Celebrating the Class of 2024!

May 13, 2024 – Way to go Class of 2024 — you’ve made it to the end of your undergraduate journey! To celebrate this year’s graduating class, we spoke to a few of our outstanding students. We look forward to keeping up with these students and all they accomplish – this is only the beginning of their next adventure!

Chloe Chambers – BSc in Applied Animal Biology

How did you hear about LFS at UBC?

While I was researching programs that aligned with my interests, I learned that UBC’s Applied Animal Biology Program wasn’t in Science, but in the Faculty of LFS, which I hadn’t heard of before. But I’m so glad I chose the program. Even though more than half of my courses were non-LFS, I know that I benefited from being in a smaller faculty. You get to know your peers, professors, and student services staff better, which gives you a great system of support and tons of opportunities.

William Fang – BSc in Food and Resource Economics

How did you hear about LFS at UBC?

I heard about LFS when I was seeking advice from some high school alumni and advisors. I was trying to immerse myself in an interdisciplinary environment, and they suggested that LFS could be a good fit. I discovered the Food and Resource Economics major, and I loved the way it combines science, business, economics, data analysis, and more, so I ended up there.

Abeera Irfan – BSc in Food, Nutrition and Health (Dietetics)

Do you recommend students get involved in extra-curriculars? What did you do outside of the classroom?

Within LFS, I was part of UBC Nutrikids and the Dietetic Student Community club, I took a leadership position as the president last year for the latter which really challenged my skills and allowed me to improve as both a leader, and a future dietitian. I chose to also get involved as an Imagine Day Orientation Leader and help out with prospective student events whenever I was able! I also spent years in different FNH labs as a research assistant and was also a TA for a few courses.

Jonanda Kisingiri – BSc in Global Resource Systems

How did you hear about LFS at UBC?

I discovered LFS the same day I discovered UBC — while I was still in Year 11 (10th grade). A representative from UBC came to my school in Uganda and handed out UBC brochures with a complete list of all the degrees offered by each UBC faculty. I was amazed and overwhelmed. Knowing I wanted to study something related to food, I was naturally drawn to the section that read “Faculty of Land and Food Systems.” In all my time of looking into universities (up until that point and even thereafter), I hadn’t encountered a single university with such a diverse selection of food-oriented degrees at the undergraduate level. I knew UBC was my top choice from then on.

Clover Lee – BSc in Food, Nutrition and Health

Do you recommend students get involved in extra-curriculars? What did you do outside of the classroom?

Definitely! Extracurricular involvements were the highlight of my undergraduate. Not only did I meet lifelong friends and mentors through the LFS Undergraduate Society (LFS|US), research, and assistant teaching, extracurriculars supported my development and application of a range of skills, professionally and interpersonally. I value the community-building and leadership skills I acquired in the LFS|US, quantitative research and lab competency at the UBC Wine Research Centre (through the Work Learn Program), and learning facilitation as an Undergraduate Teaching Assistant. All that I tangibly (un)learned would not be possible without the incredible and diverse extracurricular opportunities in the Faculty of LFS.

Hirari Sato – BSc in Global Resource Systems

What challenges did you encounter while a student and how did you overcome them?

My biggest challenge was managing my finances. I’m an international student, so tuition was already expensive, and on top of that, Vancouverliving expenses were a lot more than I expected. During university, I had to get 3 part time jobs while studying full-time. Sprouts and Agora REALLY helped me throughout my entire UBC life. They genuinely fed me throughout university, since their food is extremely affordable, and when short on cash, they have free meal coupons. Their mission of fighting food insecurity has helped me and a lot of the students I know. GO SUPPORT THEM!

Judith Sofiana – BSc in Food and Resource Economics

What was your favourite class and why?

I found ECON 234 – Wealth and Poverty of Nations extremely fascinating back when I took it with Professor Thorsten. The course had a multidisciplinary approach involving not just economics, but also anthropology, history, agriculture, geography to explain how nations develop and how it plays into historic and present wealth inequality. For example, how agriculture is theorised to be a prerequisite to accounting and then systems of writing – writing systems allow information to be stored, conveyed and delivered across generations and time.