee to VIU every
year, was overwhelmingly
endorsed by students, ensuring
the program will continue.
“This is an opportunity for VIU
to unleash the potential of young
people who have been denied
basic human rights,” Wilkinson
said. “The program proves that
education can change a life and
change the world.”
When Atong graduates, she’ll
have control over her own
future, unlike many still con-
fined to Kakuma, including her
own family. Her original plan
was to return to Sudan and work in health care. However,
she has permanent resident status in Canada now thanks
to the Student Refugee Program and doesn’t rule out the
possibility of staying in the country. Time will tell, Atong
says, with a slight shrug and a shy smile, reinforcing that
for the first time in her life, she has options. Anything is
possible. J
WUSC
The World University Service of Canada is a non-gov-
ernmental organization that has organized educa-
tion development projects in Canada and overseas
since 1957. It has representatives at 80 campuses
across Canada. The Student Refugee Program is its
flagship program and has enabled more than 1,000
student refugees to resettle in Canada and study at
Canadian universities since 1978.
f For more information, visit www.wusc.ca
h General view of Kakuma, which gives shelter to approximately 60,000 Sudanese, Somalian andEthiopian refugees. PHOTO: CHRISTOPHE CALAIS
VIU Journey 2010 - 1 Spring_Journey 2010 3.1 Spring 10-03-30 10:10 AM Page 18
Journey Spring/Summer 2010 19
What are some of thedifferences between teachingoverseas and in Canada?
Nancy Danuser: The pressure of the educa-
tion system in Japan is great, and so much
of a child’s future depends on going to the
right school and university. As a result,
while high school in Japan is not manda-
tory, most students attend because it gives
them the best opportunity to pass compet-
itive university entrance exams. This is also
the reason why Japanese students have
extra study classes in the morning and
after school and why most of them aren’t
allowed to have part time jobs that take
time away from their studies.
Scott Jolly: At our school in South Korea, we
have an American curriculum. There are
more than 20 nationalities with students
from nursery to grade 12. Our after-school
programs include Model United Nations and
SAT and TOEFL preparation classes in addi-
tion to arts and sports.
Most of our students have specific goals in
mind for their education. We are one of the
few schools on the Korean Peninsula that
administers SAT tests, so our students
know that working hard here can help
them get accepted into a top university in
the United States.
Kacy Morgan: I teach in an all-girls school
in Abu Dhabi. Boys and girls go to different
schools here. Every morning when I walk
into the classroom, the girls jump to their
feet and shout, “Good morning teacher, we
love you!”
There is no policy about tardiness or absen-
teeism. One day, only 20 of 850 students
showed up, so the principal sent us all
home. As well, even though it’s a rich
country, the schools have few resources
for teachers and you have to rely on your
own income for things such as photocopier
paper and paper clips.
What have your studentstaught you?
ND: I learned a lot of Japanese slang! I also
learned that even though my students
wore uniforms, they were all very distinct
individuals.
SJ: My students are all different and I have
learned to respect that difference. I have a
great deal of compassion for them and the
peer pressures they face at school and
family pressures at home.
KM: Kids are kids no matter where you are
in the world. My students have the same
hobbies and interests as students back
home.
How has your overseasexperience made an impact on you?
ND: As a foreigner, I experienced some
prejudice but it has made me more aware
of how I treat others. I am more open-
minded and willing to try new things—and
I will eat anything now!
SJ: I’m more understanding of different cul-
tures. Being a minority in Korea has
allowed me to see the language and dis-
crimination struggles that immigrants
must face in Canada.
KM: It’s inspired me to stay overseas.
Without English, UAE students can’t get
into federal universities. So, as an English
teacher, I feel that I can make a bigger
impact on students’ lives here than I could
in Nanaimo.
Q&A: At the Front of a Foreign ClassroomJourney spoke with three VIU graduates about their experiences teaching in Japan,
South Korea and the United Arab Emirates.
h Nancy Danuser (BA ’03, BEd ’03), Grade 10-12 Assistant Language teacher,Kumamoto, Japan
h Scott Jolly (BA ’00, BEd ’00), International K-12 School principal, Busan, South Korea
h Kacy Morgan (BA ’07, BEd ’07), Grade 10English teacher, Abu Dhabi, United ArabEmirates
A L U M N I I N V I E W
VIU Journey 2010 - 1 Spring_Journey 2010 3.1 Spring 10-03-30 10:10 AM Page 19
A L U M N I I N V I E W
Dan Agius is one of Powell River’s business success
stories, a native son who grew a small installation
business into an award-winning home renovation
outlet with four branches and 80 employees. His path
started with a career choice he made when he was only 20
years old.
