Category: Student Life

My life as a student at Capilano University

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Capilano University Canoe Awakening

Capilano University and Chief Joe Capilano at sunset

Skw’cháys, CapU’s Legacy

In honour of Indigenous History month, I recently attended the Capilano University Canoe Awakening Ceremony for Skw’cháys. The university commissioned carvers Ses siyam (Ray Natraoro) and Xats’alanexw siyam (Victor Harry) to create the Coast Salish Canoe for their 50th Anniversary.

The female family members awakened Skw’cháys with cedar branches and wore blankets to protect their hearts from spirits. While Ses siyam, Xats’alanexw siyam and the other male family members played music and sang a historical song. Traditionally, if a canoe is not awakened, riding on it will feel heavy and sluggish. But when the canoe is awake, it will be buoyant and travel faster. I wanted to capture the ceremony in photos but an Indigenous Faculty member told me that I shouldn’t. I should be present in body, mind and spirit. And I am thankful that she advised me not to.

On the day of the ceremony, Skw’cháys was awakened in preparation for the upcoming 2023 Convocation. He will be put to sleep again in the fall. The ceremonies mark the beginning and end of the students academic journey at Capilano University.

Capilano University Canoe Awakening Ceremony for Skw’cháys
Capilano University Canoe Awakening Ceremony for Skw’cháys

I am grateful that the Indigenous Student Services welcomed us to witness the ceremony. And I was fortunate to able to listen to Squamish Nation Elder Rose Nahanee speak for the second time. The first time was at the Fall 2019 Welcome Orientation when I started the Bachelor of Communications program.

Capilano University Calling

In 2019, Elder Rose spoke about how that morning the canoe symbolized a journey home for her and the Squamish Nation. Further, she said that we all chose Capilano University, but CapU also chose us too. This hit home for me. During my senior year of high school, when the UBC, SFU and CapU recruiters came, I knew I wanted to go to there. I felt it so strongly inside of me. A knowing. Capilano was calling me.

Capilano University Birch Building
Capilano University Birch Building

Today, she also spoke about how we are all on a journey whether we are students, faculty or staff at CapU. Once again Elder Rose’s words resonated with me. The last four years at Capilano has been a wonderful journey that has marked many successes in my student career.

“Stand Tall and Proud ” — Elder Rose Nahanee

During my fist term, I joined the Capilano Young Women in Business Club as their social media consultant and I became the Secretary for the Capilano Radio Club. Now, I am the VP of Cap Radio and in 2022, I joined the CSU Surf Club. Since 2019, I have been a contributor and in 2022 a columnist at Capilano Courier. And since 2021, one of the editors of Liar Zine.

I proudly served four years as Capilano Students’ Union’s (CSU) Mature and Parent Students Liaison and three as the Chairperson of CSU’s Collectives Committee. Finally, I am excited to begin my role as one of the Student Representatives of the Board of Governors in August.

After the Awakening Ceremony, I spoke with Elder Rose Nahanee and told her how I love her speeches. She thanked me and asked me what program I was in. I told her my major and my involvement with the CSU and my new role with the Board of Governors. She told me to continue with that, there are not enough women involved.

“Stand tall and proud,” Elder Rose said during her speech. I am.

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Capilano Courier – My Second Article

We are only in our 5th day of the New Year but 2020 is starting out great! I went to my Yoga Fusion class yesterday at Steve Nash Lonsdale and my body is thanking & cursing me at the same time… Lol…

Thanking me because it was such a delicious feeling to stretch my under used muscles and I know how beneficial yoga is for my over all well being.

And cursing me because my body hurts, aches and feels fatigued. But it’s that “good pain”….

This morning I will be meeting with Spencer Zimmerman, Capilano University Film Club President to interview him for the university’s magazine. For those of you who are new to my site, I am a Communications major at the university and a Contributor to Capilano Courier.

I am also very active in other campus organizations such as: CSU’s (Capilano Students’ Union) Mature & Parent Student Liaison, Capilano Radio’s Social Media Director, and the Social Media Consultant for YWiB Capilano (Young Women in Business).

I am looking forward to meeting Spencer to learn more about the Film Club. They have FREE movie showings on Tuesdays. I have been wanting to go see a flick but haven’t had a chance yet.

