Gregory Scofield: A Champion for Advocacy, Ceremony, Cree, and a Bit of Tea

In February, VIU had the honour of hosting Gregory Scofield as the 2019/2020 Ralph Gustafson Distinguished Poet. As the Gustafson poet, Scofield participated in a variety of events here in Nanaimo: a public reading at White Sails Brewery, a reading and Q&A at VIU’s Shq’apthut (the Gathering Place), and the Distinguished Poet’s Lecture on campus, titled “Why Indigenous Literatures Matter.” On top of that, he also visited professor Sonnet L’Abbé’s upper-level poetry class and was gracious enough to sit down with The Nav for an interview, even when all of the above occurred in the ...

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

The six issues of The Nav produced this year wouldn’t have been possible without the parting staff members, staff members who’re staying for another term, and you, Navigators.
Mariners Women’s Basketball

Cruise to CCAA Gold Canceled

The highly anticipated Women’s National Basketball Championship tournament has been canceled—possibly the largest event at VIU this year is lost, along with the Mariners’ hopes of winning gold. The Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Women’s Basketball National Championships was scheduled for March 18–21, 2020, at the VIU gym. The CCAA Board of Directors’ decision to cancel the event, along with the CCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship, was unanimous. In a statement issued on the CCAA website, the Board of Directors said, “The safety of our student-athletes is ...

Comfort Bread

Well, I’ve been waiting for the time when we’re all holed up with time to actually cook. Humour me and give some new recipes a shot in between online classes this week. Besides, is there anything more comforting than a thicc loaf of focaccia bread? Unless you’re GF, in which case please avert your eyes. I promise I’ll come up with something for you soon.  2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast (Fleischmann’s is ????) 2 tsp. honey  5 cups all-purpose flour 1 tbsp. coarse salt (plus a little more for sprinkling) 6 tbsp. olive oil, divided 5 tbsp. butter, divided 3 garlic ...

VIU Declares Instructional Transition due to COVID-19

In an official release on Sunday, March 15, VIU announced that the university will be transitioning from face-to-face to exclusively online classes. This isolated but safer way of teaching for the remaining winter term is intended to reduce the possibility of students and faculty contracting the novel COVID-19 virus.   The increasing spread of COVID-19 (also known as  the Corona Virus) across the world prompted VIU’s president, Dr. Deb Saucier, to send out an email to students and staff detailing the university’s decision to replace face-to-face instruction with “alternate course ...

Portfolio Reading Series at White Rabbit Coffee

The event will take place on Thursday, March 12th at 6:30pm.

VIU student launches Disabled Voices Anthology in Nanaimo

The book launch will take place on Wednesday, March 11 from 7–9 pm in the lobby of the Malaspina Theatre.
Pre Game Mariners Women’s Basketball Team

Mariners Women’s Basketball Regular Season Conclusion

The Mariners Women’s Basketball Team finished the regular season with a record of 17-1 to lead the PACWEST going into the postseason.  On Friday, February 21, and Saturday, February 22, the Mariners hosted the Camosun Chargers for a pair of games to close the regular season. The Mariners won both games to push their win streak to seven games, and defend their position atop the PACWEST standings heading into the postseason.  Friday’s game saw a final score of 97-71 with Starting Guard, Amber Lease, putting up a game-high 18 points with shooting splits of 45 percent from the ...

We’re Hiring!

Are you passionate about keeping your classmates informed? Do you strive to meet deadlines? Have you taken CREW 100 Introduction to Journalism or a relevant media studies course? If your answer to all three of these questions is yes, then one of The Nav’s upcoming positions might be for you.

Thinking Laterally: Why students should be attending VIU’s free lecture series

The opportunity to attend public lectures shouldn’t go unacknowledged by students.

Grocery delivery in Nanaimo: A review

How does one accomplish a healthy diet with the little time afforded to the student lifestyle, especially if you don’t drive? Luckily, thanks to the Internet, online grocery shopping is now a thing.

Facebook Announces Steps to Avoid Misinformation in 2020 US Election

Several months ago, Facebook announced that they would be making efforts to claim responsibility for their impact and influence as a major world platform. 

Lauren Cartmel and her Maison

Ma Maison translates to “My House.” While the “My” in this case refers to the experienced chef and owner, Lauren Cartmel, it can also be applied to any of the guests that visit the ever-inviting cozy restaurant. 
Three figures walking through tall trees surounded by smoke as sunlight streams from the right of the picture.

Speakers for the Trees

In university, it’s all too easy to get caught up in the echo chamber of your own program. I found this to be quite true when I interviewed some students and professors in the forestry program—I introduced myself, and then had to explain what this magazine was. Then they talked about courses like hydrology, entomology, and pathology, which I had no idea the university offered. I’m just as guilty of saturating my world in writing, magazines, and university news, and forgetting that there are people shooting for real careers beyond this campus. The forestry program at VIU is a cohort ...

