UNIVERSITY OF THE FRASER VALLEY
UFV's Experience the Fraser project brings learning to life along B.C.'s most vital river

The Fraser River is a life-giving artery that flows through British Columbia. From the Rocky Mountains to the Strait of Georgia, covering 1,375 kilometres, it has nourished the land and its peoples for centuries. 

But while most British Columbians recognize that the river exists, do they truly know how vital it is? Do they know how it has sustained the communities that humans construct along its fertile banks?   

The Experience the Fraser project was created at the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) to connect and educate through planning, public art, and the engagement of UFV students. Throughout the summer and fall semesters of 2025, 158 UFV students learned about the history and importance of the river and its adjacent lands    studying its cultural, environmental, and economic impact.  

Five classes and several directed studies/honours/practica students participated. Their studies were supported through funding by the Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada (CEWIL) iHub. The funding provided $750 honoraria for each domestic student and provided additional financial aid for 22 students. In total, UFV's Centre for Experiential and Career Education (CECE) received more than $105,000 in CEWIL funding for this project in 2025, in addition to the previously awarded funding of over $83,000 for the first phase of the initiative in 2024.  

They visited the river on field trips on foot and by boat, often accompanied by Stó:lō knowledge keepers, community partners and tourism industry representatives, and regional planners.  

Students in Dr. Alessandro Tarsia's History 103 class were accompanied on a field trip by representatives of Stó:lõ communities. They engaged with Dr. Dave Schaepe, director and senior archaeologist at the Stó:lō Research and Resource Management Centre, discussing the importance of land in Indigenous communities' lives, and the meaning of the Fraser River.  

"They benefited greatly from learning Indigenous perspectives and getting more familiar with Indigenous ways of knowing and being," said Larissa Horne, Experiential Education coordinator at CECE. "They learned more about the importance of the Truth and Reconciliation process and discovered the many ways the Fraser River is woven into the fabric of communities. 

"The students now appreciate the critical importance of thoughtful engagement with Indigenous knowledge keepers when it comes to involvement in land-based learning and forming the foundations of understanding." 

Students in the Geography 260 class taught by Dr. Cherie Enns had a unique opportunity to work online, within UFV's COIL framework, with a class from the University of Cairo in Egypt led by Dr. Zeina ElZein. Together, they explored water management issues affecting the Fraser and Nile rivers from an urban and architecture perspective. 

Students in Dr. Mariano Mapili's Geography 359 class experienced a narrated boat tour on a historic fishing vessel, the MV Gikumi. 

"Boarding the MV Gikumi gave students a firsthand connection to the Fraser River, inspiring them to design immersive, community-centred Indigenous storytelling tours," Mariano says. "Experiencing the river themselves empowered students to create inclusive, affordable boat tours that wove Indigenous storytelling with place-based learning." 

A Geography 241 class taught by Cherie Enns and Jennifer Hetherington that included 23 international students envisioning public art under the Mission Bridge to draw visitors to the river. Their proposal to add wayfinding, signage, and public art installations at  Matsqui Trail Regional Park is now being considered by the Fraser Valley Regional District and the City of Abbotsford, with support from UFV, Tourism Abbotsford, and local Indigenous communities.  

At a showcase event held under the bridge, poster presentations demonstrated how thoughtfully the students considered the topic. Many community partners attended the showcase, which included an Indigenous welcome with drumming and singing. 

"Access to the creativity, knowledge, and skills of post-secondary students has been invaluable in advancing this project and building meaningful momentum," said Barb Roberts from Tourism Abbotsford. "We value the students' contributions, the spirit of collaboration, the strength of local businesses and economic activity, and, most importantly, our community." 

Part of Experience the Fraser was learning how various public bodies and non-government organizations (NGOs) work together and how the decision-making process happens in such fields as public art, tourism and recreation, parks management, historical conservation and environmental stewardship. 

Larissa said the many partners involved with Experience the Fraser, including Tourism Chilliwack and Destination BC, contributed knowledge and expertise during classes and field trips.  They guided students, shared resources and contacts, and spoke about strategic planning and the needs of their sectors. 

The students benefited from networking opportunities with potential future employers. 

"This experience introduced them to various levels of local government, and community partners in the area of tourism development and destinations management, which is a high-demand and under-resourced sector in British Columbia," Larissa noted. "The project management and communications skills the students gained are universal skills applicable to employment opportunities in the hospitality, tourism, recreation development, and public administration sectors."