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SPRING CLEANING!

Our team is doing some spring cleaning starting with user accounts. Login using your CAS credentials for instructions. We appreciate your speedy action so we can move onto other new and exciting initiatives over the summer.

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OLC!

BY STUDENTS, FOR STUDENTS

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Join the community using your SFU CAS account. Then, complete your registration by clicking on your name located in the top right corner of the page.

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

Share Your SFU Story 

Have a story to share about your time at SFU? Add your voice to the ever-expanding gallery of community stories on our SFU Stories page! Take about 15 minutes to reflect on your experiences at SFU, including, but not limited to, involvement in clubs, student unions, peer mentorship, and work opportunities. Share your story to educate, inspire, and connect the SFU community. Submissions are welcome year-round, from all years and faculties.

Everyone has a story! What's yours?

SUBMIT

NEW VIDEO SERIES

Multilingual SFU

SFU students (graduate and undergraduate,) staff and faculty share their multilingual experience and welcome you to multilingual week at SFU. Do you have a multilingual story to share? Add it to the OLC.

Watch

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

Share Your SFU Story 

Have a story to share about your time at SFU? Add your voice to the ever-expanding gallery of community stories on our SFU Stories page! Take about 15 minutes to reflect on your experiences at SFU, including, but not limited to, involvement in clubs, student unions, peer mentorship, and work opportunities. Share your story to educate, inspire, and connect the SFU community. Submissions are welcome year-round, from all years and faculties.

Everyone has a story! What's yours?

SUBMIT

Changing Times: Stories to Inspire Hope and Resilience

 

Image of Priyanka Das
Blog
Discover Your True Self: 7 Tips to Develop Unwavering Self-Belief and Authenticity
Digital Resource Assistant

Take chances as you never know what opportunities may arise. Meet Priyanka Das, a Beedie Co-op student who’s working with SFU’s Communication and Marketing department as a Digital Resource Assistant. Learn more about how she landed her current co-op and other opportunities such as the CEOx1Day finalist by being authentic and believing in their abilities.

VOLUNTEER STORIES

 

FEATURED

Chinmayee's Picks

Chinmayee's Picks

OLC has things to help students go pro. Having been part of the OLC's technical team and coming from a tech background myself, I tend to skim through tech-related articles first, diving deeper into the ones that pique my interest. I've compiled a list of my favourite finds from the OLC website, considering them valuable assets for fellow students.

Jared's Picks

Jared's Picks

Working as an editor for the OLC has been such a positive learning experience and has help me connect with so many unique and engaging stories. I would like to share some of my favourite pieces that I had the pleasure of working on. Yes, their grammar and spelling is great and their writing voice is very personal but each of these had something special.

Serena's Picks

Serena's Picks

It's been an amazing four months as a Copy Editor here at the OLC. I've had the chance to work on a variety of content, and it's been quite a journey. The OLC is a unique space where students can explore and contribute to a wide range of topics. Choosing my top picks was tough with so much good stuff, but here are three pieces that really stood out to me.

FEATURED

Hustle Culture

Hustle Culture

When should you stop and take a break? How much work is too much work? In this episode of Diving Into the Everyday, join us as we explore what is hustle culture, looking at its rise in exposure, and why a person may feel this pressure to participate.

Experiencing A New Culture In Mexico

Experiencing A New Culture In Mexico

I learned a lot more about myself – new interests, being more adaptable, future ambitions, etc. It was one of the most unique and remarkable experiences in my lifetime.

7 Ways to Have a Successful Meeting With Your Supervisor or Team

7 Ways to Have a Successful Meeting With Your Supervisor or Team

If you are struggling to facilitate or actively participate in meetings, you are not alone, as many students share the same struggle in school projects, student clubs and the workplace.

person laughing

NEW VIDEO SERIES

Job Search in a Pandemic

New episodes of Career Conversations from SFU Career and Volunteer Services are released every Tuesday on the OLC. Tune in see your most burning questions about the world of work, volunteering, and career exploration answered by guests from diverse professional backgrounds and organizations across Canada.

Episode 3 features Kristina Lee, Director of the IT Division at Impact Recruitment. You don't want to miss her expert tips for job searching during the pandemic and how you can best show off your soft skills to employers.