After finishing high school, Agius moved to Nanaimo to
study business at Malaspina College. To help pay his way
through school, he taught students how to use software in
the business department computer lab. During summer
breaks, he returned to Powell River and installed windows
and gutters for Modern Installations, a small, local home
improvement business.
After graduating, he returned to Powell River and was
faced with two career opportunities. “I was teaching a few
night classes at Malaspina when the college offered me a full-
time position,” Agius said. “I enjoyed working with
computers, so I told [Modern owner] Bill Hopkins about it.
He countered by offering me a partnership in his company.”
In the end, the lure of being a business owner at the age of
20 was too strong. He accepted Hopkins’ offer and
continued to install gutters and windows while managing
and expanding Modern’s product lines and services. He
opened a branch office in Courtenay and asked David Eliason
(Commerce Diploma ’85), one
of his Malaspina classmates, to
run it. Expansions to Duncan
and Nanaimo followed.
In 2008, Agius opened a 1,670
square-metre window
manufacturing facility in the
former industrial wing of Max
Cameron Secondary School in
Powell River. He equipped it
with a complete line of brand
new manufacturing equipment,
making it the most high-tech
medium-sized window
manufacturing facility in B.C.
David Formosa, president of
the Powell River Chamber of Commerce, said that the
manufacturing plant is just one of Agius’s considerable
contributions to the Powell River region.
“Dan has made an economic impact on the region, but his
value to the community is much greater,” Formosa said. “He
is an active director of the Chamber of Commerce and
consistently makes charitable donations in the community.
He was also one of the founding directors of the Bruce
Denniston Bone Marrow Society, a nation-wide charity that
started in Powell River.”
When he looks back, the biggest decision wasn’t whether
he should teach in a computer lab or install windows. It was
his decision to stay and invest in his hometown. Agius is
frank about the economic advantages to operating his
business in Powell River, but his top priority
is enjoying where he lives.
“Most of our competitors are based in
Vancouver and they only concentrate on
Vancouver,” Agius said. “We can focus on
Vancouver Island—most would consider us a
Vancouver Island
business—but enjoy the
benefits of living and
working in our
hometown. If we were
located on the Island, our
sales volume would
probably increase, but
we’re just Powell River
proud.”
High PaneThresholdDan Agius (Commerce Dipl. ’85) knew when
to seize a window of opportunity, and his
hometown is better for it.
20 Journey Spring/Summer 2010
A L U M N I I N V I E W
In 2009, Agius travelled to Ottawa to accept
an Energy Star Market Transformation
Award for marketing, putting Modern in
similar company with Whirlpool, Sears, and
BC Hydro. The award
recognized Modern’s
“Great Taste in Windows”
campaign, designed by
Vancouver Island’s Impact
Visual Communications
and seen in print and on
highway billboards on
Vancouver Island.
PHOTO: POWELL RIVER LIVING MAGAZINE
VIU Journey 2010 - 1 Spring_Journey 2010 3.1 Spring 10-03-30 10:11 AM Page 20
Journey Spring/Summer 2010 21
Liz Williams (BTM ’03), Manager of Sport Tourism and
Marketing for the City of Nanaimo, coordinated Nanaimo’s
community celebra-
tion of the Olympic
torch relay.
Thousands of resi-
dents cheered
Nanoose Bay’s
Michelle Stilwell, a
three-time
Paralympic gold
medalist, as she car-
ried the torch into
Maffeo Sutton Park on
Halloween night.
“The best part of the
job was working with the volunteers and local agencies to
pull off an event of this size,” Williams said. “People in
Nanaimo always impress me with their willingness to get
involved.”
Kelly Fryer (BA ’03, BEd ’04) and Dan Porteous (Leisure
Studies ’82) coordinated a similar celebration event in
Cedar, B.C., earlier in the day. “Seeing all of the children’s
faces light up as the Olympic flame passed through the com-
munity was the highlight for me,” Fryer said.
