January 21:
UBC Community Curling Funspiel
Hurry hard to the 2012 funspiel! Registration closes in just one week - January 18. Sign up as an individual, with a friend or with a team for a day of all-Canadian winter fun that is all about UBC spirit. Alumni, students, faculty, staff and friends, this is your day to meet, greet and - sweep! Ask anyone who’s come out before -- it's big-time fun!
Registration includes breakfast, lunch, all equipment, a quick curling lesson (optional for those who already know how), plus prizes for everyone. All skill levels are welcome. This is a perfect place to try curling, help others learn the game or astound the crowd with your exceptional skills.
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Location: Kelowna Curling Club, 551 Recreation Ave.
$45 for adults, $15 for current students. Held in partnership with Alumni Relations, Campus Life and Campus Rec.
2012 Alumni Achievement Awards
Nominations close February 9
Do you know a UBC grad who has made a difference? This is your chance to give them the recognition they deserve.
Almost everyone has been inspired or personally affected by someone whose work leads to widespread benefit. Some people use their education not just to gain a foothold in the world, but to change it and lead the way forward. The UBC community enjoys a healthy share of discoverers, innovators, visionaries, advocates, artists, and leaders whose efforts not only lead to successful careers and popular respect, but also enhance the lives of others.
Some people are truly exceptional, and the UBC Alumni Association wants to recognize them and the contributions they make to their world and ours.
Nominations for the 2012 Alumni Achievement Awards close February 9. Nominate someone today. Follow the link buttons below:
Hey, Calgary, Toronto, Victoria and Lower Mainland! Calling Okanagan-campus grads
We’re coming to your areas for roundtable discussions and opportunities to connect with other grads and with UBC. Make sure you’re included. If we don’t have a current address for you, send a quick note to let us know where you are. Follow the link button below to ensure your name is on the invitation list!
Congratulations Michael Fraser, BA ’09, Okanagan campus, on winning an iPad 2 in a recent contest that called for UBC alumni to update their contact information. Enjoy your prize, Michael!
Want to update your own address so we send you the most appropriate event invitations, news and information? Click on the ‘read more’ button below.
With only a few tickets still remaining, art enthusiasts will want to secure a spot immediately for the 10th annual Art on the Line, a fundraiser supporting UBC’s Okanagan visual arts students. Funds raised enable students to bring in lecturing artists, visit acclaimed studios and galleries, and host the annual graduation exhibition. This year, a portion of the proceeds support Inn from the Cold and The Alternator Gallery.
Each $175 ticket admits two people and -- along with appetizers, refreshments and live entertainment -- guarantees you'll leave with an original, juried work of art.
Art on the Line features works in a variety of media and styles by noted local artists, visual arts professors, UBC alumni and students. The atmosphere is electric as art is awarded by lottery. Time is provided for previewing and building wish lists before that all-important moment when you're called on to make your choice.
Time: Doors open at 6:00 p.m. Art selection begins at 7:30 p.m.
Location: Fipke Centre foyer, UBC’s Okanagan campus
Registration: Tickets -- $175. Those unable to obtain an ‘art’ ticket may still support the students and the event with the purchase a $10 reception/viewing ticket at the door.
Please e-mail Art on the Line student representatives through the link button below for tickets or more information about the event. The Visual Arts Course Union thanks you.
For information on Okanagan volunteer opportunities related to the Learning Exchange, mentoring and other alumni involvement on our campus, click the buttons below.
First 32 students pioneer Faculty of Medicine’s distributed MD program in Interior
The Southern Medical Program’s (SMP) inaugural class of 32 students has arrived at UBC’s Okanagan campus. As part of UBC Faculty of Medicine’s distributed MD (medical doctor) Undergraduate Program, SMP students spend the balance of the four-year MD program studying and training in communities throughout the BC Interior (having spent their first term in classes in Vancouver).
“The arrival of our inaugural class is a momentous occasion,” says Dr. Allan Jones, Regional Associate Dean, Interior. “A remarkable amount of work and collaboration has taken place to launch the SMP and expand the reach of the MD Undergraduate Program to all areas of the province. Ultimately, our program will help lay the groundwork for increasing the number of practicing physicians in communities throughout the BC Interior.”
