President's student fund supports life-changing overseas experiences

(February 3, 2017) - The Ring - Read more about economics student Zhou in the full Ring story.

Maps of the world are still a familiar sight on dorm room walls, with pins marking the spots for overseas adventure and life-changing learning opportunities. Thanks to the four-year President's Beyond Borders Fund initiated in 2015 by UVic President Jamie Cassels, our students have visited even more points on the globe and journeyed deep into communities well beyond the borders of our campus. The initiative is one of several at UVic supporting coursework abroad, field schools and internships, student exchanges and volunteer services, and research and foreign work experiences.

This fund—which echoes key principles of the new UVic International Plan—helps support students of all backgrounds, including those who may not otherwise be able to participate, to advance their journeys beyond UVic as emerging global citizens.

The primary stream of this fund focuses on the Asia-Pacific region; the other two within the Beyond Borders initiative focus on placements within Canada, including for Indigenous community work opportunities. 

Read more about one student's Indigenous outreach co-op with Science Venture and another student's work term on community outreach with Pauquachin First Nation, both of whom were recipients of this fund.