On the Lower Mainland, Karen Stefanson (BTM ’00)
worked as the Food and Beverage Manager for women’s and
men’s hockey events at UBC. She was responsible for mak-
ing sure there was enough food for 6,000 spectators, 800
workers, athletes, officials, and media for two hockey
games per day during the Olympics and four sledge hockey
games per day during the Paralympics.
“This was my dream job,” Stefanson said. “I became inter-
ested in special events as a Tourism Management student at
VIU, and to work for VANOC to produce one of the biggest
events in the world was a thrill!”
Elijah Buffalo (BA ’09) was one of 12,000 Canadians
selected to carry the Olympic torch on its cross-country
relay. Buffalo, a cyclist and triathlete, carried the torch for
300 metres between Revelstoke and Kamloops in January.
He said that he drew inspiration for the run from the first
Native American athlete to win Olympic gold, Jim Thorpe,
who won the pentathlon and decathlon events in 1912.
On the Olympic TrailThe 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Vancouver were a rare opportunity for B.C.
residents to get involved in a major international event—VIU alumni included.
h Elijah Buffalo (BA ’09)
h Karen Stefanson (BTM ’00)
h Kelly Fryer (BA ’03, BEd ’04)
h Liz Williams (BTM ’03)
VIU Journey 2010 - 1 Spring_Journey 2010 3.1 Spring 10-03-30 10:11 AM Page 21
22 Journey Spring/Summer 2010
A L U M N I I N V I E W
A diverse group of alumni leaders has joined
forces to form the inaugural Board of Directors
of VIU’s Alumni Association. Directors will
oversee the strategic development of the asso-
ciation and represent the more than 30,000
VIU, Malaspina and Vocational Trade School alumni through
leadership, advocacy and service.
Board members, who come from a variety of industries
and backgrounds, and from four decades of graduates,
include: chair Nathan Thornton (BA Transfer ’90), Richard
Aisaican (BA First Nations Studies ’01), Natasha Bob (BA
Major in Criminology ’06), Graham Calder (Carpentry ’83),
Pat Dennison (VTS Secretarial Training ’68),
Don Hubbard (Heavy Duty Mechanics ’66).
Next steps for the group include creating a
strategic plan to further engage alumni as VIU
prepares to mark its 75th anniversary in 2011,
and coordinating a spring election to fill vacant positions on
the board. Please contact the alumni office if you are inter-
ested in joining the Alumni Association Board or would like
more information about the association.
f For more information please contact
David Forrester, Manager, Alumni Relations at alumni@viu.ca
VIU Alumni Association’s Selection
Committee is accepting nominations
for board member positions.
Alumni must nominate a candidate
or self-nominate by 4 p.m. on April
30, 2010. Please include the
following two items with your
nomination:
• A short bio of the candidate
• A statement of interest (why the
candidate would like to be
considered for a board position)
All nominations should be emailed to
David Forrester, Manager, Alumni
Relations at alumni@viu.ca.
The 10-member Alumni Association
board represents the more than
30,000 VIU, Malaspina and Vocational
Trade School alumni through
leadership, advocacy and service.
f For more information on the VIU
Alumni Association please visit
www.viu.ca/alumni
VIU Alumni Association – Call for Nominations!
Inaugural Alumni Association Established
Alumni Reception in Japan
The alumni office hosted its first-ever
overseas event at the Canadian Embassy in
Tokyo, Japan in October, 2009. VIU President
Dr. Ralph Nilson, new Dean of International
Education, Graham Pike, and Manager of
International Education Contracts & Group
Programs, Theresa Meyer, hosted more than
30 attendees who networked with fellow
alumni and shared their stories and
memories of VIU.
More than 1,000 international students
study at VIU annually and our alumni can be
found in all regions of the world. The alumni
office is working to establish connections
with all of our alumni and looks forward to
many more overseas events. If you would
like to help organize an event in your region,
please contact alumni@viu.ca.
VIU Journey 2010 - 1 Spring_Journey 2010 3.1 Spring 10-03-30 10:11 AM Page 22
Journey Spring/Summer 2010 23
AlumnEye
Let us know about your new job,promotion, wedding, familyaddition, travels, or furtheracademic achievements atalumni@viu.ca.
Tracey (Martin) Durazo (BA ’95) is the
corporate manager and a research
assistant for Konec, Inc., a
pharmaceutical company in Tucson,
Arizona. After VIU, Durazo earned her
paralegal degree from Blackstone
University, Virginia, and is currently
working on her business law degree.
