End of semester supports ... and fun 📚
Starting on Friday, VIU’s largest student research and creative activity showcase kicks off. Over the next week, many of you will be showing off your hard work, from archaeology to nursing, horticulture to marine sciences, and vying for cash prizes. Some highlights:
✅ Friday, April 4: Urchin Tank, where students pitch their seaweed products to a panel of judges.
✅ Monday, April 7: pop-up bakery from 9 am to 4 pm; opening ceremony with keynote speaker David Gouthro at 1 pm. Discover practical strategies to overcome self-doubt, communicate with clarity, and connect authentically with others.
✅ Tuesday, April 8: Inclusive Theatre Collective (Hooray!) performance and Three-Minute Thesis competition.
✅ Wednesday, April 9: Hunger Hack Finale: Students present their innovative food security solutions, with teams in the running to win $30,000 to continue their idea. Funded by Embark Foundation and Island Savings - a division of First West.
✅ Poster and oral presentations in the cafeteria Monday to Thursday.
Good luck everyone! Learn more about CREATE.
Need to know
Take a break, bust the stress! 🎯🎲
It’s time to hit pause and bust that stress! Join the wellness peers and promoters on April 2, from 11 am to 2:30 pm, in the Madrona Room (library) for fun games, quick challenges and a well-deserved break. Refresh your mind and recharge your energy.
VIU leadership transition update
Emily Huner, Acting President of Vancouver Island University, gave an update on March 28 to the community on what comes next as she steps into this role. Read the update. On April 2, she sent another update to community about financial audits to take place in the next couple of months. Read the full update.
Tips to prepare for finals
Final exams are coming your way, so how can you prepare? The latest research shows that students who master organization skills, time-management skills, note-taking skills and other executive functioning skills are better prepared for their assignments, tests and exams. Learning Matters is a digital collection of resources to assist students in being successful. Check out these short videos, learning tips study strategies. One click and you could be on your way to better results in your semester and beyond.
Take care of your well-being during exams
Feeling exam stress? Common causes for anxiety include fear of failure, an overwhelming workload and being under-prepared. Plus, losing sleep can negatively impact cognitive performance, coping-skills and even your physical well-being. There are lots of online ideas for calming test-anxiety, like these from Coursera. VIU Student Affairs provides services such as VIU Counselling, Thriveand VIU Academic Advising. And if you just fancy a break, a hot drink and a chat, why not pop into the Wellness Lounge? Good luck!
No Hunger at VIU
The final free hot meal of the semester for all VIU students is on April 9, from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm in Building 355, Room 211. This is a student initiative to fight food insecurity. Care packages will be available for pickup as well.
Reminder to continuing students
The VIU Timetable for fall 2025 and spring 2026 goes live on April 24. Anyone needing assistance with course selection can call, email or use Academic Advising’s daily appointments and drop-in. Also – have you checked out our Tips Tuesday series?
Library access during exams 📖
It’s exam time, and that means lots of studying. Starting March 31, the library building hours are extended from 7 am to 1 am every day of the week. All you need to access the building is your VIU card. And if you are in the building between 8:30 am and 4 pm remember that we can help with research and assignments!
Student shoutout
Thanks to our dental hygiene students for their hard work in educating the community about oral health! Info about their latest event:
Come visit our booth in the upper cafeteria on April 8 from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm to celebrate National Dental Hygiene Week! We’ll have fun games, giveaways and valuable oral health information. Look for us in our purple T-shirts, the official colour for dental hygiene awareness! We'll explore the link between oral and overall health while providing free dental hygiene products like toothpaste, toothbrushes and floss to help you maintain a healthy smile.
Connect
Westwood Lake hike 🥾
Please join us on our first local hike of the season at Westwood Lake! It is $8 for transportation. Please RSVP for the trip.
Date: Saturday, April 12 at 10:45 am
Location: Meet in the lobby of Building 255 at 10:45 am to join the trip
Noodle and doodle 🍜
Take a break and doodle with us on April 3, from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm at the Wellness Lounge inside the library. Enjoy free noodle soup, connect with others and get creative in a cozy, relaxing space!
Happy Endings
Celebrate making it through the semester during Happy Endings! It is VIUSU’s ultimate end-of-year party, an outdoor concert and BBQ. Come hang in parking Lot Q on April 10 from 4 to 9 pm for free food, live music, a beer garden (19+) and all the good vibes. Bring your friends and your best end-of-term energy!
Guess the number of jellybeans
Come by Building 255’s reception to guess the number of Easter jellybeans to win the whole jar! The winner will be announced before April 18.
Take part in a study on anxiety
The GAYA Study is exploring how genetics influence youth anxiety across Canada. If you or your child is between 10 to 19 years old, speaks English and can use a smartphone, participation is fully remote, takes less than 45 minutes and includes a $15 thank-you gift. Interested? Contact GAYA@bcchr.ca or complete the survey online.
Woodgrove Area Plan
The City of Nanaimo is seeking your feedback on how best to transform the Woodgrove area into a vibrant urban centre. A survey is open from March 21 to April 7, 2025. For more information about the Woodgrove Area Plan project and to participate in our survey visit Get Involved Nanaimo.
Campus Store gift card winners! 🛍️
We're still holding on to a $50 Campus Store gift card for winner Daniel Fwogos! The gift card was a thank-you for participating in the Transportation Demand Management study open house in March, where we shared survey results and gathered ideas for improving sustainable transportation options on campus. If it’s you, please check your email for pick-up details and claim your prize by Friday, April 11. If it's not picked up by then, we’ll draw a new winner. Congratulations again and thank you to everyone who took part!