It is now the afternoon and the interview is complete. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting Spencer. It was a great interview and we covered a lot of information in about half an hour. But we hung out for another almost 30 minutes because the conversation just flowed and we connected.

There is so much I want to tell y’all (I’m Canadian but have American friends – Lol) about the club but I cannot because my article will be published in the February issue of Capilano Courier.

But if I reveal just one little tidbit … The film club will be having Sci-Fi month SOON! Stay tuned … Subscribe to my site OR follow me on my main Instagram profile: @mayumiizumi (click on link on contact us page OR follow Spencer & his crew @capufilmclub to learn MORE.

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Procrastination – Why am I doing it?!

I thought I had beat my Enemy – my self-saboteur … But apparently NOT. I am a Communications student at Capilano University in North Vancouver and for reasons not clear to me I am procrastinating doing my assignments. So much so that it becomes too late to submit them.

And my wonderful professor had even given me extensions on our first two assignments due even though I didn’t ask! And then we just had our midterm. It was a straight forward exam and had I studied properly I could have aced it. Nope, I failed it by 1.5 marks!

Although, these marks say something about me as a student it is sending the wrong message. It’s painting the wrong picture. I am a former honor roll student, winner of top 100 student in my school district, highest mark in my English 12 class and awarded 3 English awards during my high school years.

After high school, I studied Fashion Design at the International Academy of Design & Technology in Toronto, Ontario, Fashion Merchandising and How to Start a Small Business at VCC in Vancouver, BC.

Last year I enrolled in the Applied Digital Communications & Social Media program at Capilano University and just one course shy of completing the program and receiving the Award of Achievement. I just registered for the last course, Effective Writing for Web Content. I can’t wait! It will be taught at our new campus, at the historical Shipyards District.

Possible reasons for my self-sabotage: fear of success, fear that I may truly get EVERYTHING THAT I DESIRE, or to balance the success I am experiencing in my life …. I’m not sure why I am doing it.

I was hoping that by the end of this blog I would have it figured out … Apparently not. I will keep you in the loop when I know the answer. Stay tuned …

When you subscribe to www.mayumiizumi.com you will receive our Fall Newsletter.

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Carson Graham Grad Reunion – Doing Now What I Wanted to Back Then …

Carson Grad Reunion

Last night I attended my high school reunion at Seymour’s Pub in North Vancouver, BC. And I feel like I have been given a 2nd chance to do EVERYTHING I wanted to back when I was in my final year at Carson:

  1. I was the organizer of our reunion and I had really wanted to be on our Grad Committee back in high school.
  2. I am attending Capilano University and I had wanted to when the Cap U reps came to Carson to talk to the soon to be grads.
  3. I am on the Board of Directors for Capilano Students’ Union and I had wanted to be on Students’ Council at Carson.
  4. I am a Contributor on Capilano Courier’s monthly magazine and I had wanted to be part of the year book committee.
  5. I am part of the Capilano Radio Club and I had wanted to get involved in clubs.
  6. I am the Social Media & Events Consultant for Cap U’s YWIB (Young Women In Business) and I had wanted to be a group leader.
  7. Last night I spoke to everyone that came out to Our Reunion even though I didn’t recognize some of them initially. I am now the social butterfly with the gift of gab and schmoozing that I always wanted to be.

I am so happy that I organized last night’s event because it made EVERYONE THAT CAME HAPPY TOO! There was a comfort seeing my former classmates because we are all the same age (all of us holding our cell phones & yearbook that Candi brought at a distance for us to SEE! Hahaha… ), no one-up man-ship, and a unity that I think we ALL FELT.

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Work, School, Life Balance

Being a mature student is challenging. But I am embracing the challenge with open arms. I work full time for a software company and I am taking one class in the School of Communications at Capilano University that meets twice a week.

On the suggestion of the President of Capilano Students’ Union I am a candidate and running for Mature Student and Student Parent Representative. My candidacy was made official by the Chief Returning Officer and my Election Campaign began yesterday, Friday, September 27th .

