WIL and Experiential Awards at VIU
In 2024, the Career Studio launched VIU's WIL Awards to recognize outstanding students and industry partners who have made an impact and demonstrated excellence in work-integrated learning (WIL) at VIU.
In 2025, we added three new awards to recognize students who have excelled in co-curricular experiential learning, including work-op, student volunteering, and student leadership.
All 2025 winners were recognized at our WIL and Experiential Learning Awards Ceremony on April 9, 2026.
WIL Awards
- WIL Student of the Year Two recipients each receive a $500 cash award
- WIL Student of the Year - Honourable Mention Three recipients are recognized
- WIL Industry Partner of the Year One recipient is recognized and receives a free table to our Spring Career Fair
- WIL Industry Partner of the Year - Honourable Mention Four recipients are recognized
Eligible WIL award recipients are also nominated for provincial and national awards.
Experiential Learning Awards
- Student Volunteer of the Year One recipient receives a $200 cash award
- Student Leader of the Year One recipient receives a $200 cash award
- Student Work-op of the Year One recipient receives a $200 cash award
2025 WIL Awards Ceremony Photos
2025 WIL Award winners
A national and provincial win for VIU Psychology student!
Laci Schulenborg
- Bachelor of Arts in Psychology Honours
- CEWIL Canada and Emery-Dufault Student of the Year Award, 2025
- ACE-WIL BC Student of the Year Award, 2025
- VIU WIL Student of the Year Award, 2025
We are thrilled to announce that our top VIU WIL Student of the Year winner, Laci Schulenborg, has also been selected both provincially and nationally as WIL Student of the Year for a combined total award of $2,500. Laci completed her field placement at AVI Health and Community Services. Learn more about Laci's inspiring work-integrated learning journey in her video interview below.
2025 provincial WIL award winners
Jennifer Awan
Bachelor of Education Post Bacclaureate
- ACE-WIL BC Student of the Year, Honourable Mention, University WIL, 2025
- VIU Student of the Year Honourable Mention, 2025
"During my Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) experience, I completed my formative practicum in a Grade 4 classroom at Aspen Park Elementary, where I supported a diverse group of learners with complex academic and social-emotional needs. Through detailed planning grounded in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and differentiation, I created accessible, engaging lessons that helped every student experience success. My practicum planning has since been recognized by VIU faculty and peers as an exemplar of instructional design." Jen Awan
Nanaimo Regional General Hospital
Clinical Nurse Educators
- ACE-WIL BC Industry Partner of the Year, University WIL, 2025
- VIU WIL Industry Partner of the Year, Honourable Mention, 2025
"Each year, more than 400 VIU Nursing students complete clinical placements at NRGH, making it our largest and most significant industry partner in practice education. The CNE team plays a critical role in supporting students' professional and competency development throughout the full four-year program. Students are intentionally integrated into all areas of hospital life, beginning with orientation and hospital tours in Year One and progressing to complex, patient-centred care on specialized units by Year Four. This approach ensures meaningful learning experiences that align with students' evolving scope of practice." Ciara Mitenko, Practicum Coordinator
Milestone Equipment Contracting
Justine Davidson
- ACE-WIL BC Industry Partner of the Year, Honourable Mention, University WIL, 2025
- VIU Industry Partner of the Year, Honourable Mention, 2025
"The Milestone team, particularly Justine Davidson, has been consistently and actively engaged in supporting VIU’s Heavy Equipment Operator (HEO) program Throughout the last 10 years. The Milestone Team regularly meets with each student cohort, taking time to connect directly with students, share practical industry insights, introduce them to the company, and foster open, meaningful discussion. Despite busy operational schedules, Milestone frequently brings experienced team members and supervisors to campus, or to our site, often stepping away from day-to-day responsibilities to support student learning." Kevin Levins, Instructor, HEO
2025 VIU WIL Student of the Year winners
Aviva Fialkow
Master of Sustainable Leadership Management
VIU WIL Student of the Year, 2025
Aviva had the honour of working with Mountain Biking BC and Vancouver Island University on their Community Trail Impact Study. During her work integrated learning experience, she gained valuable insight into the challenges facing non-profit trail stewardship organizations and the critical role Destination Marketing Organizations play in building capacity for trail stewardship organizations in their communities. Through coordinating data collection and outreach with trail associations, Aviva developed strong project management and leadership skills. Highlights of her term included conducting focus groups with trail managers and travelling across the province to survey trail users. These experiences deepened her commitment to fostering collaboration and sustainability within BC’s outdoor recreation sector.
Cyrill Rohr
Master of Business Administration
VIU WIL Student of the Year, Honourable Mention, 2025
Cyrill Rohr is a proud graduate of Vancouver Island University’s Master of Business Administration program. For his Work-Integrated Learning placement, he led the organization of the Nourishing Minds Conference, a campus-wide event uniting students, faculty, and community partners to address food insecurity at VIU. Cyrill coordinated every stage of the project, from logistics, food, the presentations, to marketing, and website design, creating a lasting platform for dialogue and collaboration. The experience strengthened his leadership, communication, and stakeholder-engagement skills while showing him the impact that well-planned events can have in inspiring collective action. It also sparked his passion for connecting people and ideas through meaningful projects.
Samuel Wynans
Bachelor of Tourism Management
VIU WIL Student of the Year, Honourable Mention, 2025
"I am a third year Recreation and Tourism student here at VIU and have been lucky to experience a wide range of opportunities both through and for school. The most valuable lessons I learned during my work experience with Express Camp Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) were patience, the realization that money doesn’t matter when creating meaningful experiences, and the importance of being unapologetically engaging, or “being embarrassing.” Patience was critical when working with 11- to 14-year-olds with diverse abilities and interests, especially on days when plans changed unexpectedly, like during smoke-related cancellations. Knowing that they might be stressed out with the changes just as I am, helps me to keep a cool and level head, treating campers equitably to ensure success." Samuel Wynans
2025 VIU WIL Industry Partner of the Year Winners
Tigh-Na-Mara Seaside Resort
VIU WIL Industry Partner of the Year, 2025
"The team at Tigh-Na-Mara Resort under Jim Hykaway’s leadership has been an exceptional and longstanding supporter of work-integrated learning (WIL) opportunities for students enrolled in Vancouver Island University’s hospitality-related programs. For over 25 years, the resort has demonstrated leadership and commitment to higher education by consistently providing high-quality, meaningful learning experiences that go well beyond minimum work integrated learning requirements.
Tigh-Na-Mara has facilitated over 75 summer work integrated learning placements for VIU students over the years, many of which have transitioned into part-time roles during the academic year. Also, several former work integrated learning students continue to be employed at the resort and have progressed into supervisory and management positions." Jean-Guy Robichaud, Chair, Hospitality Management
Tremain Media
Leah Tremain, CEO
VIU WIL Industry Partner of the Year, Honourable Mention, 2025
"Tremain has been an active and consistent partner with VIU well beyond traditional hiring practices. Their contributions to Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning have included serving as a featured speaker and volunteer judge, mentoring students as real-world clients within the curriculum, and providing onsite field mentorship in high-pressure professional environments. Notably, they have participated as a speaker during VIU’s MarkitUP Week on the topic of Personal Branding, served as a judge for the Strategic Marketing Challenge, and acted as a MARK 460 client, mentoring students through strategy development and professional pitch presentations. Their regular attendance at VIU Experiential Learning and PMI Business Mixers further reflects a genuine commitment to student engagement and community building." Alexis Beaubier, Instructor, Graphic Design
Tillicum Lelum Aboriginal Friendship Centre
Nicole Pankratz, Program Coordinator
VIU WIL Industry Partner of the Year, Honorable Mention
"My relationship with Tillicum Lelum spans nearly my entire life, moving from a youth finding refuge in their ‘Neutral Zone’ programs to now completing my professional practicum as a Community Mental Health Worker (CMHW) student. This lifelong connection provided me with a unique lens to witness their unwavering commitment to community wellness and student mentorship.
During my placement, the quality of mentorship I received from program coordinator Nicole Pankratz, alongside Elders Wayne Johnny and former Snuneymuxw Chief John Wesley, was transformative. They did not treat me as a temporary student, but as a future peer. Under the guidance of Dan Poulin, I was given the autonomy to lead youth interactions and spearhead cultural activities, such as teaching youth to cook traditional fried bread during community seafood cooks. These experiences were not mere ‘tasks’; they were professional development opportunities that allowed me to blend my personal heritage with clinical practice." Trevor Fraser, Community Mental Health Worker Student
2025 Experiential Learning Award winners
Brandi Klee
Bachelor of Arts in Political Studies
Student Leader of the Year 2025
"She is a remarkable student whose journey at VIU exemplifies resilience, growth, and an unwavering commitment to community. One of her most notable contributions has been her advocacy as a champion of the No Hunger initiative at VIU. Since its inception, she has worked tirelessly to address food insecurity on campus, raising awareness, mobilizing resources, and creating tangible support for students in need. When the initiative began, it had only five volunteers; today, No Hunger is entirely run and supported by the Political Studies Students Association, thanks to this student’s leadership. Notably, she initiated the new Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) policy to reduce the cost of learning for students amid rising living expenses. With support from the Students Union and collaboration with the Registrar’s Office, her proposal is set to be implemented this spring, creating meaningful impact for students across VIU."
Lauren Touchant, Professor, Political Science
Erika Rayo
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science
Work-op Student of the Year
"Erika has demonstrated outstanding dedication to her role, taking the lead in identifying and securing 16 powerful contributions and testimonies for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) book project. Her proactive approach ensures the project’s success... She has been remarkable in identifying Indigenous contributors from coast to coast. She has shown an exceptional level of initiative and entrepreneurial spirit that is rarely seen in students. She meticulously reviewed testimonies, tracked names mentioned in the news, and conducted thorough research. In one notable instance, a contributor was elderly and unable to write, and with my permission, The student personally interviewed her and drafted her testimony. The resulting contribution is exceptionally professional."
Lauren Touchant, Professor, Political Science
Chiara Sedola
Bachelor of Science in Biology, Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies
Volunteer of the Year
Chiara’s volunteer work on campus is extensive and includes Faculty Council Student Representative for the Faculty of Liberal Studies; Student Program Representative for the Faculty of Social Sciences; President of the Liberal Studies Students' Association; Biology Student Ambassador for the Faculty of Science and Technology; and Managing Editor of Compass Rose Undergraduate Journal. She has also donated countless hours above and beyond her work-op duties at the campus ecological restoration plot. "Chiara played a central role in this work by onboarding over 30 new volunteers and organizing more than 25 volunteer work sessions... Chiara exemplifies the values of VIU — leadership, community engagement, sustainability, and experiential education — and serves as an inspiring role model for other students. I will miss her tremendously when she graduates this spring and I cannot think of a more deserving nominee."
Caroline Josefsson, Professor, Biology
Check out our past award winners