Robbery

Colored eggs lay nestled  under the trees outside my window. Sleep lingered on my tongue    as a haze of muted voices  filled the air—like my blanket, so soft; growing heavy.   My mother’s wet eyes pierced   the mist in my mind. The sleep soured on my tongue   as the bundle in her arms commanded my gaze. She offered it—   heap of stillness and soft, dead fur— like a present.   His hoof hung  from the blue towel  and reached for me.   My sob crunched  through the black quiet, my ...

This Woman is Free

How do you live so freely? So untangled from societal reigns? Well, my mother taught me the independence of a woman. When a man leaves, he mustn’t take your spirit— it must strengthen with the wind that carried him away, like my father, who was willingly swallowed by the cigarette shop, who willingly stepped into the jaws of the smoky beast. I smoke, but it does not own me; nothing ever will. My mother taught me that silence is a superpower— people fear what they do not know. So I became a lethal enigma, and quietly terrorized the expectations I never ...
A beer bottle with ‘REAL BREW’ written across in brown writing on the label sits in between a yellow and reddy-brown “beer mug” candle.

The Lost Arts Club

"For students it's a great way to get your mind off your worries, to relax before or after a test, something fun and affordable to do to meet new people or with a group of friends. Many students enjoy our soap, candle, and aromatherapy bracelet classes."

Imagine Dragons – Whatever it Takes: A Ballad for the Digital Age

Life is not meant to be lived in the fast lane, forever chasing that next hit of adrenaline.

Nanaimo Hosts Intimate Partner Violence Conference

For every NHL player that suffers a concussion, more than 5500 Canadian women will experience that injury every year.
Composite image of several paintings by Shelby Brown showing sketches of a large horned figure, small female figure, cityscape and sculpture. Collage elements include a computer chip pattern, printed text and tiny glass beads. The main colour scheme is red/orange. At top, a black-tinted band covers over 1/3 of image and reads "DISABLED VOICES ANTHOLOGY" in white text. Near bottom, a thin black band reads "edited by sb. smith."

Disabled Voices Anthology Book Review

A mosaic of fiction and nonfiction, poetry, prose, and visual art, the works of Disabled Voices all fall under the genre of “criplit.”

A Hidden Gem: Input Cowork

I'd walked past Input Cowork in the heart of downtown Nanaimo many times before I decided to go inside to check it out. It’s Nanaimo’s only tech and design-focused co-working space, and I was unsure if I would fit in. But upon entering, I was pleasantly surprised.  I was greeted by their Community Manager, Adelaide Russell, who was genuine and kind. She offered to give me a tour, and even a free trial day. When speaking with her about what Input Cowork offers, Russell said, “We provide a space for startups, remote workers, and recent graduates to become part of Nanaimo’s business ...

VIU and Community Leaders Help Children With Recreational Needs

Island Health has given a $12,000 Community Wellness grant to help children in need of used recreational clothing, runners, and sports equipment so that they may experience the joys of recreational activities.  Collection bins have been stationed throughout Nanaimo so members of the community may donate sports equipment and clothing for a Swap Meet and Fun Fair that will be held on Saturday, March 21 at VIU.  “We want to reduce leisure barriers for children and families in Nanaimo,” says Joanne Schroeder, Professor and Chair of the Vancouver Island University (VIU) Master of Arts ...
From left to right: Head Coach Shane Hyde, Amanda Dobbyn, Andrea Cankovic, Assistant Coach Jas Shahi

Mariners Women’s Volleyball Team’s Senior Send Off

The Mariners Women’s Volleyball Team honoured their seniors as they closed out the regular season and changed focus for the postseason.  On Saturday, February 15, the Mariners Women’s Volleyball Team hosted the Camosun Chargers for Senior Night, the Mariners’ final home game for the season and their final game of the regular season. The Mariners won the match, 3-0, to sweep Camosun in the season series. Likewise, the victory would complete the Mariners sweep over the entire PACWEST conference, increasing their regular season record to 24-0: a perfect regular season. Following the ...
Mariners Women’s Basketball Tip-off

Mariners Women’s Basketball Close the Book on CBC

Through the weekend, the Mariners Women’s Basketball Team completed a clean sweep over CBC. On Friday, February 7, and Saturday, February 8, the Mariners Women’s Basketball team hosted the Columbia Bible College (CBC) Bearcats for two games. Both were severely one-sided in favour of the hometown heroes.  The last time the Mariners met the Bearcats on the court was back in November, when CBC hosted VIU. The game ended with a score of 84-31 for the visiting Mariners team. Rookie Guard Aliza Dueck said that this time around, the team was expecting to win, but weren’t completely ...
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