RockVIU 2023 Welcome to Campus: A message of appreciation

Dear VIU community,

We wanted to share an update about RockVIU 2023 on behalf of the planning teams and Student Affairs.

RockVIU Fall 2023 was a mixture of in-person and hybrid events and activities that supported VIU students from our three campuses (Nanaimo, Cowichan and tiwšɛmawtxʷ). It focused on the goal of connecting students to campus, engaging with their new community, and discovering themselves and their academic environment. Highlights included the Campus Adventures and Connect Fair Festival, faculty block party socials and the How to Thrive at VIU panel. More than a thousand students participated from all campuses, and we could not have had such a successful orientation without the many students and employees who came together to make this experience memorable. 

RockVIU by the numbers:

Nanaimo campus: 1,100
Cowichan campus: 120 
tiwšɛmawtxʷ campus: 100 
675 students at Campus Adventures
More than 1,200 new users on the Co-Curricular Involvement App

Special thanks to:

• Office of Co-Curricular Engagement & Learning
• International Education 
• Student Affairs
• VIU Student Residence 
• Library 
• Graduate Programs 
• Student Recruitment and Advising 
• Centre for Innovation and Excellence in Learning
• Athletics and Recreation 
• Communications and External Relations
• Brand and Marketing
• Services for Aboriginal Students
• tiwšɛmawtxʷ campus staff
• Cowichan campus staff
• Vancouver Island University Students’ Union
• Food Services 
• The Theatre department
• Advancement and Alumni Relations

We would also like to recognize our sponsors and partners for this event, including TELUS, Skynet, Panago, Canada Learning Bond, TD Bank InflataFun V.I., VIUSU and VIU Alumni Association.

Additionally, we would like to congratulate our block party award winners:

• RockVIU 2023 Best Around the Block Award: Faculty of Arts and Humanities
• RockVIU 2023 Favourite Block Party Award: Faculty of Management

Thank you again for your dedication to RockVIU! Your support has contributed to the continued success of VIU’s official new student transition and welcome to campus. RockVIU Spring 2024 will kick off in early January 2024. More details will be available in the coming weeks.  For questions about current and future RockVIU events, please reach out to Danielle.Johnsrude@viu.ca, Director Centre for Experiential Learning & Student Engagement.

Many thanks,

The RockVIU organizing team