Making a Difference
As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others.
- Bill Gates
Vancouver Island University Graduate Student Scholars have received a major graduate scholarship in recognition for academic, research and community leadership. These scholarships include the Canada Graduate Scholarship - Master's Program, Indigenous Scholars Award, British Columbia Graduate Scholarship and the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship.
The VIUGSS Program is three pronged: Developing Leaders, Community Building through Communications, and Peer Service. These experiences provide the Scholars with opportunities to expand, share, and guide respectively.
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The 2024-25 Graduate Student Scholars
Name: Alec Kvarnstrom
Program: Master of Geographic Information Systems Applications
From: Cranbrook, BC
Research/Professional Interests: Remote sensing, drone applications, automation, and machine learning.
What are your career aspirations after completing your graduate degree? To continue utilizing drones for cutting-edge applications in the resource management sector and beyond.
What excites you most about 2024-25? Getting the chance to work with hyperspectral data collected by drone, taking my academic research skills to the next level, and sharpening my knowledge in automation, machine learning, and deep learning for remote sensing applications.
Name: Anton Kuzemchuk
Program: Master of Community Planning
From: Victoria, BC
Research/Professional Interests: Urban planning, car-free streets, public perception, downtown revitalization, community engagement, pedestrian-oriented developments
What are your career aspirations after completing your graduate degree? I would love to be involved in creating vibrant and equitable spaces that enhance the quality of life in communities for all residents.
What excites you most about 2024-25? I am excited to continue my path of enacting change at the community level through my thesis research. I hope to continue the discussion around car-lite lifestyles and contribute to a positive perception of Downtown Nanaimo.
Name: Aviva Fialkow
Program: Master of Arts in Sustainable Leisure Management
From:
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What are your career aspirations after completing your graduate degree?
What excites you most about 2024-25?
Name: Brittany Salmon
Program: Master of Arts in Sustainable Leisure Management
From: Alert Bay, BC
Research/Professional Interests: I am interested in researching is the significance and value of traditional Indigenous
leisure activities versus modern-day recreation programs.
What are your career aspirations after completing your graduate degree? My career aspirations after completing the graduate degree in sustainable leisure is to work for an Indigenous led organizations where I can work to enhance recreation and leisure initiatives for Indigenous youth.
What excites you most about 2024-25? I am looking forward to honing my research skills and developing my understanding around Indigenous leisure and recreation while also being a part of the VIU community.
Name: Derek Robillard
Program: Master of Geographic Information Systems Applications
From: Nanaimo, BC
Research/Professional Interests: Terrain analysis, GIS, automated landform mapping, watershed assessment, geohazard & risk management in the forest sector.
What are your career aspirations after completing your graduate degree? i) Complete my application for Professional Geoscientist (P.Geo) designation through the association of Engineers & Geoscientists British Columbia (EGBC); ii) continue to provide professional geoscience consulting services focusing on terrain analysis, watershed assessment, and geohazard & risk management; and iii) supplement my practice with continued professional development.
What excites you most about 2024-25? I am excited for this opportunity to develop my research project, and I hope that the results will provide useful insight into advanced GIS applications in terrain analysis and modelling.
Name: Erik Morden
Program: Master of Community Planning
From: Coquitlam, BC
Research/Professional Interests: parks and trails planning, urban design, human-nature relationships, community resiliency, resource and environmental management, arts, and culture
What are your career aspirations after completing your graduate degree? I aspire to work in communities that both protect and provide access to natural landscapes. I am hoping that through my career I can work and live within a diversity of communities across the country to help create spaces where people and place are not disconnected but intertwined and inspired by one another.
What excites you most about 2024-25? I am excited to continue to work with my MCP peers and build meaningful relationships with the broader VIU and Nanaimo community. Additionally, I look forward to spending more time exploring Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands via foot or bike!
Name: Flynn Saunderson
Program: Master of Community Planning
From: Tofino/Ucluelet, BC
Research/Professional Interests: Parks and public spaces planning, tourism management/planning, policy and governance, economic development, sustainable development, transportation planning, and more...
What are your career aspirations after completing your graduate degree? To help create thriving communities that people of all walks of life love to live in or visit.
What excites you most about 2024-25? I'm excited to unpack all the new topics the Masters of Community Planning program has in store while diving into my thesis research. I also look forward to welcoming all the new first-year MCP students into their newest chapter in life.
Name: Julika Pape
Program: Master of Community Planning
Current home: Ladysmith, BC
Research/Professional Interests: Social Planning, Food Security, Affordable Housing and Climate Change Adaptation
What are your career aspirations after completing your graduate degree? As a planner, my goal is to create vibrant, connected, and resilient communities where everyone is welcome, and resources are shared.
What excites you most about 2024-25? Continued learning, growth, and completion of my master's degree, as well as our upcoming class on First Nations Planning.
Name: Manti Burke
Program: Master of Geographic Information Systems Applications
From: Duncan, BC
Research/Professional Interests: GIS, Spatial Analysis and Earthquake Risk Assessment
What are your career aspirations after completing your graduate degree? Obtaining a job that I will be able to directly use my GIS skill set that I have developed throughout my program.
What excites you most about 2024-25? This year I’m excited to be furthering me knowledge of GIS and Spatial Analysis. I cannot wait to be starting my research and I hope it will provide some insightful information on Nanaimo Earthquake risks.
Name: Nick Haney
Program: Master of Arts in Sustainable Leisure Management
From:
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What are your career aspirations after completing your graduate degree?
What excites you most about 2024-25?
Name: Rustee Watts - Tiitiit’Skinis
Program: Master of Education in Education Leadership
From:
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What are your career aspirations after completing your graduate degree?
What excites you most about 2024-25?
Name: Syd Bergeron
Program: Master of Community Planning
From: Nanaimo, BC
Research/Professional Interests: Economic and Social Inequality, Design & Social Equity, Social Infrastructure, Informal Housing, Social Values and Morality
What are your career aspirations after completing your graduate degree?
What excites you most about 2024-25? My thesis! I never guessed I would be where I am, but if I could take a whole master’s in public toilets (my thesis topic), I would! I am looking forward to uncovering insights into planning processes through my own thesis research and seeing the results that come out of the research work of my classmates. I am also so excited to welcome the incoming class of new MCP students!