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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
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.
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.
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.
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.
“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.
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.
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.
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.
New to Vancouver? Discover 4 spots Lauretta discovered in her adventures around the city.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
"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.
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.
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!
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
The world needs more love letters, and this club is spreading them around SFU.
My outlook on networking used to be simple—if I was going to get a job, I wanted to know I got it because I proved myself. That I performed excellently during the interview and the company decided I was perfect for the role, not because we had mingled over beers or BBQ chicken.
Jiwon Lee is an English student who did her co-op in Korea, where she taught English to school children. She shares what it's like to do a co-op on the other side of the world!
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) offers opportunities beyond accounting. Jackie, an Economics student, spent his co-op in the Learning and Development Department of PwC in Hong Kong. Read about his experience doing two work terms with PwC, and the variety of skills he picked up!
Michael Welk went to Spain to teach English for his co-op and shares about his adventure in a new country. Read on to find out about what you can gain from an experience such as leaving your comfort zone and exploring! This article was originally published in the Arts Co-op Newsletter in Spring 2015.
Learn about various ways to enhance your university experience by getting involved this semester. This article explores different areas of interest that students can get involved in and resources helpful to those seeking out meaningful volunteer and leadership opportunities.
Have you ever considered what you would say during an interview when asked the “Tell Us About Yourself” question? Courtney, a Business co-op student learned a lot about herself during her co-op and has figured out her answer. Read her reflection and re-think your answer to the question.
BPK student, Nick Crivici, spent nine months as an English Language Assistant in Barcelona. Although this co-op was not directly related to the BPK field, he found tremendous educational value in his experience abroad.
As a co-op student at Lungpacer Medical, Laura has gained invaluable skills through a variety of responsibilities. Read on to find out how this experience has contributed to their learning and personal growth.
Patricia Zhou had vaguely heard of IABC during her first two years at SFU, but little did she know how BC’s chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators would end up having such an on-going influence on her career.
Your time is very valuable and while volunteering can be an amazing experience and very beneficial for your career, it is important to look for and choose the best volunteer position for you.
David Neel of the Kwakiutl tribe has been making Native design jewelry for 25 years. He descends from a family of first nations aritsts, including: Ellen Neel, Mungo Martin and Charlie James. A multi-media artist, David Neel makes rings, pendants, earrings and bracelets, in addition to Canadian Aboriginal art, such as masks, totem poles, paddles, bentwood boxes and paintings under the David Neel Studio. Here is an interview with him about his jounrey to become an independently employed artist and jeweler.
Adrian Starblanket shares his life story that takes him from Foster Care to homelessness to 4 recording albums and University.
Garwill Law founder Wayne Garnons-Williams describes how he came to be inspired to practice law, and adds advice on how to hang out your own shingle.
The Indigenous Research Institute promotes research in areas related to Indigenous peoples read about on of its Researchers and his work.
Here in his own words "How a White Guy got His Start in Indigenous Studies".
Indigenizing SFU's 2013-2014 year in review. How well has the University done to implement the 10 pillars and what is exactly has been done?
Most co-op students and other job seekers know – or learn quickly – that sitting at a computer is not the most effective route to land you your dream job. But social media is a huge part of our everyday lives! Are you making the most of it – with the right tools – to elevate your job search?
If you end up working a fall co-op, there is a good chance you will be invited to attend your company's Christmas party. Here are Natalie's top 5 tips on how you can maintain your professionalism while still having fun at office holiday parties.
Have you ever wondered if volunteer experience can be a more valuable experience in a hiring manager’s mind? Have you ever wondered about hidden benefits that go with volunteerism? If yes, this article is for you. Find out what makes volunteering distinct on your resume, and how it can help you land a co-op!
From chemical reactions that hit the roof of our lecture halls, to trips to remote regions of Northern BC, this is an account of some anecdotes and experiences of my first co-op term, working for Science AL!VE in the summer of 2014, teaching children about the field of study that I love myself. This is the last part of the "Science Al!ve Insider" series.
From chemical reactions that hit the roof of our lecture halls, to trips to remote regions of Northern BC, this is an account of some anecdotes and experiences of my first co-op term, working for Science AL!VE in the summer of 2014, teaching children about the field of study that I love myself.
Evgeny Vinnik is a PhD student at the School of Computing Science. In this article he shares about his experiences during his internship with Qualcomm Research Silicon Valley during the summer of 2014.
Natalie is in her fourth year at the Beedie School of Business pursuing a BBA with concentrations in Marketing and Human Resource Management. She shares how to network during golf events.
From chemical reactions that hit the roof of our lecture halls, to trips to remote regions of Northern BC, this is an account of some anecdotes and experiences of my first co-op term, working for Science AL!VE in the summer of 2014, teaching children about the field of study that I love myself. This is part 2 of a 4 part series.
Fast-paced office environments can be very stressful! Business student Christine shares her tips on how to manage in this kind of environment, based on what she learned at Appnovation Technologies.
The beauty of working in a city away from home is that as much as it provides you with opportunities to advance your career, it provides you with even more opportunities for personal growth.
Did you ever think about taking advantage of networking opportunities at your workplace while you are on your co-op? Business student Helen Bowman discusses the networking opportunities she was able to take advantage of during her co-op at SAP.