WHITEHORSE, YT— Over 800 employees of Yukon College between 1988 and 2020 are being celebrated in a new display unveiled today at Yukon University’s Ayamdigut Campus.

The display was conceived and donated by President Emerita Dr. Karen Barnes and husband Dean MacKay, a faculty member from 2011 to 2016.

“It’s wonderful to stand before this and see the names of all the people who contributed to the success of Yukon College across 32 years,” said Dr. Barnes. “Having worked many years in post-secondary education in Yukon and Alberta, Dean and I know that each person recognized here had a part to play. Each one connected with a student. Each one left an imprint. We wanted to honour the legacies of each one and ensure their contributions are not forgotten.”

WHITEHORSE, YT—Yukon University has partnered with NorthwesTel Community TV to celebrate degree, diploma and certificate graduates from 2020 and 2021 virtually this Friday.

A one-hour program will air at 5:30 p.m. via NorthwesTel cable channel 209 in Whitehorse and at yukonu.ca/grad for everywhere beyond Whitehorse.

“We’re thrilled to have NorthwesTel Community TV partner with us to produce a virtual celebration of the first two graduating classes of Yukon University,” said Dr. Maggie Matear, interim president and vice chancellor.

“These students have persevered against the incredible challenge of COVID-19 in their personal, work and school lives and shown amazing resilience earning their degrees, diplomas and certificates. We hope family, friends and loved ones can join us on Friday, from across Canada and around the world, in celebrating their graduate’s remarkable achievement,” added Dr. Matear.

WHITEHORSE, YT— The winners of the seventh annual Yukon Innovation Prize (YIP) have been chosen. YukonU’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship (I&E) is pleased to announce that Gúnta Business has won the grand prize of $30,000 for a virtual engagement service designed to meet the needs of northern communities.  

WHITEHORSE, YT— Yukon University anthropology instructor, Norman Easton, has recently published the first ethnohistory of the Yukon Alaska borderlands in partnership with the US National Park Service. An Ethnohistory of the Chisana River Basin documents the First Nations’ use of the upper Tanana River basin based on ethnographic, archival, and archaeological research.  
 

WHITEHORSE, YUKON—After a COVID-19 enforced break last year, high school, post-secondary students and apprentices will come together this Saturday to test their skills against one another. The 20 participants are competing for a spot to represent Team Yukon at the Skills Canada Virtual National Competition on June 15.

The one-day competition will once again be hosted primarily at Yukon University’s Ayamdigut campus, with a handful of contests also taking place at a Whitehorse school & Duncan’s Ltd. With strict COVID-19 protocols the event can run in -person for participants and judges however, the public, family and friends are unable to be present to cheer on competitors.

WHITEHORSE, YT—Ketza Construction Corporation has donated $250,000 to Yukon University in support of carpentry programming and student success.

“As a locally owned and operated company, we know the value to our community of hiring locally for our building projects. The comprehensive trades training available at Yukon University has for many years provided, and continues to provide, the construction industry here with quality apprentices and entry-level trades people. We are thrilled to make this donation in support of student and apprentice success at YukonU,” said Peter Densmore, Ketza Construction president and founder.

“Ketza Construction’s donation highlights the value of trades training to communities across Yukon, as well as the importance of trades in our hybrid university model,” said Dr. Maggie Matear, interim president and vice chancellor, Yukon University.

YukonU’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship (I&E) has created a summer entrepreneurship program for youth. The Summer Biz School is a part-time program for university students to develop their skills and potential business idea with the support of I&E and local entrepreneurs.

The Summer Biz School provides a model environment to foster Yukon youth’s business ideas, with up to $2500 of funding support for each participant. The participants will work with local entrepreneurs and have access to I&E’s network of over 100 business mentors. This two-and-a-half-month-long program will provide the students with enough time and exposure to develop an entrepreneurial mindset and determine the viability of their business idea, with a commitment of 10 to 15 hours per week.

WHITEHORSE, YT—Forty, full-time Yukon University students are receiving a brand-new laptop this month to support their educational success during the COVID-19 pandemic. Seventeen will also get a one-year internet package.

Lenovo kickstarted this generous initiative by donating 40 ThinkPad laptops. Leith Wheeler Investment Counsel jumped onboard to donate support for eight internet packages. When seventeen students were identified as needing internet support, a Yukon University Foundation board member and an anonymous donor stepped forward to support an additional nine internet packages.

WHITEHORSE, YT—The Yukon University Board of Governors is inviting public input into its priorities as the University continues its evolution over the next few years.

“Our strategic plan guides all that we do. We are keen to hear what Yukoners would like to see as part of our vision for the next five years—what do people want from the Yukon University of 2026?” said David Morrison, board chair.

The board has contracted Yukon-based Strategic Moves to gather input from the public as well as the University community, partners and other stakeholders and support the creation of a five-year YukonU Strategic Plan.

From today until March 5, people are encouraged to submit feedback via an online survey available at yukonu.ca/StrategicPlan/.

Morrison highlighted some of the University’s accomplishments under the current strategic plan: