The Vice President Students Strategic Initiatives Fund (SIF) supports student-centred projects that advance the Student Strategic Plan and respond to emerging priorities across the Vice-President, Students portfolio. In 2024/25, SIF funding enabled nine initiatives across both the Okanagan and Vancouver campuses that contributed to student wellbeing, equity and inclusion, community-engaged learning, professional development, and student life.
To date, eight projects have been completed. These projects, highlighted below, showcase the breadth of impact made possible through VPS SIF and the effort and care of VPS staff who have envisioned, built and implemented each initiative. Together, they offer concrete examples of what successful SIF projects can look like, and how targeted efforts aligned with the SSP can translate into meaningful, lasting benefits for students, staff, faculty, and campus partners.
We extend our congratulations and gratitude to the staff and collaborators whose innovation and hard work led to the successful completion of this round of projects, impacting the advancement of the Student Strategic Plan and enhancing the student experience at UBC.
Okanagan
Okanagan Community Cultivators | Student Housing and Community Services
Total project finding: $15,000
Project timeline: September 2024 – April 2025
This initiative supported the hiring of two UBCO student staff as “Community Cultivators” to strengthen student engagement with Student Housing and Community Services (SHCS) services, including Residence Life and Food Services. Drawing on their lived experience as UBCO students, the Cultivators delivered targeted, creative campaigns that enhanced awareness of academic and wellbeing services available to more than 2,000 students living on campus.
The project resulted in new community-building initiatives such as weekly movie nights in Pritchard Dining Hall, food pop-up events with UBCO Food Services’s executive chef and local farmers, and expanded health and wellness messaging targeted to students in residence around Naloxone and AEDs. The project also enhanced the student experience through a number of initiatives including refreshed move-in communications, residence-focused FAQs, and clearer, more user-friendly online resources like residence-specific events calendars, demonstrating how student-led approaches can meaningfully advance health and a sense of belonging at UBCO.
Pride programming pronoun pins | Student Engagement and Learning and UBCO Equity and Inclusion Office
Total project finding: $6,300
Project timeline: November 2024 – Present
With SIF funding, the Pride Programming team at UBCO purchased and distributed 7,100 pronoun pins (she/her, he/him, they/them, and “ask me about my pronouns”) across the Okanagan campus. Since February 2025, pins have been shared with students, staff, faculty, and visitors through events and the Student Experience Office; pins have been well received and the community feedback positive.
The project has helped normalize pronoun sharing, spark inclusive conversations, and reduce barriers to participation by fostering safer, more affirming spaces. By visibly signalling respect for gender identity, the pins contribute to student wellbeing and belonging, and advance key Student Strategic Plan priorities related to social justice and health and wellbeing.
Vancouver
Story of the Thunderbird | Athletics and Recreation
Total project finding: $15,000
Project timeline: September 2025 – July 2025
Through digital storytelling, this project recreates and honours the story of the Thunderbird and how it was gifted to UBC from Kwakwaka’wakw. Project accomplishments include hosting the Victory Through Honour 75th anniversary event, digitizing artwork and written stories, and creating print and physical media connected to both the historic and modern Thunderbird narratives.
Impacts of the project include enhanced Indigenous representation through richer, more visible storytelling. Student-athletes and staff are also better equipped to speak to themes of Indigeneity, reconciliation, and identity embedded in UBC’s athletic history. The project will be sustained through annual workshops for student-athletes and student leaders, as well as printed informational cards available in spaces where the Thunderbird name and imagery are featured.
Investigating race-based cases training | Investigations Office
Total project finding: $6,615
Project timeline: October 2024 – November 2024
This initiative supported specialized professional development for the Director of Investigations and five investigators with the Investigations Office. Participants completed a one-day training, Investigating Race-Based Cases, facilitated by a lawyer and investigator with lived and learned expertise in race-related matters. All participants completed the coursework and received certificates of completion.
The training strengthens UBC’s capacity to conduct investigations that are culturally informed, empathetic, and responsive to the diverse identities within the campus community. Early impacts include increased trust among racialized students and staff, more thorough and inclusive investigative practices, and greater accountability in addressing race-based incidents. Aligned with the Student Strategic Plan’s commitment to wellbeing and the advancement of social justice through anti-racism, this project supports a safer, more inclusive campus climate grounded in transparency, integrity, and care.