SMP students will divide their study and classroom time between the new Health Sciences Centre at UBC’s Okanagan campus for academic courses and the Clinical Academic Campus (next to Kelowna General Hospital) for clinical skills training, such as taking a patient’s medical history, conducting a physical exam, and effective communications skills. Volunteer patients and patient actors are frequently used to simulate realistic training experiences.
UBC alumni implement a new system of teaching in local secondary school
Graham Johnson, BEd ’07, and Paul Janke, BSc ’98, BEd ’99, take a radically different approach to teaching than the established norm. The two Okanagan Mission Secondary School senior math teachers have implemented a “flipped classroom” system of learning.
Flipped learning is where a lesson is recorded, put online and students watch the lesson at home and then discuss it in class the following day. The two University of British Columbia alumni are the first in the Canadian public school system to try such an approach to teaching.
“The kids go home and watch it as homework,” says Janke. “They get the teaching part at home, and when they come to class it allows them more time to work on it with other students or a teacher.” Johnson says the concept affords much greater flexibility for the students and teachers. “We can meet with every one of our learners,” says Johnson, adding the online lessons are around 15 minutes long, which studies have shown to be the optimum time for a teen to focus on a subject. “It gives us the flexibility to better meet their needs. It allows the teacher to talk to each individual kid.”
Although met with some trepidation when implemented, the flipped classroom idea quickly caught on and students, parents, the school district and other teachers now embrace the concept. Graham and Janke are planning to host a conference on flipped classes next June in Kelowna.
Blogs keep people talking about endangered dialects
A group of students at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus is delving into almost-lost languages and blogging about them in an effort to keep them alive for future generations.
Among the courses Assistant Professor of Anthropology Christine Schreyer teaches is endangered languages, and several of her students have taken to the Internet to talk about and raise awareness of tongues that are disappearing. Their goal is to preserve disappearing languages and they are using modern communication methods to do it.
Schreyer says there are approximately 80 indigenous languages in Canada, of which only three are expected to survive: Cree, Inuit (Inuktitut) and Ojibwa. That is mainly due to these three each having more than 20,000 speakers and many children in their respective communities continue learning these as their first languages. But even these could be silenced as English or French take over in the communities where they are spoken.
“It’s very much tied to identity. So when people lose their language, they lose piece of identity, a piece of their culture,” she says, adding these endangered languages are a significant part of Canada’s history and heritage. “There are 6,000 to 7,000 languages in the world and 90 per cent of them are endangered,” says Schreyer. “Languages of colonizers have taken over. It is usually the indigenous and minority languages that are being lost.”
UBC Stories at a Glance
Who are you?
Now that everyone has done their networking homework over the holidays, it’s time to move on to boosting the power of your resume. At a time when many job applications are submitted online, your resume needs to make the impression you would want to make if you handed it in, in person. A good one.
While many people dread the time and energy it takes to create a captivating cover letter for every position they apply for, this is a must. Don’t make the mistake of using generic cover letters or of not submitting a cover letter at all. Your cover letter is your chance to shine and highlight the best parts of your history. No matter how big or small the job, never skimp on your cover letter and don’t think employers won’t notice if you use a one that was once targeted for another job.
Branding your resume and your cover letter is key and both should be tailored. If you’re applying for a position that requires creativity, be sure creativity shows in your resume. If the position calls for a highly organized individual, be sure your resume and cover letter are meticulously organized and that formatting is consistent. Focus on using action words and showing real results that mean something to employers.
Simply telling an employer that you helped increase sales doesn’t mean much. Telling them that you increased sales in your own area by 50% over the year by moving 20% more product to existing clients, plus and drawing in three new clients per month, does.
Share your resume tips, failures and question on our Facebook page. Join in the discussion about building a career and a life after graduation.
Final cut: Words to strike from your resume
Get your resume recruiter ready
The 5 hardest jobs to fill in 2012
Alberta predicts shortage of 114,000 workers by 2021
Upcoming career events:
UBC Career Fair 2012
February 2
Career-seeking alumni are encouraged to attend the 2012 Career Fair. This is a fantastic opportunity to meet local, provincial and national employers, all conveniently in one place. With over 45 organizations attending, there is an employer to suit almost every degree. Be sure to check out the website in advance to research your companies of choice.