She also took time out to have two
children and is married to the
president of Konec, Inc.
Chris Thomson (Cook Training ’95) is
executive sous chef at the Banff Centre
and a recent finalist at the Global Chefs
Challenge where he represented the
Americas and finished in the top seven.
The event is the largest single chef
competition in the world with more
than 600 chefs competing.
Derek Dammann (Cook Training ’97) is
the chef and owner of DNA Restaurant
in Montreal, Quebec.
www.dnarestaurant.com
Doreen “Dorie” Leach (Microcomputer
Applications Specialist Cert. ’97) is the
floral designer and owner of Blush
Fresh Floral Design in Powell River, B.C.
Aaron Jex (BSc ’00) received the Peter
Nansen Young Scientist Award from the
World Association for the
Advancement of Veterinary
Parasitology. The award recognized his
research on the parasite
Cryptosporidium, which causes
diarrhea in animals and livestock. The
award also recognized Jex’s work on a
range of parasitic worms that infect
sheep, cattle, and dogs.
Lee MacDonald (Tourism Dipl. ’00) is
married and has two daughters. He is
the special finance manager (a.k.a The
Credit Wizard) at Woodgrove Chrysler
in Nanaimo. Although no longer
working in tourism, MacDonald credits
his years at Malaspina for his personal
growth and for the skills he currently
uses to help customers rebuild their
credit and fix their transportation
needs.
Yuki Nakamura (Fine Arts Technical
Theatre Dipl. ’02) returned to Tokyo,
Japan after living in Canada for six
years and is working as a stage
manager for Cirque du Soleil.
Curtis Wilson (BA ’03), his wife, Dayle,
and three year old daughter, Nalu live
in Campbell River. He works for the
Nanwakolas Council as a referrals
officer and is serving his second term
as a councillor for the Wei Wai Kum
Nation-Campbell River Band, where he
works with youth, culture, and
education portfolios. Wilson is an avid
carver. Much of his work can be found
in galleries throughout B.C.
www.curtiswilson.ca
A L U M N E Y E
A Notable Career
If you watch some of the hottest shows on
television, you’ve likely heard the music of
Andrew Oye (Associate in Music Dipl. – Jazz ’95).
Three years ago, during a slow period for his job
teaching guitar, Oye started composing pieces
for television, radio and movies. Today, Oye is
building an impressive list of credits on shows
such as Lost, Dexter, Entourage and The Office
and has nearly 600 compositions available for
licensing by entertainment agencies.
Oye, who studied guitar while attending VIU,
is also proficient at percussion, keyboards and
bass. While he still teaches guitar part time at
the I Wanna Rock School of Music in Nanaimo,
Oye’s primary focus is composing two to five
songs a week, sometimes on very short notice.
When producers of CSI wanted ice cream truck music that evoked a creepy feel, Oye had one hour to put something together.
The talented musician also created music for a few movies and would like to work on scores for major or independent films. It’s
an ambitious goal, but Oye is used to fulfilling high expectations. When he started composing for agencies, he decided he wanted his
music on CSI, Lost and Dexter. This year he was on all three. www.andrewoye.com PHOTO: VIU COMMUNICATIONS
VIU Journey 2010 - 1 Spring_Journey 2010 3.1 Spring 10-03-30 10:11 AM Page 23
Colin Brost (BTM ’04) and his wife
Michelle welcomed Riley Parker Brost
on October 15, 2009 at 4:38 p.m. Riley
weighed in at 8 lbs 10 oz.
Quynne Craddock (Associate in
Classical Music Dipl. ’04) completed
her BA with a major in music and a
minor in commerce at UBC. She
worked as assistant orchestrator on the
Oscar nominated film District 9 where
she helped prepare the composer’s
digital music for the orchestra. Among
her other projects, she also composed
the music for the 2009 Race Highlights
video by A.D.S. Collective, for Chip’s
Not Dead Yet Memorial Mile, an annual
fundraiser for B.C. Children’s Hospital.
Currently she’s working on the score
for the film The Battle of Burgledorf.
www.myspace.com/mightyquynne
Kelly Fryer (BA ’03, BEd ’04) is a
recreation programmer for the
Regional District of Nanaimo.
