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Alumni, students, donors, faculty and staff all share in the UVic experience and together we have a lot to be thankful for. #UVicGivesThanks week was about celebrating the impact that supporters have on campus every day. 

Tell us your story of thanks! Find some inspiration in our featured stories below.

Kailee Douglas – BCom ’08, MPA ’15
UVic Alumni Volunteer

Kailee Douglas is both a proud graduate and a current student of UVic. She first joined the Student Ambassador Association in 2006 and helped organize outreach events around the university and community, such as serving meals at Our Place, giving out hampers for the Salvation Army, singing carols at the Victoria General Hospital, and raising money for United Way and campus service projects.

“The ambassadors really enhanced my undergrad studies," she says. "When I think back to that time, I don't recall the late nights studying...It was the people I met through the association and all the goodwill events we hosted. I met three of my closest friends while volunteering at UVic and we consider ourselves best friends to this day.”

After graduating, Douglas became a founding member of the UVic Young Alumni Council, which organizes networking and learning events for recent graduates. She credits the Student Ambassador Association with facilitating her passion for volunteering. “It has enriched my life in so many ways. I feel fortunate having been able to improve the lives of others, develop friendships, and create stronger communities.”

Kristy Inouye – BSc ’15
Kinesiology Scholarship Recipient

A former national-level gymnast, Kristy Inouye studies in the School of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education. She expects to graduate in 2015 with a BSc in kinesiology, and plans to pursue a career in research or clinical rehabilitation.

She received the Larry Lee Kinesiology Scholarship for her hard work in the field. The scholarship has helped Kristy to thrive both at UVic and in the greater community. “Over the past few years, I have been volunteering both on campus, such as at the Exercise Physiology Lab, and in the community with seniors at the Glengarry Hospital,” she says. “I am grateful for my scholarship because it has given me the freedom to explore my passions. Attending UVic has allowed me to build on my athletic experience and branch out to other areas.”

Lee Ferreira – BSc ’03
UVic Annual Donor

Alumnus Lee Ferreira came to UVic because it was close to home, because the university had just introduced a men’s field hockey varsity program, and because he had received a small scholarship. Initially enrolled in Physics, he found himself enjoying a first year Earth Sciences course and soon switched degree paths.

Ten years out of school, Lee now sponsors an award for UVic students in SEOS field schools. “I realized that although in terms of Earth Sciences you do a lot of studying in the classroom, most of the learning is in the field and hands on,” Ferreira says. “I found, especially in the later years of my degree, that’s when I really started to enjoy the science. It wasn’t just going through the ropes and learning and memorizing, it was thinking about all the ramifications of what we learn. Given that experience, I recognize that I can donate to UVic and that I should donate to UVic. As a donor I feel good knowing that SEOS field school students benefit directly from my contributions. You have a fair bit of control over where your money goes and you should feel safe that it’s being spent wisely.”

Hannah Sun – BA ’14
Alumni Fund Grant Recipient

A former Student Ambassador and current Young Alumni Council volunteer, Hannah Sun knows the value of giving back. “I believe in the difference a student can make to improve the lives of others, and that this difference has to come from taking action,” she says.

In 2014, as a result of donor financial support to the UVic Alumni Fund, she and the UVic chapter of Global Water Brigade were able to assist in the construction of water pipeline infrastructure in El Ojochal, Honduras. And Global Water Brigade is just one of the groups that this fund has supported – over the past ten years over $50000 has been donated to enhancing the quality of education at UVic and improving student life. “The sense of accomplishment for me is beyond comparison when I think of the 209 households in El Ojochal that now have access to clean running water. When combined with student action, Alumni Fund donations truly make a difference.”

Chris Green – BCom ’00
UVic Alumni Volunteer

A Co-op placement introduced Chris Green to the job market and allowed him to meet key employers, including his current employer of almost 15 years. “Personally I feel that I got a lot out of being a UVic undergraduate from the quality education, professional staff, and beautiful campus,” he says. “For all of these reasons I wanted to give back to the university to show my appreciation for what it has done for me and to also help future graduates have the same seamless entrance into the workforce as I experienced.”

Green volunteers with the UVic Alumni Toronto branch where he plays a key role in helping UVic Alumni stay in contact with each other and their university. This is achieved through alumni social functions, education seminars, and other special events in Toronto each year. “Through volunteering in Toronto I have kept in contact with the university’s Faculty and met some of the most interesting people ever – UVic alumni.”