Lyana Patrick is a UVic double alumna who holds an undergraduate degree in creative writing and history (BA 1997) as well as an MA in Indigenous Governance (2004), and whose co-op experiences made a major impact on her career trajectory. Lyana also earned her PhD in Community and Regional Planning at the University of British Columbia.

Lyana is Dakelh from BC’s Stellat’en First Nation and her Indigenous identity has shaped her career path—she is a professor at Simon Fraser University where she teaches courses about Indigenous health and justice, and is also an award-winning filmmaker. Her documentary about the Stellat’en and Saik’uz communities’ intergenerational fight to restore the Nachako River east of the Kitimat mountain ranges, was released last year, and draws on Lyana’s body of work going back to her time at UVic.

Resources from this episode

• Nechako: It will be a river again - documentary
• Aisha's story - documentary
• The UVic Co-op Program
• Accessing career support

Connect with us

• Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter
• Follow UVic Co-op and Career on social media

• (02:58) - All about Lyana – her role at SFU and the Indigenous health classes that she teaches
• (05:39) - Lyana tells us how her passion for journalism led her to carve out a career in storytelling
• (07:08) - Lyana shares how UVic and her studies in History, Creative Writing and Indigenous Governance helped her develop her career in film
• (09:30) - Lyana talks about how to tell Indigenous stories that honour and give back to community
• (10:32) - The skills and takeaways that Lyana gleaned from her co-op experience at UVic (hint – it includes leveraging shyness into a superpower)
• (12:32) - How doing co-ops in government led to Lyana’s first job after graduation
• (13:39) - How failing is just a form of learning
• (13:53) - How Lyana approaches Indigenous community-based research and work
• (17:47) - Lyana shares her favourite storytelling project – a half-hour documentary about the Canada/US border bisecting the Blackfoot Nation territory
• (19:36) - Lyana talks about how storytelling can humanize people and connect humans from across cultures and lived experience
• (21:37) - Lyana shares how she carries hope and how she champions students’ growth
• (24:25) - Rapid fire questions
• (24:40) - The professor that made a huge impact on Lyana at UVic: Elizabeth Vibert
• (26:31) - Favourite on-campus spot: Multifaith Centre
• (26:52) - Favourite off-campus spot: Blue Fox Café
• (27:12) - What would Lyana do more of if she could do it all again?

On this episode, we are speaking with Julie Claveau, a UVic physics and astronomy graduate who manages Earth Observation satellite programs and previously worked as Canada’s deputy mission manager for the James Webb Telescope.

She is also an advocate for diversity and inclusion, and is a blogger, a Youtuber, an avid World of Warcraft gamer, a violist, a dancer, a baker, a gardener and a mom of three.

We talk with Julie about learning to trust yourself, following your passion, dismantling imposter syndrome and so much more!

Resources from this episode

• The UVic Co-op Program
• Accessing career support

Connect with us

• Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter
• Follow UVic Co-op and Career on social media

• (02:32) - Julie breaks down the steps in her career path - from working at McDonalds to working in government
• (04:58) - What Julie has learned from her diverse career experiences (hint…it’s about trusting yourself)
• (06:37) - How Julie turned her passion for space into a career in science
• (08:40) - Julie shares what she’s most proud of from her time at UVic and in her career
• (10:42) - Julie tells us why it’s key to have diverse perspectives and lived experience to solve problems in science
• (12:40) - How Julie strives to achieve work/life balance in these busy times
• (14:30) - Julie shares advice about how to carve out a career in science
• (16:40) - How to get rid of imposter syndrome (even Julie has it!)
• (17:55) - Julie tells us how her time at UVic inspired her pathway
• (19:58) - Why you shouldn’t underestimate your own special mojo
• (21:10) - Rapid fire questions
• (21:29) - Julie’s favourite class at UVic
• (22:03) - Favourite drink when studying
• (22:21) - Favourite campus building to spend time in
• (22:32) - Why Julie would do it all again and her love of physics

On this month's episode, we’re digging into a question that can seem a bit scary—what happens if you want to change your career path?

Luckily, we’re joined by Kerry Vaughan, who is UVic’s career educator for alumni. She speaks to us about:

• what happens if your career looks and feels different than you were hoping
• how common it is to make a major change
• how UVic Career Services can help you plan your next steps

Plus, Emma shares her own career journey and how her goals have changed.

Resources from this episode

• Meet with your career educator
• Career options for your program area

Connect with us

• Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter
• Follow UVic Co-op and Career on social media

• (02:00) - How common is it to want to change your career path?
• (03:00) - Examples of students and grads who have made a career transition: tips and tricks
• (07:02) - What can you do if you’re feeling stuck? How your career educator can help you figure it out.
• (11:10) - Emma shares her experience of shifting careers what she learned and how she found her passion.
• (15:10) - How to navigate a big change
• (17:02) - What if your career looks and feels different than you were hoping?
• (20:12) - How to decide that you’re ready for a career change AND how we can help
• (21:30) - Why you don’t have to have it all figured out