Watch
person laughing

NEW VIDEO SERIES

Job Search in a Pandemic

New episodes of Career Conversations from SFU Career and Volunteer Services are released every Tuesday on the OLC. Tune in see your most burning questions about the world of work, volunteering, and career exploration answered by guests from diverse professional backgrounds and organizations across Canada.

Episode 3 features Kristina Lee, Director of the IT Division at Impact Recruitment. You don't want to miss her expert tips for job searching during the pandemic and how you can best show off your soft skills to employers.

Watch

NEW POST

Activism Burnout: An Interview with Registered Clinical Counsellors

In light of the increased visibility of injustices around the world, taking a stand and contributing to social justice is becoming more prominent in our everyday lives. As you learn and advocate about different injustices, you may experience activism burnout with added stressors such as balancing work, personal life, school, and extracurricular activities. SFU Health Peers interview Counsellors at Health and Counselling Services for advice.

Read

NEW POST

Why You Should Consider Submitting an SFU Story to the OLC

SFU Stories on the OLC are short-form, Instagram-style, narrative stories that help to build a welcoming SFU community. No matter how big or small, every story has something to offer. Share your story today!

Read

NEW POST

I’m Starting a Minor Late Into My Degree... Now What?

One of our OLC team members, Brianna Tsang, shares her experience of deciding her minor in her 3rd year at SFU. "The knowledge and genuine connections made throughout this process has been an amazing experience and opportunity to have."

Read

NEW POST

Social Media Addiction & Screen Fatigue: A Survival Guide for Jobs in Social Media

When it comes to social media and digital marketing positions, it’s easy to be blinded by the positives. After all, many Communication majors are fascinated by digital marketing and algorithms— and if you’re a digital native, creating social media content might already be second nature to you. Whether you manage social media for your organization or create external content, there are a few bonuses to consider.

Read

NEW STUDENT PODCAST

On the Spot with the OLC

The OLC team is extremely excited to introduce a brand new podcast titled On the Spot with the OLC. Your hosts, Mehtaab and Terae, discuss important topics revolving around community, engagement, education and overall life advice! Within these 12 episodes, your hosts aim to bring a well rounded perspective to a variety of topics as they believe they can provide insightful knowledge about what it's like to be an SFU student. Please make sure to have a listen!

Listen to Episode 1: Creating Community at SFU

NEW PODCAST ON THE OLC

StudioBytes

Welcome to Studio Bytes! A podcast inspired by the energy of the SIAT Studios and the memories students make in those spaces. This podcast invites Alumni back into the studio and we get to learn about their experiences at SIAT and their lives after. In Episode 2 meet SFU Alumni Marie Cheung who shares her experience at SFU, her life post SFU and her time in Europe

Listen to Episode 2: What is Service Design?

Login to Provide your Feedback!

Did you know that each landing page on the site has a feedback section for logged in users? We use this information to discover and fix issues, consider site improvements and addition of new features. Our tech team is focused on feature improvements this summer, so share your input to direct changes to the OLC.

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ABOUT

Our Learning Community

SFU's Our Learning Community has an incredible range of content created by and for the SFU community. This includes diverse and authentic stories, which show a range of inspirational knowledge sharing happening between students, as well as handy tools that help with learning anywhere and everywhere you are.
 
Discover how you can contribute to our ever-expanding learning community.

 

CONTRIBUTE
11112
Members Joined

 

2226
231
Projects Created

 

92
Series Compiled

 

EXPLORE

Recognizing that our SFU community members are versatile storytellers, the new OLC has expanded how you can tell your story. Come take a look by exploring into this brand new range of content curated by our editors; this includes Blogs, SFU Stories, Videos, and Podcasts. And remember, no matter where you are in your learning journey at SFU, we want to hear your story! Learn more on how you can contribute to the OLC.

 

 

EXPLORE
a phone screen showcasing Amazon stocks rising
Blog
Get Your Side Hustle On: A Student's Guide to Part-Time Work

As she puts it, grad student Srijani Datta has been a student for most of her life. To support her love of academia she has worked as a reporter, tutor, translator, transcriber, and content writer. Develop your own side-hustle with her tips. 

