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Blogs
Welcome
Being one of OLC's classic storytelling tools, blogs are crafted by SFU Community members which include the everyday student as well as expert voices. This is where we share touching stories, resourceful advice, and insightful knowledge with each other. In keeping with the OLC vision, the following blogs are created by and for students, so why not contribute to the OLC today?
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INTERNATIONAL
As an international student Ha Na had the reality of high tuition, no work experience and challenges in finding employment. She decided co-op was the solution to learn professional work search skills and gain related employment while attending university. She shares her challenges and successes along the way.
Bachelor of Sciences graduand Charity Mudhikwa hit the ground running when she came to Canada in 2018 for university, dedicating her undergraduate degree helping SFU students and the community at large.
In this article, SFU Psychology graduate Ravi Bansal shares her experiences of participating in the Hellenic Studies Field School in Greece. Ravi’s travels encouraged her to become involved in the SFU community, opening up an opportunity to attend the Education without Borders conference in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Learning how to effectively communicate in a new work environment can be difficult enough, but add a language barrier and things get even more complicated. Here are Julia's top tips for overcoming language barriers in the workplace.
Still not sure if co-op is for you? Chetachi explains why co-op was such a valuable experience for her and what it was like to work in the corporate world during her Economics co-op work term.
Are you an international student that feels like there is a wall that stops you from moving forward? Are you trying to improve your language level, but feel embarrassed communicating in English? You're not the only one. But there are people who are reaching their goals. Find your inspiration and become one of them.
The holidays are a time for fun and festivities, but the feeling of being homesick can also creep in during this time. Here are some steps to help you through it!
Looking to maximize your time abroad and integrate with locals, but nervous to take the first few steps? Read on to learn how Kendra broke through their personal barriers, and the advice they have for future travellers to make the most of their work term overseas.
Being an international student at SFU is not easy as there aren't many opportunities to meet other students. The Global Student Centre welcomes all, hosting events that bring students together to celebrate diversity and create intercultural awareness.
A profile on international student and third year psychology major, Rainy Yumeng Jiang, and how community engagement and volunteering has helped her adjust to Canadian culture.
Ever wonder how it would feel like being an international student in Vancouver? Talk about a reason to party, well coming from a Punjabi family we hardly need a reason to party but if there was ever a decent one, this was it. Read more to find out about Max Shyngs experience!
New to Vancouver? Discover 4 spots Lauretta discovered in her adventures around the city.
"There's a phrase in Israel, "buckle up your elbows" which means that it's time to hustle. This is exactly what brought me to the place where I'm writing to you right now." -- read Kim's story and learn how you can achieve anything with enough courage and motivation.
Since its launch in 2005, the Students for Development (SFD) program has been supporting Canadian university students' participation in internships in developing countries and emerging economies. Isabel went on the SFD program in Summer 2011 where she worked with ICO (Instituto de Capacitacion del Oriente) in Bolivia.
Coming to a new country thousands of miles from where you grew up and from everything you know is no easy journey. In this award-winning story, SFU Business student Ali Najaf reflects on the past four years since arriving in Canada from Pakistan in 2012, sharing both his challenges and truimphs.
Jacky is a fourth year Business Student who spent his co-op in Beijing China. Read his interview to discover what his co-op abroad was like. Jacky covers preparing for the work term, work life, and living abroad.
Third year Business student, Corina Inigo, shares about her co-op experience with Teach and Learn in Korea (TaLK). She discusses what TaLK is all about and also shares personal anecdotes from her teaching experience.
Morgan Karugaba shares his journey of how he overcame the challenges of uncertainty, by stepping out of his comfort zone.
As an undergraduate student, Spencer Chen excelled with a GPA of 4.21 and received numerous merit-based scholarships and awards. She also sought diverse research and community service opportunities to make meaningful contributions to the SFU community.
Have you landed an International Co-op work-term and begun preparing for your semester abroad? Surely, you have done your research and are aware of the cultural differences and nuances between where you are going, and your home country? If you haven’t, have no fear! This article is meant to help you understand the basic tips and tricks to adjust to the cultural differences in your new workplace, making your transition much easier.
Changing Times: Stories to Inspire Hope and Resilience
Working from home is a common reality for many Co-op students in the past year. Working from home while working for a Health Authority in the thick of the pandemic is a tremendous experience Kaylla went through last year. Take a look at how she learned to stay productive in these uncertain times.
The Latest
Someone once said that you should write about what you know. So when I was asked by one of the Peer Education Coordinators to write a career-related blog for their website, I felt compelled to write about the process of applying for graduate school, as I am currently applying for several schools myself.
Did you know that you can make a difference through volunteering, as well as discovering your passions and career goals? These are just some of the benefits of volunteering, according to Kyle Jung, a 5th-year SIAT student who is also the Vice President of Operations, Interactive Arts & Technology Student Union (IATSU) and the SFSS Forum Representative.
Many students think that volunteering is just another way to kill time, but they often overlook the valuable experiences and skills they gain from it. Kyle Jung, a SIAT student, shares his thoughts on volunteering and the significant role volunteerism plays in his professional and academic skill development.
In today’s competitive job market, no matter what field or industry you are in, the key to discovering the hidden job market is through networking. It’s all about “who knows you”. Networking involves mutually connecting and building a relationship with others at a personal and professional level as sources of information and support.
Students often overlook one important benefit of volunteerism. While students realize that scholarships and bursaries usually require community engagement, they often forget that volunteerism can also give you the edge you need after you finish your degree.
She has been involved with SFU LEAD, Peer Programs and the SFU Muslim Students’ Association, just to name a few. Now, Sana Siddiqui, a Criminology student, reflects back and shares with us the invaluable academic, personal and professional skills and opportunities volunteering opened for her, read on to find out what she has to say about getting involved on campus and in the community.
How do Communications Co-op jobs differ between federal departments? Read all about Courtney's experiences as she compares her first co-op with Health Canada to her second co-op with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
Having completed my first work term for Health Canada as a Communications Officer Intern, I was eager to try something new, and the government was not where I believed that was going to happen. That is until I was offered a position at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada...
In this blog post, Heather shares with us why co-op is an important experience for all students, whether it be to further career aspirations or to gain future employment opportunities.
Heath Sciences offer students one of the most comprehensive and diverse programs, focusing on everything from epidemiology, molecular biology to political science anthropology. These days, there are many volunteer opportunities associated with the Health Sciences.
You may have heard of them–you may even have an idea of what they do. But have you ever thought of being one? Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland has been serving girls in one-to-one mentoring relationships since 1960, with the mission of “enhancing the confidence, self-esteem and well-being of girls through supportive friendships with caring women”. Each Big and Little Sister match gets together once a week for at least one year.
Over the course of the past semester, SFU Volunteer Services set out to learn what causes motivate SFU students to get involved in their communities–either on campus or beyond. We collected information through the ENGAGE blog and want to highlight some now in hopes of inspiring others to think about what their cause is and how they can contribute!