Andrew Kolasinski (BA ’04) is the
publisher of Island Angler and
proprietor of Kola Publishing. The
tabloid magazine is a guide to fishing on
Vancouver Island. Kolasinski also works
as a freelance writer for a wide range of
publications on a variety of topics.
Cindy Page (CYC Dipl. ’04) earned her
master’s in Learning and Technology at
Royal Roads University, where she
focused on instructional design and
early childhood education. She received
an Entrance Award, the Chancellor’s
Award for highest academic
achievement, and Founder’s Award for
leadership, sustainability, and personal
growth. She feels her education at VIU
greatly contributed to her success.
Duncan Pike (BA ’04) lives in Langley,
B.C. and is president of Sport
Performance Specialists in Vancouver.
www.sps-powerskating.ca
Jennifer Farr (BA ’05) moved to
Vancouver in January of this year to
work for ICBC as a senior financial
information advisor.
David Harding (Automotive Service
Technician Cert. ’05) is a corporal in
the Canadian Forces and is on an
extended mission in Afghanistan
where he works as a mechanic at a
patrol base southwest of Kandahar.
With others he is responsible for the
Food for Thought
Living consciously—as she says,
“realizing that one’s actions affect
everyone and everything”—is Nicole
Shaw’s (Graphics Diploma ’95) lifestyle
philosophy. How she puts that into
action garnered her and partner, Dirk
Becker, recognition in a list of
Nanaimo’s 20 most powerful people.
Shaw is active in the community:
past president of the Nanaimo Women’s
Resources Society and Nanaimo
Women’s Business Network boards;
three-time organizer of the
GreenSolutions Tradeshow and Speaker
Series; and founder and publisher of
Synergy Magazine, a bi-monthly
“mindful living” publication.
Furthermore, most locals know Shaw
and Becker through their organic
vegetable farm and popular farmers
market. Shaw said that they are perfect
venues to raise awareness about how
global issues are connected to food and
farming, and growing numbers of
people are listening.
“If you combine pollution from farm
equipment and transport vehicles,
chemicals from pesticides, and
methane from farm animals, it adds up
to make our food system the largest
contributor to greenhouse gas
emissions,” Shaw said. “And right now
in B.C., one in four children between the
ages of one and 18 are slated for
diabetes. Through food, we can open
discussions about health, economies,
land use, politics, and consumption.”
A L U M N E Y E
Mr. Sandman
Former VIU Mariner volleyball player
Maverick Hatch (Recreation Transfer
’08) won a bronze medal for B.C. in
beach volleyball at the 2009 Canada
Summer Games. Hatch and partner
Steve Marshall, a student at Trinity
Western University, went 4-0 in the
round robin before losing to a strong
Quebec squad in the semi-finals. Hatch
and Marshall rebounded to defeat
Manitoba (21-16, 23-21) for the bronze
medal.
Hatch is now living in Toronto and
training full time with the national
beach volleyball team. “I’m committed
to beach volleyball,” Hatch said. “I
want to compete internationally and
my main goal is the 2016 Olympics.”
With VIU, Hatch was a CCAA All-
Canadian, BCCAA first and second team
all-star, and a national tournament
second team all-star. He holds the
school record for most kills in a match
under the rally point system, scoring 30
points against the University of the
Fraser Valley in 2008.
24 Journey Spring/Summer 2010
VIU Journey 2010 - 1 Spring_Journey 2010 3.1 Spring 10-03-30 10:11 AM Page 24
repair, battlefield recovery and
maintenance of armoured vehicles for
all Canadian Forces in the area.
Marcus Boucher (Fisheries and
Aquaculture Post-Degree Dipl. ’06) was
a research technician with the Ministry
of Environment from 2006-2009. He
worked mostly with white sturgeon and
kokanee. He is currently an MSc student
at UNBC working on larval white
sturgeon culturing and physiology.
Chiharu Kikuta Iwaskow (BA ’06) owns
an English conversation school in Shiga,
Japan with her Canadian husband,
Edward Shilo Iwaskow (BA ’06), whom
she met at VIU.
Aimee Newton (BTM ’06) works at
Mount Royal University, planning and
organizing corporate and university
events. Christopher Doucette (BSc
Computer Science ’07), who played
volleyball for the Mariners, is now a
software developer. They recently built
their first house, and in July, after
dating for six years, they’ll be tying the
knot. They can’t wait to see their old
university friends at their wedding.