A woman standing with a cardboard box on her head
Blog
How to Navigate Student Mindset Traps

When students enter their first or second Co-op work term, there can be a risk of falling into student mindset traps. These are the habits we pick up as students that are detrimental to our professional performance and development. Read on to learn more about how Bowen learned to avoid student mindset traps after four Co-op semesters working for three different companies.

A person flexing
Blog
Just Like Bunko: Learning Strengths

Everyone has weaknesses. But its focusing on your strengths that grant you success in life.

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LEARN

SHARE

CONTRIBUTE

Videos

Read

Learn

Share

Contribute

There is so much to explore on the new OLC!

So, browse around and have fun with the new learning and storytelling tools. Found something not working?

EXPLORE

Recognizing that our SFU community members are versatile storytellers, the new OLC has expanded how you can tell your story. Come take a look by exploring this wider range of content including Blogs, SFU Stories, Videos, Experiential Learning Experiences, and Podcasts. And remember, no matter where you are in your learning journey at SFU, we want to hear your story! Learn more on how you can contribute to the OLC.

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THE LATEST

Catch up on the latest and freshest content from the SFU OLC. You're bound to find a fresh new perspective, the most current advice, and recently published stories that are sure to inspire you.

 

 

THE LATEST
Nancy and the children in their class smiling
Blog
Beyond Comfort: My Co-op in Korea with TaLK

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. 

Person Holding Prosthetic Arm
Blog
How My Personal Projects Landed Me a Research Co-op Helping Others

Find out how Sohail's personal interests helped him land a Co-op opportunity at Texas Instruments Launchpads! 

FNSA Banner
Blog
Come Witness the Annual Indigenous Success Stories Event

SFU First Nations Student Association (FNSA) invites you to come and witness this annual event. Indigenous storytellers will share their journeys of success, expressing the adversity and perseverance faced along the way. Don't miss this chance to engage in the SFU Indigenous community as well as those closely connected to SFU!

Therese Mah headshot
Blog
Comic: How Co-op Helped Me Seize the Dreams I'd Left Behind

Therese believed her interests in art and environmentalism were too daunting to pursue as careers. She locked those dreams away... until co-op unlocked career opportunities that fused her studies with her passions. Check out her comic!

Grad Aboriginal Entrance Scholarship winner
Blog
SFU's Indigenous Graduate Entrance Scholarship

The Aboriginal Entrance Scholarship is definitely worth all its cracked up to be.

Danielle Jeong
Blog
Haiti Co-op Inspires Career Path

Danielle Jeong, who receives a Governor General’s Silver Medal for her high scholastic achievement, says her SFU co-op experiences, which included a month in Haiti, were “life-changing”.

Taylor Mckinney headshot
Blog
Why Apply to Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada

It is a very exciting time to get involved with Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC)! Taylor shares her experience working at INAC's Yukon regional office and how she gained valuable skills while learning about Yukon First Nations, government and life in the North. 

Notebook banner
Blog
The Notebook: A Highly Unlikely Love Story

At the start of her co-op, Sandy expected to work hard and do her best. What she didn't expect is that she would fall in love - and fall hard. What you're about to read is a highly unlikely love story...

Lenses
Blog
Changing Perspectives: How Co-op Helped Me See the Bigger Picture

Ornela started university with the intention of going to medical school. However, co-op has helped them see that there are so many possibilities in the field of healthcare. In this article, Ornela discusses their co-op experience and the lessons they learned along the way.

Jenny Vo Headshot
Blog
How to Maximize Your Return on University Investment | Part Two | Reach Out to People Outside SFU

In Part 2 of this series, Jenny shares about maximizing your university investment through different networking channels such as mentorship programs and professional associations. Jenny highlights her own fears of networking, how she overcame them and ultimately, what she learned from these experiences.

Steven Phan standing in front of lush green background wearing a floral shirt
Blog
SFU Co-op Leads to Silicon Valley Dream Job with Google

Steven Phan's professional journey started long before he got a prize job as an interaction designer at Google. The SFU student’s career success started after he enrolled as a SIAT student and took advantage of the school’s co-op program. 

Boys 4 Real Program volunteers
Blog
Finding Purpose Through Volunteering

Have you ever thought to yourself, What am I doing with my life? You are not alone.