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Location: Engineering, Management & Education building, UBC’s Okanagan campus
Career Cafes:
- February 16 - Careers in Medicine without an MD
- March 1- Careers Supporting Personal Growth
- March 15 - Careers in International Aid and Development
Career Cafés are coffee-house style events where new alumni, students and speakers get a chance to chat about career experiences, aspirations and predicaments. Panellists share stories about their career paths - where they are and how they got there – responding candidly to questions from students and alumni.
These events are free to attend but RSVP email registration is required. To sign up, click the button below.
Job Postings:
Employer: US Commercial Service – United States of America Department of Commerce
Location: Vancouver
Position: full-time internship
Job description: After a brief orientation period, the intern will be involved in 'on-the-job' training by working on a pre-defined project or projects relating to U.S./Canada trade development. Intern responsibilities could include: conducting market research, preparing reports, drafting replies to trade inquiries, promoting and recruiting exhibitors for trade events and making business appointments for U.S. companies seeking strategic alliances in Canada. The intern's work assignments shall be in the public interest, and to the maximum extent possible, shall provide an appropriate educational experience for the intern.
Qualifications: Interns will gain valuable experience in a progressive work environment and quickly become familiar with the dynamic field of international trade. This internship involves a forty hour work week with a minimum service of twelve weeks required. Applicants may be students or recent graduates who are seeking business experience prior to gaining permanent paid employment. This is an unpaid internship.
Please log in to Career Connect to apply for more information and to apply.
Career Connections
To find out more visit UBC's Okanagan Career and Life Planning web site.
Also, check out a wealth of career resources offered through UBC Career Services in Vancouver.
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January 2012 |
What's your passion, alumni?
Name: Tanya Rumak
Position: Sustainability Specialist, Landmark Group of Builders, Edmonton, AB
Degree: BA, Geography, 2010
What’s my passion?
I came to UBC’s Okanagan campus fuelled by a passion to make a difference in the world and to ensure its longevity for future generations. Through my involvement in volunteer activities and coursework in various departments it did not take long to be exposed to large numbers of faculty, students and staff who wanted to do the same. The passion at the Okanagan campus was evident from the beginning.
Advocating for sustainable living has become my day-to-day. Upon graduating in 2010, I relocated to Alberta and accepted a position as the Sustainability Coordinator for the Town of Drayton Valley. Working in municipal government led me to my current role of Sustainability Specialist for a residential home builder, Landmark Group of Builders, based in Edmonton.
Giving back to my community remains a top priority of mine and I have recently been elected to the Board of Directors for Sustainable Food Edmonton, a not-for-profit dedicated to an equitable and ecologically-sound food system in the Edmonton region. I was in third year at UBC when I was introduced to the topic of community food security in Mary Stockdale’s Geog 491N class. Since then, I have been a firm believer that, because food is so personal to each and every human on this planet, it will transcend boundaries and initiate conversation about sustainable systems on a grander scale.
If you would like to get involved with Sustainable Food Edmonton please click the first ‘read more’ button below. At UBCO, you have an opportunity to do something about food security in your own backyard. Visit the Preservation Farm and Research Initiative’s by clicking the second ‘read more’ button.
If you have a passion that ties to UBC’s vision for positive change in the world, let us know.
Want to know what’s new in your faculty, unit or even course union?
The HEAT heats up again!
The HEAT are back in action after a cool December due to final exams. The gymnasium will be busy every Friday and Saturday night until February 11 (and Sunday, February 12) with HEAT home games. Women's play gets started at 6:00 p.m.; men’s at 8:00 p.m. Come cheer on your varsity athletics teams as they make the move to Canadian Interuniversity Sport and Canada's highest level of organized amateur sport.
For more information and tickets, please call 250.807.8862 or use the links below.
January 19
Medicine out of joint? Barriers to accessing medical cannabis
Hear about one of the most comprehensive studies on medical cannabis use. Data from cannabis dispensaries in the Okanagan will be highlighted as well as information about a larger, nation-wide study.
Time: 12 p.m. – 1 p.m.
Location: University Centre room 334, UBC’s Okanagan campus
This event is open to the public and FREE to attend. For more information and access to teleconference details, please contact 250.807.8072.
UBC Events at a Glance
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