Bobbie Buckle (BBA ’07) is the owner of
Elite Gaming Entertainment, offering
entertainment casinos for any and all
events from corporate and staff parties
to dry grad and bachelor/ette parties.
www.elitecasinonights.com
Lindsey Craig (BA ’08, BEd ’08) and
Blake Tobacca (BEd ’07) have new
teaching jobs in Dalian, China at Maple
Leaf International School. Craig
teaches PE full time and Tobacca
teaches Socials 10 and PE 10.
Lauren Fourmeaux Clemens (BBA ’08)
will be finishing her law degree at the
University of Manitoba in April and has
accepted an articling position at Smith
Neufeld Jodoin LLP, a law firm in
Steinbach, Manitoba.
Safe at Home
A former VIU Mariner baseball player is chucking curveballs in the pro ranks for a new
hometown team.
After a stellar college career where he led the Jamestown College Jimmies (North
Dakota) to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics World Series and set the
school’s record for career wins, left-handed pitcher and Victoria native Graham Campbell
(Phys Ed Transfer ’05) signed a two-year contract with the expansion Victoria Seals of the
independent Golden League.
“When I heard that Victoria was getting a team, I arranged a private tryout in front of
team owner Darren Parker,” Campbell said. “I threw well enough to get an invite to
training camp in Yuma, Arizona, and made the team.”
During the 2008-09 season, Campbell appeared in 31 games, more than any other Seals
pitcher. His personal statistics included a win-loss record of 1-1, a 7.36 earned run
average, and 42 strikeouts.
h Harry Erickson holds a photograph of hisclass at the Vocational Training School inthe late 1940s. PHOTO AND STORY COURTESY
OF THE LADYSMITH CHEMAINUS CHRONICLE
A History of Industry
With more than 40 years experience in
the local forest industry, Harry Erickson
(Heavy Duty Mechanics ’49) decided it
was time to share the knowledge and
stories he collected during his lengthy
career in an industry that drove the local
economy throughout the twentieth
century. Collaborating with history
enthusiast Shirley Blackstaff, Erickson
recently wrote the book From Hills to
Harbour: A British Columbia Forest
Industry Story.
As a boy growing up in Merville,
Vancouver Island, Erickson became
interested in forestry watching his father
who worked as a hand faller near
Courtenay. A big turning point in
Erickson’s career came when he enrolled
at the Nanaimo Vocational Training
School, a precursor to Vancouver Island
University. After completing his year of
training as a diesel mechanic, he went to
work on steam engines and locomotives
for the Ladysmith Comox Logging and
Railway Company.
His training with diesel technology was
timely as the industry was shifting away
from steam power. Working out of a shop
near the Ladysmith waterfront, Erickson
was at the centre of innovation and
faced challenges every day. Through
numerous name changes and working
across the Island in various roles,
Erickson stuck with the same company
until his retirement in 1992.
Erickson plans to print 200 copies of
the book and hopes to find a place for
them in local schools.
Journey Spring/Summer 2010 25
VIU Journey 2010 - 1 Spring_Journey 2010 3.1 Spring 10-03-30 10:11 AM Page 25
Amanda Moore (BTM ’08) lives in
Sunyani, Ghana, West Africa and is
working for the Brong Ahafo Research
and Extension Centre, an NGO
partnership of Vancouver Island
University. She also works at two post-
secondary institutions and is a
consultant with Freedom Stones,
providing economic and skill
development opportunities in rural
communities in Ghana through jewelry
production and holistic skill training.
She is earning her MA in International
Development at Eastern University in
Pennsylvania.
Sanem Ozkan (BBA ’08) is the
marketing coordinator at Aviawest
Resort Group in Victoria, B.C.
Kendra Torvik (BSc Nursing ’08)
moved across the country to study law
at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia.
She credits her VIU instructors for
encouraging her to go for new things,
hence the change from science to law.
Nicola Cervantes (BA ’09) is working
towards a master’s of Commerce at the
University of Wollongong in New South
Wales, Australia. Nicola can be reached
at: nico_cola_7@hotmail.com
Bronwyn Kelleher (Culinary Arts ’09)
is doing her cooking apprenticeship
with Chef Andrew Springett, Canada’s
2003 Bocuse d’Or representative at the
Black Rock Resort in Ucluelet, B.C.