Anna Dueck
Blog
Making the Most Out of Your University Experience

Anna Dueck, a student in the School for the Contemporary Arts (SCA) working towards a Major in Dance, talks about the importance of getting involved. 

The masked woodcutter (MacKenzie) offends Tavey (Wakeland)
Blog
SFU Students Perform Free Summer Musical for Kids

Four SFU students organized and performed a free outdoor children’s theatre in the Lower Mainland. The performance tells a story of broken shoes and finding joy beyond grief

When Fear Works and When it Doesn't by Cherie
Blog
Don’t Be Afraid of the Future: Advice for Success Post-Graduation

Whether you’re a first-year or a fourth-year, you likely have thought about what life will be like after you graduate, and you'll likely have heard some scary things. I'm here to tell you, with some hard work and patience, you don't have to be afraid of the future...

Man covering his face in fear
Blog
How to Overcome Your Fear of Getting Involved

Is fear coming in your way of getting involved? Don’t stress, since you live in a world with many others who are in the same boat as you! Here are a couple tips that can help you come out of your shell and interact with your community

Ali Najaf posing with BC mountains in background
Blog
British Columbia and International Students

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.  

Woman at an airport
Blog
Taking the Leap: Moving Across the Country for Co-op

Not everyone can say that they’ve had their movie moment. Luckily enough, it happened to Pauline, and it happened in the exact way she dreamt it would. But, what she didn't prepare for is the reality after saying yes. 

Womans memorial march
Blog
Why Attend the March for Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women

The Annual Women's Memorial March is on February 14th. This is why I attend and why you should too. 

Ali Najaf
Blog
Planning for Exchange or Study Abroad Trip

Going for exchange or a study abroad trip to a different university and country is a great experience in itself. But to make that experience remarkable, a bit of planning is required.

Student participants in the dance marathon
Blog
Dancing For Those Who Cannot, For the Kids #FTK

I'm sure that you've heard about the SFU Dance Marathon Club, but do you know what it's all about? You might be asking, “Is it another SFU dance team?”, “What is this club’s initiative?”, “How can I get involved?” This article answers those questions and highlights SFU's Dance Marathon’s history on campus.   

dance marathon participants
Blog
Dancing for Those Who Cannot, For the Kids #FTK

I'm sure that you've heard about the SFU Dance Marathon Club, but do you know what it's all about? You might be asking, “Is it another SFU dance team?”, “What is this club’s initiative?”, “How can I get involved?” This article answers those questions and highlights SFU's Dance Marathon’s history on campus.   

Jenny Vo Headshot
Blog
How to Maximize Your Return on University Investment | Part One | Get Involved and Utilize On-Campus Resources

Have you ever wondered why you should go to university and what you have done to make your university life meaningful? Have you ever been in a situation where you have no clue of what to do with your life and how to start making every penny of your tuition fees worth it? Have you ever felt frightened when thinking about your future career? I was in the same position so I want to share some tips on how to not regret going to school and how to get ready to face your future!

Contemporary Art Gallery
Blog
Internship in the Contemporary Arts

Taking the internship course at SFU this semester has turned out to be an interesting and overall invaluable work experience for me as I near the end of my undergraduate career. Read on to discover what it was like to do an internship with the Contemporary Art Gallery.

Evelyn Korompori and team at South Vancouver Adult Day Centre
Blog
Journey to the Centres

Life is an unexpected journey. Read about Evelyn's co-op experience as an activity worker at Vancouver Coastal Health's SteadyFeet and how this changed her perspective on working with seniors. 

Sandeep Johal’s new exhibition, 'Beast of Burden'
Blog
Burrard Arts Foundation Internship

The organization that I was fortunate enough to work with this summer was Burrard Arts Foundation. BAF is a registered non-profit charity organization in Mount Pleasant that seeks to promote the development of, and excellence in, the visual arts in Vancouver by showcasing local and global artistic talent and providing opportunities that enable artists to produce their work and share it with the world.

Imran Kanji at Blackberry
Blog
Heading Out East: Why You Should Go Away For Co-op

If you’ve only been looking for co-op placements in the Greater Vancouver area, here’s why you should definitely reconsider.

