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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
Will your workplace require you to tweet? Ashley explains how to run social media accounts for a business.
Hubert Tam shares about his experience in Germany working at SAP. Hubert is a 7th year Business student who spent 3 co-op terms at SAP.
Raymon Gulati faced his fears by interviewing with BlackBerry, landing a fantastic job, and learning that his talent & skills could successfully overcome what seemed to be his biggest obstacle.
Diana completed her first Co-op work term with the Mexican Consulate in Vancouver. Read on to find out how this experience has enhanced her skills!
Political Science student Nicole shares about her experience doing marketing communications work for Burnaby Association for Community Inclusion (BACI), a non-profit that supports over a thousand individuals with developmental disabilities.
Meghan shares the benefits of working at a non-profit based on her experience at the Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Andrea takes on the non-profit world as a Community Services Assistant at the Progressive Housing Society.
Nick Doering was not looking for a co-op job at SFU, but soon discovered that his work at SFU’s SIAT department was a great first step to landing a position at a high profile company.
While completing her co-op with posAbilities, Jordana Fridman had the opportunity to observe the other side of the interview process. Here's her insight into what employers are really looking for.
Read about Jill's summer co-op with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, where she spent her time scuba diving, documenting algae and invertebrate species, hanging out with sea lions and possibly having the best summer ever!
No experience in the tech industry? Break in anyway! Communication and Economics Co-op student Terence Chu shares tips he learned firsthand as a Technical Writer for Ericsson, a multinational Swedish telecommunications corporation.
Anju recounts her experience as an In School Mentor with Big Brothers and Big Sisters of the Fraser Valley, and what she learned about herself and others.
Vlad Tkachenko is a 5th year Computing Science Student who spent 2 co-op terms at RIM and 2 co-op terms at SAP. He shares what he learned and some tips for success on the job.
Coaches. We have had them since we were five-years-old in sports, academics, or life. Throughout the years, we learn from other people, and this has had an influence on who we become. This is an article on reasons to become a coach.
Many university classes require a lot of math and problem-solving. Eric Cai, an SFU alumni currently working in statistics, shares his top tips on how to excel in these challenging courses.
Starting a new co-op position can be stressful and overwhelming at first. Communication Co-op student, Christie Atkins, shares workplace transition advice from her mentor, Melissa Fast.
Are you having a hard time landing that ideal Co-op job? But, what is ideal? Explore Jeanie’s experience this summer at the YWCA Health + Fitness Centre. She shares her experience about how a job description might not stand out at first, but can lead to a stand-out placement.
If you're finding the prospect of working and volunteering while being a student daunting, don't fear! Hear from two SFU students leading busy yet productive lives.
Challenging volunteer positions require more time and effort, but they can also be important stepping stones in your career path. Check out what Nicola says you need to be successful in a more difficult volunteer position.
Averyl from SFU Public Square shares some insights from experiences volunteering, and has created this list of tips to help you get the most out of your volunteer positions!
In this week's Club of the Week, Emily takes a look at UNICEF SFU, and interviews their current President, Katie Mai. Read more to learn about UNICEF's activities on campus!
Christina Coolidge is an Indigenous Program researcher with Career Services at SFU. In this four-part series she discusses the creation of the Sacred Trust Initiative (STI), with the purpose of stopping the Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion. This is the first post of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation and the Sacred Trust Initiative Series.
Christina Coolidge is an Indigenous Program researcher with Career Services at SFU. In this four-part series she discusses the creation of the Sacred Trust Initiative (STI), with the purpose of stopping the Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion. This is the second post of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation and the Sacred Trust Initiative Series.
Christina Coolidge is an Indigenous Program researcher with Career Services at SFU. In this four-part series she discusses the creation of the Sacred Trust Initiative (STI), with the purpose of stopping the Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion. This is the third post of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation and the Sacred Trust Initiative Series.
Christina Coolidge is an Indigenous Program researcher with Career Services at SFU. In this four-part series she discusses the creation of the Sacred Trust Initiative (STI), with the purpose of stopping the Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion. This is the fourth post of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation and the Sacred Trust Initiative Series.
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.
Nicole Molinari is a Health Sciences BA student who shares her experience working in Kolkata, India, where she worked with Destiny Reflection/Foundation, an organization that works to empower survivors of human trafficking and at-risk women.
As a first-time Co-op seeker with little real-world work experience, it can be daunting to read the words ‘work samples required’ in a job posting. Here are 5 useful tips for showcasing your work at your next interview.
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.
Christina Coolidge is an Indigenous Program researcher with Career Services at SFU. In this four-part series she shares how Indigenous women are the keepers of language and discusses various issues and topics around language in the Indigenous community. This is the fourth post of the four part series.