Have a great story to share? Pitch it to our editors.
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?
Pitch A Blog
INTERNATIONAL
Nancy applied as an English instructor in South Korea with the intention of just adding another bulletpoint to their resume. However, the experiences they have gained from teaching and living abroad has made their co-op so much more meaningful than what can be written on paper. Read Nancy's story to learn more about Teach and Learn in Korea.
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.
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.
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.
Who doesn’t love travelling? Summer is just around the corner and with that comes the time to make our travel plans a reality. Have you ever thought about travelling as a way to boost your career?
Job hunting is never easy. This is especially true when you are an international student with no Canadian experience. Follow Alireza's tips and tricks on how to navigate around this barrier in your search for meaningful work.
There are a lot of things your international student friends have never told you. From depression to pressure to stereotypes - life isn't always easy when you are studying abroad. Read an international students take on life overseas.
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.
Morgan Karugaba shares his journey of how he overcame the challenges of uncertainty, by stepping out of his comfort zone.
“Gosh Roop! Are you really an international student? But you do not speak with an accent. Wow, I would have never guessed that.” Through anecdotes and introspection, Roop shares a compelling narrative of the struggles of why International students face challenges due to language barriers and biases.
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.
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.
"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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Mario Fong travelled to Hong Kong to join the HSBC trainee program through International Co-op. Dropping everything to live in a new country provided him with personal and professional experiences he won't soon forget.
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
Even during unsuspecting conditions, these SIAT students still pulled through to create extraordinary films
Nathan shares his key insights during his Co-op experience including the importance of confidence and asking good questions in order to explore new possibilities.
Elina experienced challenges while applying for Co-op during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, at the end of her degree. Follow these tips on how to successfully find a job placement–with less stress!
Going all digital seemed like the best thing with COVID-19, but for people with access needs that have long been ignored, this past year’s transition to online work and life reflects how accessibility considerations are often an afterthought.
Amrita looks back at her time as a Communication student and shares some tips for incoming students
The existence of student-led clubs, unions, and organizations on campus are often taken for granted. Joining such clubs or groups though, can benefit you more than you may realize.
As this year comes to a close and many of you are finishing up your degree, the looming question of “What are you going to do after school?” becomes more real than ever. Angela is here to answer some questions on how she managed to shape her beyond-grad experience.
As a communications assistant on campus, Victoria San Martin learned about the value of volunteer work in strengthening soft skills and finding community. Read about how her work term inspired her to seek out more involvement opportunities at SFU.
Actuarial Science and Statistics student, Dylan McCartney, shares his experience with the ups and downs of job applications and learning as you go.
Meet Ata Malfuzi, an SFU Master of Economics Co-op student. In this quick Q&A, learn a little about his current role at KPMG. Keep on reading as Ata gives some insight into what the hiring process was like, what he's looking forward to the most, and some tips for students who are beginning their co-op journey.
After completing 6 Co-op work terms, one thing I really enjoyed about my Co-op experience is that I had the opportunity to gain work experience from different types of organizations. I started with a 5-person non-profit organization, then to a 20-person start-up, and then landed my dream Co-op at a large 100,000+ person multinational tech corporation. One thing I’m thankful I realized early on in my Co-op journey is this: don’t be turned off from doing a Co-op with a small organization.
Co-op is more than an opportunity to gain experience that will look good on your resume; it is also a chance to reflect and learn more about yourself. Read about Tiffany's experience working with FASS Communications.
Read about how FASS student, Sophie McCann, bolstered her experiences in part-time jobs and volunteer work by developing her soft skills in communication, teamwork, and leadership with SFU FASS's internal communications and marketing team.
Jennifer Reandy is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) working with SFU’s Indigenous Student Centre (ISC). Read about the common thinking patterns associated with anxiety and how to interrupt them.
An exemplary researcher in the health sciences community, PhD graduand Amanda Butler has been awarded the 2022 Graduate Dean's Convocation Medal. Their research involves the intersections of mental health, substance use, and incarceration.
Before she crosses the stage and moves on to study Law at the University of British Columbia (UBC), International Studies (IS) student Miranda Pinter-Colett took a moment to reflect back on her time at SFU and offer some words of wisdom to current and incoming IS students.
Sophia Dobischok’s graduates with a Bachelor of Science in Behavioural Neuroscience and a Bachelor of Arts in English–degrees she completed concurrently. Her story is one of academic excellence, as she wins the Undergraduate Dean’s Convocation Medal, awarded to select students whose grades place them in the top 5% of their class. However, what stands out to some people are the seemingly incongruous fields that she chose to study.
After enduring a zoom-mediated MBA, David Whiffin moved to Vancouver, rediscovered his love for the outdoors and catalyzed a career change.
Joanna Fraser graduates with an EdD in Culturally Inclusive Place-Based Education (CIPB). Read about her reflections on being a community nurse and educator in rural settings, as well as her learnings from Indigenous mentors in creating an inclusive practice.
Completing 3 Co-op work terms can sometimes feel repetitive. Check out Madelynn's tips on how to stay engaged and continually enhance your Co-op experience.
An active leader in the student community, BA graduand Simran Purewal has been awarded the 2022 Dean's Convocation Medal.
Rachel George graduates with a bachelor of applied science degree from the School of Mechatronics Systems Engineering. She reflects on the gender bias and underrepresentation of women in STEM, and her personal journey navigating through a historically male-dominated field.
Julie Jen graduates with a second degree in computing science. Working as a chartered professional accountant in her early thirties and inspired by her husband's and friends' work in computing science, she decided to go back to school and follow her true passion—despite the hurdles she faced.
Applied Sciences graduand, Arvin Amini, leaves SFU with a lasting impact by founding the SFU Robot Soccer Club. Over the years, the club has received funding from various engineering organizations and has been involved in community outreach with students in grades 5 to 8. Read about his passion for highlighting the fun in STEM.
Computing science graduand Laton Vermette graduates with a Ph.D. in Computing Science. His thesis was on improving the lives of educators by providing ways for them to customize the classroom software they use for teaching.
Chao Bao graduates with a Ph.D. in Mechatronics. Equipped with a master's degree in engineering and nine years of experience in government research and industry, he made the difficult decision to leave a stable job to pursue his passion in research, with the goal of making a difference in society.
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.
What can healthy activism look like? See what registered clinical counsellors have to say about navigating activism burnout.
There are many reasons why students may feel compelled to break their academic integrity. Here are some ways to address the most common reasons.
Dr. Alberto Lusoli, Ph.D., receives the Graduate Dean's Medal. Currently working as a postdoctoral researcher at the Digital Democracies Institute, he reflects on his research findings and his overall experience as a graduate student at the School of Communication.