By using wood pellets as the primary heating fuel for four campus buildings, UNBC is reducing its carbon output, saving money and demonstrating how other institutions and communities can reduce their fossil fuel consumption. The project has been made possible through the contributions of government and industry as part of the Northern Leadership Campaign.

As part of UNBC’s response to the 2017 wildfire emergency, the University created a special bursary to assist new and returning students affected by the wildfires. Contributions from the University and donors helped 36 students to continue their studies and overcome the financial obstacles of this natural disaster.

Reuben and Janet Horwitz understood the value of a university education. The couple bequeathed nearly $750,000 to the University of Northern British Columbia to support students from Fort St. James and other communities in the Nechako Lakes region. The endowed memorial awards will help at least eight students every year, forever, with bursaries worth $3,000 each, providing an incredible legacy to these communities and the future of their children.

Northern Medical Program graduate Dr. Montana Halliday was able to learn more about northern family medicine in Vanderhoof and in Gitlaxt'aamiks in the Nass Valley, with support from the Northern Medical Programs Trust.

Carleen Paltzat is among the one in four UNBC students who receive scholarships or bursaries each year. She says receiving a scholarship has helped her become financially independent, while at the same time pursuing her passions in the classroom and through extra-curricular activities.

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.

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. The Northern Advancement Program was life changing for Ransom. Not only did it ease the adjustment, it also opened Ransom’s eyes to the many possibilities that existed for her and set her up for an unexpected career.

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, the students undertook a comprehensive study of the social and economic impacts of the Boer Mountain trails near the northern community.

Internationally acclaimed artist and sculptor K.A. Colorado donated some of his climate-inspired artwork to the University of Northern British Columbia’s Northern Leadership Campaign where he knows it will strengthen research and teaching excellence on the science surrounding climate change.