I have embraced student life by becoming active on campus by joining Capilano Radio Club in which I will be managing the radio’s Social Media platforms with another Communications Student & I am hoping to start a podcast of my own . I will be a Consultant for YMIB’s, Young Women In Business, Marketing Department regarding their Social Media & Events and I have attended my first pitch meeting with Capilano Courier, the University’s Monthly Magazine. During my first volunteer shift as a Theatre Usher, I was fortunate to watch a great film by filmmaker, Tom Radford at the University’s theatre, Blue Shore Financial .

I am unapologetically ambitious. But I am grounded. I balance my work, school, and campus activities by:

  • Exercising – taking Pilates & Yoga classes at Lonsdale Steve Nash Fitness Club where I am a Fitness Ambassador.
  • Seeing my family & friends – namely my Ma, Mako and my Big Sis, Mona.
  • Taking & enjoying my alone time. Doing things that make me happy & indulging my inner child.
  • Attending the North Shore Alliance Church, volunteering at their coffee bar and reading spiritual & motivational books.
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Capilano University is Coming to the Shipyards District!

Shipyards, North Vancouver, BC

It’s my first day of class at Capilano University in the School of Communication. I am excited for many reasons – not just because it’s the first day.

I have to commend the University for the warm welcome they gave us, first year students last week at our Student Orientations – the Welcome Ceremony (which I wrote about in a separate post) and our Faculty Orientation.

I decided to go back to school because of a colleague’s suggestion that I take some Social Media courses at Cap U after he saw how passionate I am about Instagram. I completed 4 out of 5 courses I need for the Award of Achievement in the Applied Digital Communications & Social Media program. I will be taking the final course in November at the Historic Shipyards in North Vancouver, BC.

Capliano University is opening a second campus at the Shipyards in early November and I will be taking Writing Effective Web Content. How appropriate! Haha …

The original name of the Shipyards was Wallace Shipyard and was opened in 1906. Alfred Wallace’s shipyard became “… the largest employer of shipyard labour in BC. During the war it produced 109 of the 312 ‘Victory Ships’ in Canada. Entire subdivisions were created in North Vancouver to house the workforce. The Shipyard’s contribution to the war effort was so significant that at the end of World War II, Clarence Wallace was decorated as “Commander of the British Empire”. – www.cnv.org

I feel fortunate and grateful to be able to attend a class at a location so rich in North Vancouver and Western Canadian History. As I get older, my pride in being Canadian has grown. This year when my Mom, Mako and I attended the Canada Day parade in North Vancouver my eyes welled up with tears.

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Capilano University Welcome Orientation

I attended the Capilano University Orientation today and I loved it! At times overwhelmed by emotion for choosing a school where I know I belong and that according to Elder Rose Nahanee, CapU also chose ME! Her speech during the Welcome Ceremony and the things she said resonated with me.

She spoke about how the canoe is an important symbol to her and the Squamish Nation. At the funeral that she attended this morning they spoke of the “canoe” taking the deceased HOME.

Two thoughts entered my mind when Elder Rose Nahanee spoke of the canoe and the journey HOME. Mark Wilson, my high school sweetheart also attended Capilano University. And before he passed away he told his Mom that he was going HOME tomorrow. He passed away the next day on January 1, 2015.

When I had told Mark years before he passed away about my love for writing he encouraged me to start a blog. And here I am doing what I love! It feels wonderful and I want to do it all the time. And soon I will be when I start the Bachelor of Communications Program in September.

In a different context, I feel like I have come HOME to Capilano University. It is a feeling of acceptance, a welcoming of open arms, and encouragement from people who truly care about our success in our academic career and beyond: President of Capilano University – Paul Dangerfield, Squamish Nation Elder – Rose Nahanee, President of the Students’ Union – Emily Bridge, and Director of Student Affairs – Daniel Levangie.

During the ceremony I came to the realization I want to be involved with CapU in everyway I can. I have already applied to volunteer as a Well-Being Ambassador, a pilot project where Peers assist other Peers. I want to be a part of the Capilano Students’ Union by becoming a member who represents Mature Students and also become a member of Young Women In Business.

I can’t wait for it ALL TO BEGIN … Just 5 MORE DAYS!

To read more about the legacy of the canoe carved for CapU please read https://capu50.capilanou.ca/celebrating-coast-salish-culture/.