Vancouver Island University

From surviving to thriving – Morgan Carey’s journey shows how financial support can change a life. Growing up in foster care, Morgan faced significant barriers on the road to university, but financial aid helped him earn a degree and build a successful career as a business leader in Nanaimo.

Thanks to generous community support, our Ripples of Change campaign has already raised more than $1 million to remove financial barriers for students just like Morgan. Ripples of Change aims to raise $2 million for scholarships, awards, bursaries and the Access Fund by Spring 2027. Want to help us keep the momentum going and create more stories like Morgan’s?

Read his story, then click on the link at the end: https://news.viu.ca/surviving-thriving

Interested in politics, public service or being a leader in your community?

VIU’s new Democratic Leadership certificate offers you a pathway into public life, helping you build the knowledge, skills and networks to lead in government, community organizations, advocacy groups and beyond. The program can be taken as part of your degree or as a standalone credential!

Learn more: https://news.viu.ca/viu-offers-pathway-public-life-democratic-leadership-program

National Indigenous Peoples Day is this Sunday, June 21 and there are several opportunities to celebrate and learn across the mid-Island this weekend!

On June 20, celebrate with K’omoks Nation at the Comox Valley Exhibition Grounds from 2 to 9 pm, featuring performances throughout the day and a closing performance by Juno Award-winning artist Aysanabee.

On June 21, the Mid-Island Métis Nation hosts Nanaimo’s main celebration at Swy-a-lana Lagoon from 2 to 5 pm with music, dancers and speakers. While you’re downtown, stop by the Nanaimo Museum for self-guided children’s activities, including a matching game about hul’q’um’inum’ animal names, yarn friendship bracelet weaving, and an I Spy that highlights the stories of Indigenous people and cultural belongings. Throughout the week, admission proceeds are being donated to Kw’umut Lelum Foundation.

You can also join Quw’utsun at Si’em Lelum Gym and Fields in Duncan from 11 am to 3 pm for drumming, singing, medicine making, a vendor market and family-friendly activities.

We encourage you to take the time to attend an event that honours and celebrates Indigenous cultures and traditions, wherever you may be this Sunday.

A trio of giant flowers awaits visitors at the Nanaimo Kinette Evergreen Park thanks to the artistic endeavours of artists Eliza Gardiner and Isaiah Kingdon.

Eliza, a VIU Theatre Professor, worked with Isaiah, an emerging artist and designer and a close family friend, to create the large-scale sculpture Forest Flowers. It celebrates the beauty of the violet purple blossom of the crown brodiaea flower, native to the Harewood Plains area. The piece was created as part of the City of Nanaimo’s Temporary Public Art Program and will remain on display in the park through 2031.

Read more about the project and the creative process: https://news.viu.ca/theatre-professor-co-creates-immersive-flower-sculpture

Did you know there are several totem poles at VIU's Nanaimo campus? For example, at Shq'apthut there are three – one representing each of the tribal territories that VIU operates in: Kwakwaka’wakw, the Coast Salish and the Nuu-chah-nulth. Artists from these territories created the poles. This Indigenous History Month, take a moment to enjoy the beauty of the totem poles and read more about their history.

Ever wondered about what marine researchers do at VIU’s Deep Bay Marine Field Station? Come to a free open house on June 25 and find out!

Explore Baynes Sound – Signs of Life, Signs of Change, a new project that brings local marine research to life. Discover interactive exhibits, live ocean data, educational resources, a 3D model of the region, and hands-on activities for all ages.

Whether you're passionate about ocean health, curious about marine science or looking for a family-friendly outing, this is a great opportunity to connect with the research happening in our coastal communities!

Get all the details: https://news.viu.ca/public-invited-explore-marine-research-vius-deep-bay-marine-field-station