Impact Stories

Four people standing in a line facing camera in UVic law building

Supporting the next generation of lawyers

The UVic Law Class of ’94 celebrated their reunion by raising funds together for a meaningful student award.

Student Beth smiling at camera, hands resting on a wooden art structure outside arts building

Emergency funds in a crisis moment can rescue an educational journey

The timing of several significant financial costs threatened to derail Beth’s degree journey, but a donor-supported student emergency fund allowed her to continue the semester.

Nadiya in a business suit holding a document. On wall behind is a poster for Voices of Change.

Training interdisciplinary leaders to advance climate solutions

Thanks to support from the Wuitchik family, graduate student Nadiya Shore is gaining hands-on experience through UVic’s Coastal Climate Solutions Leaders program—where science,...

A rail line and burned remains of buildings in Lytton, BC in the foreground, with a river valley and mountains in the background.

Journalism in the age of climate disaster

As climate disasters intensify, the need for ethical, survivor-centered journalism has never been greater. Thanks to initiatives like the Climate Disaster Project, made possible by the Wayne...

Jessica smiling with sunset-tinged mountain vista in background

Nurse practitioner grad champions better health

For Jessica Newcombe, being a nurse is about helping people in their most vulnerable moments. As an undergraduate, she shifted from a life sciences degree to nursing, drawn to the hands-on nature...

Zoe on stage in the play The Wake wearing army fatigues standing next to an open coffin

Supporting the next generation of writers in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community

Thanks to the Candis Graham Writing Scholarship, an award created by the Lambda Foundation alongside friends and family of the renowned lesbian-feminist writer and teacher, UVic student Zoe...

Student Djuana Nagasaki standing in an open field with a coconut in Cuba

Putting the experience in experiential learning

Donations to experiential learning funds allow students to explore the world, as if it were a living classroom. These gifts help provide equal access to students from all walks of life to the many...

A black and white photo of the UVic McPherson building

60 years of the McPherson Library

The McPherson library building was completed in 1964.

Georgi Ignatov posing in front of a mountain with his wife and two children

Supporting the Next Generation

Georgi Ignatov is a philanthropist and successful business owner originally from Bulgaria.

Person smiling looking at a ceramic pot on a pottery wheel

Celebrating the impact of eight years of partnership with Coast Capital

Since 2016, the Coast Capital Innovation Centre at UVic has supported more than 1,600 students and 300 ventures, contributing to the local economy, region, and even our planet. The Coast Capital...

Antonia's pathway

Visa complications meant Antonia’s life was full of “ifs” not “whens”, but donors ensured that when Antonia was finally able to enter university,...

Training students for a sustainable future

A generous donation launched a new program where student-researchers can have real-world impact by working with local partners on sustainability projects.

Reaching beyond boundaries

Donors are helping remove barriers to climbing at CARSA so that people of all abilities can experience the potential for personal growth and social benefits of this challenging activity.

Digital resources to support mental health

PhD student Cindy Quan used funding from a graduate award for innovation to create an online space where people find understanding, guidance and a way forward.

Curiosity and compassion drives healthcare innovation

Dennis Natembeya’s desire to help his community led him to a career in nursing. At UVic, he developed innovative technology to fill gaps in healthcare—and found a way to impact...

Global travel sparks passion for conservation

Thanks to donor support, Haley took the opportunity to travel to research a previously unknown organism that could unveil secrets for sustainability and the future of our planet.

Modelling the way to net zero

A gift from the Clean Prosperity Foundation is funding a new suite of tools to assess climate-policy impacts.

Two young women are making silly faces and laughing, while sitting on a grey bus seat. There are other people around them not in focus.

A week at the Indigenous Student Mini-University Summer Camp: an immersive experience for Indigenous youth

Beyond what’s depicted in movies or stories told by older siblings, cousins and their friends, it can be hard for high school students to imagine what life in university is really like....

Cook, taste, connect: the power of food in supporting student well-being

Thanks to donor support, a unique initiative on campus is helping students build community by cooking and eating together.

Extract from the graphic biography. The drawing shows a person pushing a women in a wheelchair across a pedestrian crossing at UVic.

Wings on my Wheels

The graphic biography, Wings on my Wheels, memorializes the story of UVic donor Donna Pistell, who attained her dream of attending UVic to study anthropology while in her forties.

two students are smiling talking to each other in front of a colorful wheel, the background behind them is a tent with colorful decorations and a life-size game board with giant dice and people playing games

Highlights from Giving Tuesday 2023

On November 28, 2023, Giving Tuesday returned to the University of Victoria for its seventh consecutive year, bigger, brighter and cozier than ever. On a day devoted to giving back and cutting...

Jasdeep Randhawa presents a territorial acknowledgement in the First Peoples House

Transformative Impact: Indigenous Elders at UVic

There's a transformative force at work in the classrooms, field schools, ceremonies and events at the University of Victoria right now. It’s something that Jasdeep Randhawa...

Tackling student hunger: Inside UVic's student food bank effort

As demand from students increases, so does donor support.

Student in cap and gown outside on UVic campus

Kyla's pathway

Kyla received the Certificate of Outstanding Academic Distinction for the Faculty of Human and Social Development at convocation in June 2023.

Opening doors across the globe

For Meghan Wilson, donor support provided the opportunity to go far.

Embracing identity and pursuing justice

Receiving the Carolyn E. & Robert J. McCormick Indigenous Entrance Scholar award allowed Shirina Evans to finally pursue her long-held dream of getting a law degree.

Engineering a greener tomorrow

In the Saidaminov lab, Parinaz Moazzezi works to create cleaner, more affordable solar technology.

Two female students stand smiling. One is holding a large yellow smiley face and the other is holding a sign that says "you are making a difference"

Rylee Zondervan (left) and Mariana Jimenez (right) are leaders in the UVic Education Student Equity Advocates (UVic EDSEA) club and recently shared about how donors impact the work they do. Mariana...

International Student Awards

Many international students don’t have access to the bursaries and other sources of financial aid available to domestic students. The new International Student Award makes education more...

A woman in a wheelchair on a lawn smiles at the camera while touching a rock wall to her left

Community voices on tapping into tech

Kate Gibbs has been employed as a community researcher with this project for the past two years.

Lucas Hung

Few people can say they found their calling at just four years old. Pianist Lucas Hung is thankful for the opportunity to turn that childhood passion into a career at UVic’s School of...

Allyson Hadwin

Allyson Hadwin is a monthly donor to the UVSS food bank and a professor in the Faculty of Education. She is passionate about student success and ensuring they have the tools, resources, and support...

Don Ilich

Don Ilich, BFA’73, a proud alumnus of the University of Victoria, has spent his life in service to others, with a particular focus on Indigenous communities. His career has taken him all...

Ramirez uses cutting-edge molecular isotope techniques to analyse fish tissue samples.

Marmie Hess Research grants

Legacy gift fuels research programs spanning land, sea and stars The Dr. Margaret "Marmie" Perkins Hess Research Grants in Earth, Ocean, Astronomy, and Environmental Sciences were...

Student with cropped blonde hair and blue eyes sitting on stone bench in front of university building

Nicole Hack

Nicole Hack (who prefers they/them pronouns) is looking forward to completing their degree next year, over a decade after they started their journey at the University of Victoria. Nicole chose to...

Dale and Sienna stand on a rooftop balcony with city scape behind them

Supporting Ukrainian students

In March 2022 the world watched in horror as news and images of Russia's invasion of Ukraine flooded the media. With a passion and desire to get “boots on the ground,” UVic...

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