Ashley Madiuk (BTM ’09) attended SFU
for the Career Counselling certification
after graduating from VIU. She now
works as the youth immigrant
facilitator with the Boys and Girls
Clubs of Delta, where she teaches
employment and life skills as well as
ESL. She is getting married in the fall.
Jennifer Stewart (Practical Nursing
Cert. ’09) lives and works in Nanaimo
at Wexford Creek as a licensed practical
nurse.
A L U M N E Y E
Esteemed-Powered Local Motives
Be who you are, not who others want
you to be.
It’s a vital mantra for young girls to
remember as they grow up in a sea of
peer pressure and unhealthy mass
media images and suggestions, says
child and youth counsellor Angela
Slade (BA ’06).
In 2008, Slade started ESTEEM Child
and Youth Services, aimed at empow-
ering young girls and families. The core
of the business is Esteemed CHICs
(Choosing Health and Integrating
Changes), a series of skill-building
workshops that draw on creativity to
strengthen self esteem and reinforce
positive body images. Themes such as
media literacy, nutrition, health, rela-
tionships, and leadership are explored
through music, photography, creative
writing, cooking, and exercise.
“I want to feed a movement where
girls are empowered to foster healthy
relationships and think critically about
what they see in the media,” Slade
said.
Slade hosts her workshops in central
Vancouver Island and classmate Deon
Soukeroff (BA ’07) runs the Esteemed
CHICs program in Vernon, B.C.
f For more information, visit
www.esteemedchics.com
26 Journey Spring/Summer 2010
2010: A Space Odyssey
Lindsay Munday (MBA ’09) is at the
heart of an organization looking to
outer space to address the growing
world demand for sustainable energy.
From a multimillion-dollar penthouse
overlooking False Creek, Munday works
with the management team of Space
Energy, Inc. The company’s plan is to
develop the first satellites that can
harness solar energy from space and
transmit the energy to receivers
anywhere on the planet. The process
avoids the pollution associated with
fossil fuels and nuclear power.
According to Munday, there are no
more than five companies in the world
dedicated to acquiring solar energy from
space. “We’re opening up discussions
about new possibilities for clean energy,”
Munday said. “It feels good to be
involved with an organization that could
change the world.”
Space Energy plans to launch a
prototype satellite within the next few
years to test its energy collection and
transmission capabilities. As well, the
company plans to build a number of
solar energy parks across the United
States.
f For more information, visit
www.spaceenergy.com
VIU Journey 2010 - 1 Spring_Journey 2010 3.1 Spring 10-03-30 10:11 AM Page 26
Thank you to all of our alumni supporters.
The first ever Alumni Online Auction for the Festival of Trees was a tremendous success, raising more than 10,000 for
student scholarships, bursaries, and awards.
Alumni donors this year include:
To donate a prize for next year’s auction, please contact:David Forrester, Manager, Alumni Relations • 250 · 740 · 6214 • alumni@viu.ca
• Geoff Ball (Horticultural Technician Cert. ’95) – Milner Gardens
• Colin Brost (BTM ’04) – Tourism Sun Peaks
• Ro Davies (BTM ’00) – Whistler Golf Club
• Warren Erhart (Hotel and Restaurant Manage-ment ’76) – White Spot Restaurants
• Terence Fitzgerald (Fine Arts Dipl. ’92) – Writer/Producer
• Leeanne Fitzpatrick (BTM ’02) – Outdoor Adventures Whistler
• Don Hubbard (Heavy Duty Mechanics ’66) – Hub City Paving
• Roger McKinnon (Business ’77) – The Old House Village Hotel and Spa
• Sean Riley (Cook Training Cert. ’92) – GLOWBAL Restaurant Group
• Colleen Thiessen (Hospitality Dipl. ’02) – The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge
Festival of TreesAlumni Online Auction
VIU Journey 2010 - 1 Spring_Journey 2010 3.1 Spring 10-03-30 10:11 AM Page 27
T H E H O M E S T R E T C H
28 Journey Spring/Summer 2010
Recently, when Jay Ruzesky
launched his new novel, The
Wolsenburg Clock at a Cowichan
Campus reading, someone asked him
the important question, “Who do you
write for?”
“For myself,” Jay replied.