Supports and services
VIU Off-Campus Housing 🏡
Are you leaving your rental accommodation soon?
- know when and how to give notice
- leave your accommodation correctly cleaned
- book a move-out inspection
- know about move-out times and forwarding addresses
- ask for a reference
Make sure you follow a few simple steps to end your tenancy well and help ensure the return of your full deposit. Read the VIU blog post for more details.
Affordable dental care
Are you looking for affordable dental care right on campus? There is a dental clinic in Building 180! For only $35, you can receive thorough oral health care provided to you by dental hygiene students. The VIU Student Dental Hygiene Clinic operates and accepts new clients from September through April. Give us a call at 250.740.6240 to become a client! Learn more about how to become a client.
Get paid to show off your campus!
Develop your leadership skills and plan fun events in a summer job on campus that allows you to share your journey with prospective students. Want to learn more about the Summer Student Ambassador work op position? Email connect@viu.ca.
Physiotherapy services coming soon
Physiotherapy services are coming to the VIU Health and Wellness Centre! Bookings open March 24 for appointments starting March 31. Call 250.740.6416 or come in person to book. Payment due at the time of the session. Invoices can be submitted to VIUSU Greenshield Health Benefits or employees can access their benefits for reimbursement! Learn more.
Naloxone kits on campus
Do you know where you can find naloxone nasal spray kits on campus? At the Nanaimo campus, they are next to the AED machines in buildings across campus (see the Nanaimo campus map and select “First Aid” to see where the kits are) as well as in every residence building and in the Gathering Place. At the Cowichan campus, kits are at the main desk and in the hallway near hairdressing at the Cowichan Trades Centre.
Racist Incident Helpline
Call the helpline (1.833.457.5463) if you have experienced or witnessed a racist incident, no matter how much time has passed. The helpline is accessible Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm (PT). It’s available to everyone in British Columbia, regardless of your immigration status.
The Racist Incident Helpline is not for emergency calls. If you are in immediate crisis or danger, please call 911. Learn more about the Racist Incident Helpline.
Mark your calendars
Save the date: World’s largest Nanaimo bar
We invite the entire VIU community to join us on Saturday, May 17 as Baking and Culinary Arts students take on a sweet, record-breaking challenge – creating the world’s largest Nanaimo bar! This family-friendly event includes:
- a chance to see the record-breaking Nanaimo bar
- a piece of the world’s largest Nanaimo bar to enjoy
- food trucks, games and other fun activities for all ages
For full details, visit World's Largest Nanaimo Bar.
VIU Harm Reduction Alliance Sacred Grief Fire
Nine years ago, the province declared the toxic drug crisis a public health emergency. To commemorate this anniversary, the VIU Harm Reduction Alliance is hosting a Sacred Grief Fire on April 14 from 12 to 2 pm in the quad. This event is an adaptation of a Snuneymuxw spiritual tradition made available to the public and exemplifies the spirit of collaboration and gathering to address difficult issues such as grief and loss. Fresh flowers will be available, as well as electric tea lights for attendees to light in remembrance of their loved ones.
Workplace ready: Health, safety and your rights
Gear up for success in your work-integrated learning experience! This interactive workshop on April 3 starting at 11:15 am covers essential topics like employment standards, WorkSafeBC guidelines, and tackling workplace bullying and harassment. Register for the lunch and learn.
SafeTALK Workshop 🛑
Learn how to recognize and support someone in distress at our SafeTALK workshop on April 4, from 9 am to 1 pm. Open to all VIU staff and students, this session will teach you essential skills to help prevent suicide. Free registration!
Brant Wildlife Festival
The Brant Wildlife Festival, hosted by Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region (MABR), is marking 34 years of nature celebrations on mid-Vancouver Island. The 2025 festival is taking place from April 4 to 7, with more than 30 events. Learn more about the Brant Wildlife Festival.
ITCH presents student directed play 🎭
The Inclusive Theatre Collective presents A Deep Poetic Journey Into Something, a play by Forrest Musselman, produced by special arrangement with Theatrefolk. Directed by VIU Theatre Diploma student Makenna Paugh. The play shows at 7 pm on April 7, 8 and 9 at VIU’s Malaspina Theatre (Building 310). Free admission.
Lunch and Learn: Interview Preparation
Learn how to showcase your transferrable skills and gain confidence through a better understanding of typical and specific interview questions and how to prepare to answer them. Come join us in the Career Studio (B255, R204) at 11:15 am on April 9. Lunch to start. Register early on the Experience Hub as seats are limited!
Engineering design competition ⚙️
Engineering students are competing in their annual design competition on April 11 from 10 am to 2 pm in the upper cafeteria. This year the students are building interconnected rolling ball structures. Come check them out!
Innergy exhibition 🎨
The View Gallery (Building 330) presents Innergy, the BA in Studio Art graduating student exhibition from April 17 to May 9. Opening reception is April 17 from 6 to 9 pm. The gallery is open Tuesday to Friday, from 10 am to 4 pm during exhibits.
ASIST Workshop 🆘
Gain life-saving skills at the ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) workshop on April 24 and 25. This two-day training, open to staff and students, provides the confidence and tools to support someone at risk of suicide. Free registration!
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