Undergraduate Programs

Emmy Chahal completed her BA with a major in Cultural Studies in 2016. She has this to say about the program:

“I use my Cultural Studies degree every single day and it colours so much of my work and life – it has been truly valuable. It astounds me how so many of the social issues I was learning about (gender, race, colonialism, etc) have really exploded in the mainstream, making the degree more relevant than ever.  Thanks for all the amazing work you do and the important classes you teach, it has helped me understand the world in a deeper way, and the concepts you shared continue to guide me on my journey.”

More about Emmy…

Laavanya Prakash is a third year student pursuing a major in Art History and Visual Culture and a minor in Visual Arts. She was a recipient of the Outstanding International Student Award and the International Major Entrance Scholarship. Her interest in Art History lies primarily in South Asian Art and Architecture, while her interest in Visual art lies in photography and fashion. She is the President of the Indian Culture and Dance Club hosting various events on campus. Laavanya was the recipient of the recipient of the FCCS International Research Award in 2020. With this funding, she worked on her project of exploring the British colonization in Lucknow, near her hometown of Bangalore, India.

More about Laavanya…

Nour Sallam completed her BA as an English honours student, interested in pursuing a career in journalism. Last year Nour traveled to South Africa where she found an internship program called Bridging Gaps Internships, connecting people with organizations in several fields, including journalism, in Cape Town, South Africa where Nour was travelling. She interned at The Cape Argus, as an Intern News Reporter, writing and publishing between 5-8 articles a week. In this fast-paced environment, she  worked as a full time reporter and covered stories on a variety of topics from gender to conservation to events.

Moozhan Ahmadzadegan is a graduate from the BFA program with a major in Visual Arts and a minor in Art History. His experiences in the program have prepared him for various out of the classroom and work-related opportunities. At university, he participated with the Visual Arts Course Union and regularly volunteers at events. He also enjoys attending local exhibitions and occasionally exhibits his own work. He continues working on his artistic practice, is involved with the local arts community, and co-founder of the Laundry Room Art Collective.

Ayla De Grandpré completed her BA with a major in French & Spanish in the spring of 2019. She is was president of the “club Français UBCO”, which offers various events, from weekly lunches to “skating & poutine” nights. Ayla attributes her success in her program to her spirit of curiosity, perseverance and to her inspiring professors who have fostered her love for linguistics, literature and understanding the nuances of culture. She loves that this program has trained her eye to observe the world through a critical lens and has prepared her for a diverse range of impactful careers- from teaching to journalism. Alya is currently working on her MA in the IGS program, Sustainability theme at UBCO.

Kenya Gutteridge is a third-year student pursuing a major in Cultural Studies and a minor in Gender and Women’s Studies. She is part of a student-run editorial board that published the first issue That’s What We Said, a feminist academic journal, released on International Women’s Day 2019. Taking courses in different disciplines has allowed her to develop her varying interests in gender, food and reproductive politics along many different theoretical streams. She is very grateful to have the rich experience of interdisciplinary studies without sacrificing the opportunity to develop strong relationships with her professors.

Having the chance to work in an advertising firm overseas is not something that every student gets, but for Amy Hanfstingl, it was an experience that will stick with her for life. Amy is combining visual arts and biology in her degree. She spent the summer of 2017 in Paris as an intern at Team Creatif, an international graphic design company. In order to be considered for the internship, Amy had to submit a portfolio. Amy credits her drawing instructor, Aleksandra Dulic, for pushing her to keep a journal of weekly sketches, making it so Amy was able to hone her drawing skills.

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