VILC

Vancouver IslandUniversity

 vilc

Vancouver Island Leadership Conference

What is VILC

The Vancouver Island Leadership Conference (VILC) hosts post-secondary students across British Columbia for an event of keynotes and strength-building workshops to inspire future leaders. This year’s conference will feature a series of community action projects that allow participants to engage with communities and non-profits on a local, national and global level.

The 2024 Conference

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Beyond Boundaries

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Connection to Self

Diversity

The subtheme of diversity emphasizes the importance of transcending cultural, social, and personal barriers to embrace a wide range of perspectives and experiences.

Connection to Culture

Leadership

In the realm of leadership, the concept of "Beyond Boundaries" prompts us to expand our horizons and redefine traditional notions of authority and influence. 

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Global Collaboration

Global collaboration, within the framework of "Beyond Boundaries," underscores the imperative of working together across borders to address common challenges and pursue shared opportunities.

Say hello to new friends and experiences.

The Office of Co-Curricular Engagement and Learning aims to provide delegates with the opportunity to exercise co-curricular learning within the community. Since 2022, we have introduced a new component to the conference: the Community Career Expo, an opportunity to network and meet potential employers across Vancouver Island.

Ignite Change

Inspiring Future Leaders.

Watch our 2023 VILC same-day-edit recap video!

 

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Past Conferences

10th Annual VILC (2018)

Presented by Sim’s Real Estate Group

The 10th annual VILC’s theme is “Empower the Everyday.” The VILC Organizing Team highlights the themes meaning to the idea that individuals and teams can do when they work with positivity, thoughtfulness, collaboration and towards a common goal. You can empower the everyday. The conference will provide students with the opportunity to participate in skills-based workshops, interact with keynote speakers (including Facebook), and network with various local business professionals. With the use of these mechanisms, we believe that students will gain graduate attributes such as collaboration, active learning, integrative learning, and foundations for lifelong learning.

2018
2019

11th Annual VILC (2019)

Presented by Sim’s Real Estate Group

The 11th annual VILC’s theme Explore - Discover - Inspire. The notion of Explore - Discover - Inspire relates to the idea of young leaders' ability to be self-reflective and to define what leadership means in respect to each individual in applying the importance of these concepts to their endeavours. The focus was to help conference participants to discover and develop leadership skills through experiencing different activities, meeting other like-minded individuals, participating in skill-based workshop excursions that send them out to various community businesses in diverse fields whilst networking with various local business professionals.

12th Annual VILC (2020)

Presented by Panago Pizza

The 12th Annual Vancouver Island Leadership conference’s theme Brilliant Minds, Resilient Leaders. The notion of Resilient Minds, Brilliant Leaders relates to leadership from a youth resiliency and support to mental health perspective. This virtual conference ran for the month of June with each week focusing on different subtopics that included a virtual Yoga session and a keynote from Charlene Bearhead an Indigenous Education advocate who works closely with the Moose Hide Campaign.

2020
2021

13th Annual VILC (2021)

Presented by Panago Pizza

VILC 2021 participants were challenged with thoughts and actions surrounding the topic of ‘Igniting Change’. Our mission was to provide students the foundation and tools needed to create a better community through leadership locally, nationally, and globally. Together they shared their personal journeys with change and how they grew stronger in their reflections on the experiences. These speaker series events were paired with community action projects where our VILC Team alongside other participants took action to positively influence their community on a local, national, and global level.

14th Annual VILC (2022)

Presented by Panago Pizza

The 2022 conference theme was “Leading the Future - Together”. Our theme worked to engage delegates in building their connection with self, others, earth, and culture and highlighted the importance of working together to lead a better tomorrow. During the conference, delegates got the opportunity to learn more about the sub-themes through various excursions and keynote speakers. These excursions took the form of visits to local organizations and cultural sites that demonstrated the importance of the themes in action. In addition, keynote speakers shared their personal experiences and expertise on the sub-themes, providing valuable insights and inspiration for delegates. Through these excursions and keynote speeches, delegates gained a deeper understanding of the importance of building connections with self, others, earth, and culture, and how these connections can lead to a better future for all.

2022
VILC 2023

15th Annual VILC (2023)

Presented by the Office of Co-Curricular Engagement & Learning

The 2023 conference embraced the theme "Integrity, Inclusion, and Innovation" to inspire and empower attendees to forge a more equitable, inclusive, and forward-thinking future. This theme was meticulously chosen to underscore the significance of ethical leadership, embracing diversity in all its forms, and leveraging innovation for societal betterment. Throughout the event, participants had the privilege of exploring these pivotal sub-themes through a variety of engaging formats. Interactive sessions, workshops, and immersive excursions were thoughtfully organized to offer a hands-on understanding of how integrity, inclusion, and innovation manifest in real-world settings. Participants left the event equipped with new knowledge, perspectives, and a renewed commitment to driving positive change in their communities and beyond.

Student Leaders

Dorcas Ng'ang'a

Chairperson

Dorcas Ng'ang'a, an MBA student in her fourth semester from Nairobi, Kenya,.She has been actively engaged with the Office of Co-Curricular Engagement and Learning (OCCEL) since her very first semester. Dorcas is deeply committed to cultivating a vibrant and inclusive student experience at Vancouver Island University. In addition to her role with VILC, she takes on leadership responsibilities within the VIU Student Union and Senate. Her varied experiences and dedication make her an asset to the VIU community.

Reese Hobbs

Vice Chairperson

Reese Hobbs, a Criminology student in her 3rd year from Nanaimo BC. She has been actively engaged with the Office of Co-Curricular Engagement and Learning (OCCEL) since her first year at VIU. Beyond her academics and OCCEL, Reese has been on the VILC team for 3 years and can’t wait to foster more leadership growth and change. Outside of VILC, Reese is active in the community with community growth and volunteering.

VILC

For more information, please visit us at vilc.ca or email us at vilc@viu.ca.