Accessible practices in community engaged learning | Centre for Community Engaged Learning and Centre for Accessibility
Total project finding: $23,600
Project timeline: December 2024 – August 2026
The goal of this project was to advance equitable access to community-engaged learning for students with disabilities through evidence-based practices that addressed attitudinal, curricular, social, and physical barriers. The end result of this effort was the development of a draft accessibility resource toolkit for educators, students, and community partners. The process of developing the resource included hiring and training a Graduate Academic Assistant and conducting extensive consultation with students through surveys, 19 individual interviews, and four focus groups.
This project positively impacts faculty, staff, students, and the broader UBC community. Faculty and staff gain practical tools to support the adoption of inclusive teaching practices. By participating in community engaged learning, students with disabilities gain valuable experiences that support their academic, professional, and personal growth, while also contributing to more inclusive and diverse communities. As well, the campus community and educational environment are enriched through more inclusive and equitable practices and campus culture.
Early Assist promotion and education renewal | Office of the Vice President Student Office and the Associate Vice President Students Office
Total project finding: $21,405
Project timeline: October 2024 – August 2025
Aligned with the Student Strategic Plan’s commitments to student health and wellbeing, this project enhances faculty and staff capacity to proactively support students, contributing to improved wellbeing, academic continuity, and equitable access to care. Launched in September 2025, this initiative aimed to renew and expand training for UBC’s Early Alert program (renamed Early Assist (EA) through the development of a video and Canvas training course for staff and faculty on both campuses.
Informed by consultations with EA staff and refined through pilot testing with more than 25 faculty and staff members, the new resources provide consistent, accessible tools that strengthen faculty and staff engagement with the EA system across both campuses. By strengthening the visibility, accessibility, and consistency of Early Assist across campuses, this initiative supports earlier and more effective referrals for students in need.
Food safety, education, and preparation classes for students in recovery from disordered eating and addiction | Health Equity Promotion and Education
Total project finding: $4386.41
Project timeline: September 2024 – June 2025
With SIF funding, the HEPE team designed and offered a series of four cooking and food preparation classes focused on food safety, nutrition, and balanced living to support students in the UBC Student Recovery Community (SRC). The program created a supportive, hands-on learning environment for students in recovery from disordered eating and addiction.
Participants built confidence around cooking and eating, engaged with dietitians knowledgeable in trauma-informed and recovery-based care, and explored food in ways that respected sensory needs and lived experience. The opportunity to partner with the Food Hub Market led to the unintended benefit of strengthening cross-colloboration between the units and awareness of the links between food insecurity, disordered eating, and student mental health. By fostering belonging, empowerment, and practical life skills, the initiative advanced holistic student wellbeing and helped a marginalized group of students feel seen and supported. Increased engagement with stakeholders and partners was a powerful outcome of the project that has supported HEPE’s advocacy for student mental health and students in recovery.
Inclusive community connections: Enhancing Community Engaged Learning for International Students | Centre for Community Engaged Learning, Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology, and Equity & Inclusion Office
Total project finding: $24,747.20
Project timeline: October 2024 – August 2025
This project involved the development of a modular Canvas course to prepare students for ethical, culturally responsive Community Engaged Learning (CEL), with particular benefit for international students and students new to UBC, Vancouver, or CEL. Co-created by faculty, students, community partners, and campus units including International Student Advising, EIO as a collaborator, and CTLT as a partner, the five-module course supports students through orientation, local histories, ethical engagement, cultural competence, and placement preparation.
The primary impact has been on students: participants reported increased confidence, stronger understanding of cultural and historical contexts, and greater readiness to engage with community partners. In pilot testing, over 85% of students felt more prepared for CEL, citing practical case studies and reflective activities as especially valuable. By leveling the playing field and providing a baseline of readiness for all students, the project strengthens student learning, equity, and responsible community engagement. As well, faculty benefit from a consistent, ready-to-use resource that can be embedded into courses, while community partners engage with better-prepared students, reducing risk and strengthening trust in UBC’s community partnerships.