In the discussion that followed it was
noted that the book industry and the
printed word are in a decline, and it’s
very hard for writers to find publishers.
Jay suggested that if one hopes to write
a bestseller it’s necessary to research
the market, decide on a niche, identify
a publisher, and write for a specific
audience. The road to publication can
be a long and winding one.
“Or,” he said, “you can be
adventurous. Just write what most
interests you and hope to find a small
publisher who is willing to take some
risks with it.”
That’s worked for me. When I retired
from my position as Dean of Human
Services and Community Education at
what was then Malaspina University-
College, I envisioned having more time
to write. I’d published a number of
essays, professional articles, and
several short stories, but it wasn’t until
a few years after my retirement, when I
was diagnosed with breast cancer, that
I began to write for myself.
Two things kept me grounded while
facing surgeries, radiation and
recovery: writing and walking
labyrinths. Without any agenda and
with no particular schedule, I started to
jot down what I thought of as
“vignettes,” brief descriptions of my
thoughts and feelings. I began to see
links between my writing and the
winding path of the labyrinth. Both
activities offered opportunities for deep
reflection that were strengthening and
enlightening.
Since I was writing only for myself, I
could be utterly honest, expressing my
deepest feelings and fears. I
didn’t show my work to
anyone until I’d completed
radiation treatment and felt
well on the road to recovery.
At first I sent it to only a few
family members and friends
who’d asked questions about the ordeal.
Later, at a dinner party with an artist
colleague, Jennifer Waelti-Walters, I
described my vignettes and she asked
to see them. The next thing I knew,
Jenny turned up at my door with eight
amazing prints which she had created
to illustrate my story.
“That’s great, Jenny,” I said, “but
what am I to do now?”
“Find a publisher,” she replied. She
suggested I send it to Hedgerow Press,
a small publisher in Sidney, B.C. I did
so, and the choice was a lucky one. Six
months later, Reflections on the C-Word:
At the Centre of the Cancer Labyrinth
came into being.
It’s been an interesting journey.
Writing about my experience was
healing. Seeing the beautifully
produced book was affirming. Hearing
from people who’ve read it and found it
meaningful continues to be
enormously rewarding.
Carol Matthews has been a student, instructor, and dean at Malaspina University-
College. Since her retirement she has written The First Three Years of a Grandmother’s
Life and Incidental Music, a collection of short stories published by Oolichan Books, as
well as her cancer memoir. In 2009, she received an honorary doctorate degree from
VIU. Her book, Reflections on the C-Word, is available at the VIU bookstore.
Winding Paths BY CAROL MATTHEWS
h Protection Island writer and educator Carol Matthews stands at the entrance of the 8,300-stone labyrinth at the BethlehemRetreat Centre in Nanaimo, B.C. PHOTO: DAVID FORRESTER
VIU Journey 2010 - 1 Spring_Journey 2010 3.1 Spring 10-03-30 10:11 AM Page 28
VIU Mariners GolfTournament
April 9, 2010
Nanaimo Golf Club
Nanaimo, B.C.
www.gomariners.ca
VIU Planned Giving Seminar
April 21, 2010
Milner Gardens
Qualicum, B.C
Julie.Keenan@viu.ca
Milner GardensEmbankment Gala
May 20, 2010
Milner Gardens
Qualicum, B.C.
Susie.Caswell@viu.ca
Spring 2010 Convocation
May 31 and June 1, 2010
Port Theatre
Nanaimo, B.C.
Music in the GardenFundraiser
August 14 and 15, 2010
Milner Gardens
Qualicum, B.C.
www.viu.ca/milnergardens/
21st Annual Charity Golf Tournament
September 24, 2010
Fairwinds Golf & Country Club
Nanoose Bay, B.C.
Partial proceeds to benefit
the VIU Foundation and the
Vancouver Island Symphony
Save the Date! VIU Business Program Reunion
June 11 and 12, 2011
Vancouver Island University
Nanaimo Campus, B.C.
Business.Homecoming@viu.ca
Journey Spring/Summer 2010 29
C A L E N D A R O F E V E N T S
VIU Journey 2010 - 1 Spring_Journey 2010 3.1 Spring 10-03-30 10:11 AM Page 29
VIU Journey 2010 - 1 Spring_Journey 2010 3.1 Spring 10-03-30 10:12 AM Page 30