Mark Thompson head shot
Blog
Making the Most of the Co-op Experience: The Case for a Diversified Co-op Portfolio

Ever wonder what type of factors you should take into consideration when seeking out Co-op placements? Mark reflects on his rewarding Co-op journey to make some recommendations on how to best take advantage of the Co-op program!

Monique Auger headshot
Blog
MA Student Seeks to Address Métis Mental Health Issues

Monique Auger, a proud Métis woman from Vancouver Island, thinks there is. She is using her Graduate Aboriginal Scholarship to pursue a master of science, in the Faculty of Health Sciences, to explore this issue.

Marlana and her family
Blog
Indigenous Career Journey Stories: Marlana “Kaneratenhawi” Thompson-Baker

My professor explained, learn the things you don't know, don't waste your time learning what you already know and don't waste time reinventing the wheel. Read Marlana's story of hard work and determination!

Valerie Bob
Blog
2015 Graduate Aboriginal Scholarships Awarded to Valerie Bob

At 58, Valerie Bob has had a long career in social services and education after earning a BA in social work and an MA in First Peoples’ education. Now, with the help of a Graduate Aboriginal Scholarship, she’s embarking on a PhD program that combines her interests in native language renewal and ceremonial music.

Justice for missing and murdered indigenous women
Blog
Beyond the Margins: Examining the Systemic Devaluing & Marginalization of Indigenous Women in Canada

This is a paper written by an Indigenous young male of Ojibway and Dene ancestry who wants to raise awareness on the plaguing social issue of murdered and missing Indigenous women. I dedicate this paper to all Indigenous women that remain missing or who have been murdered.

Jeffrey Reading
Blog
Research Chair to Lead Heart Health Research for First Nations Peoples

“I am very excited by the opportunity to focus on prevention of cardiovascular disease and to improve heart health and well-being among First Nations in British Columbia.” Jeffrey Reading

Veselin Jungic
Blog
Math Catcher and Its Founder Capture National Attention

Veselin Jungic, founder of SFU’s Math Catcher Program—Mathematics through Aboriginal storytelling—was honoured earlier this year when the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE) selected him as a 3M National Teaching Fellow.

Marianne Ignace
Blog
First of Traditional Languages Apps Ready for Testing in New Year

Marianne Ignace has an ambitious plan. Within the next five years, she hopes to have developed language-learning apps for speakers and learners of some 12 First Nations languages in B.C. and Yukon.

Indigenous UBC-SFU logos
Blog
SFU/UBC Indigenous Graduate Symposium, “Indigenizing the Academy”

More than 120 guests attended the first SFU/UBC Indigenous Graduate Symposium, “Indigenizing the Academy,” at SFU’s downtown campus last March.

Tozo'kam singers
Blog
SFU Indigenous Day Shares Culture with Community

The Burnaby campus community was treated to the sights, sounds and tastes of Indigenous culture during the second annual SFU Indigenous Day in September.

Black Haida Canoe image
Blog
Haida Artist Bill Reid’s Black Eagle Canoe Finds New Home at SFU

Haida artist Bill Reid’s Black Eagle canoe is a symbol of knowledge, community and cultural regeneration, so its installation at SFU’s Burnaby campus is a fitting tribute to the University’s 50th Anniversary.

SFu summer camp
Blog
Summer Camp Prepares Students for University

Anika Robertson says the SFU Aboriginal camp exceeded her expectations and inspired her to aim for university.

Native woman college basketball team
Blog
Native Basketball Festival at SFU is Coming May 2016

More than 20 Aboriginal basketball teams from around B.C. and Alberta are expected to turn out for the second Native Basketball Tournament/Festival at SFU’s Burnaby campus on May 20-22, 2016

Nathalie Sinclair working with young child
Blog
Early-Number Learning and Language Revitalization a Dynamite Combination

SFU mathematics education professor Nathalie Sinclair has been working with the Ojibwe and Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations to translate her early-numbers mathematics app into their languages.

Phil Fontaine presenting
Blog
Beedie Hosts Phil Fontaine

“There is a notion that Aboriginal peoples are anti-development, when in fact we are very pro-development – but it must be responsible development,” said Fontaine