Student life can be challenging enough balancing course work, part-time jobs and extracurricular activities. With tight budgets, an unexpected financial expense can add more anxiety to an already stressful situation.

A new donor-funded program aims to reduce that stress by offering short-term emergency support to students in immediate need. The University of Northern British Columbia Wellness Centre launched From Survive to Thrive last year and it has already made a difference in students’ lives.

Mackenzie Howse was on her lunch break from work on the afternoon of July 7, when she received the message so many people in British Columbia’s interior were dreading – wildfires were getting dangerously close to her home in 150 Mile House and it was time to leave.

When Reuben and Janet Horwitz obtained their university degrees, they were the exception.

The couple, who graduated in 1923 and 1939 respectively, went to university at a time when only about one in 10 people completed a four-year degree program. That decision to pursue their post-secondary education had a profound impact on their lives and opened doors to professional success and personal growth.

Carleen Paltzat loves the outdoors and is committed to finding a career where she can have a positive impact on the environment.

Paltzat, a third-year environmental science student from Alberta, chose to attend the University of Northern British Columbia because the spectacular landscape of Northern B.C. lends itself to combining academic study and the natural environment.

Angel Ransom has built a successful business around helping First Nations communities plan for the future, yet her own career plan was not so straightforward.

Ransom, 31, grew up in Fort St. James and throughout high school had always planned to become a nurse. She began along that career path, but soon realized that not only was nursing not her calling, transitioning from life in a small community to a university in a bigger city was full of unexpected challenges.

Mountain bike trails are more than just a hangout for adrenalin junkies, as a group of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Management students learned this year, they can also have measurably positive economic and social impacts.

In partnership with the Burns Lake Mountain Biking Association (BLMBA), the students undertook a comprehensive study of the social and economic impacts of the Boer Mountain trails near the northern community.

University of Northern British Columbia men’s soccer player Francesco Bartolillo is determined to make a difference on the pitch, in the classroom and in the community.

The fourth-year striker and business major tied for the team lead in goals and assists this past season, was an Academic All-Canadian and took on a leadership role in a student-led cancer fundraising effort.

Sustainability is serious business and University of Northern British Columbia students are helping local entrepreneurs find ways to be environmental leaders, and save money while doing it.

Environmental Planning student Danielle Patterson was one of the first UNBC students to take part in the innovative Carbon Management course, in partnership with the Prince George Chamber of Commerce’s CN Carbon Reduction Project for Business.

The Matt Pearce Award is more than just a scholarship for University of Northern British Columbia women’s basketball player Emily Holmes. It’s an inspiration.