GSU Update

The Geography Student Union (GSU) has enjoyed another fantastic year of academic events, socials, and trips! The GSU sought to broaden community engagement within the Department of Geography and Faculty of Environment through academic and social events, and prioritized collaboration with other student geographers in the Lower Mainland.

This year the GSU focused on collaboration with other Departmental Student Unions within the Faculty of Environment, such as our joint merch sale and a Midterm Destressing Social with EVSCSU and REMSA, where students from all FEnv majors mingled, enjoyed some gourmet snacks (instant noodles), and created some healthy competition playing Go Fish.

At the first ever FEnv Undergraduate Research Showcase, GSU members presented their research with students from REMSA and EVSCSU to other students and staff from the Faculty. As part of the FEnv Student Leadership Team with the Dean’s Office, GSU members took an active role organizing the inaugural Faculty of Environment Winter Formal in January 2024, and the second in 2025.

The Winter Formal provides an opportunity for geographers to connect with each other and other students, whilst donning semi formal attire and getting their boogie on. All these events show our efforts to pursue increased collaboration within the FEnv student community.

This past February, the GSU held the second annual RANGE conference, where students, alumni, and faculty presented informative geography research to highschoolers, undergraduates, and keen geographers from across the Lower Mainland. And RANGE was a hit! The GSU was proud to host around 100 attendees at RANGE 2025. RANGE provided excellent learning opportunities, a delectable lunch, community building, and good times.

Another logistically complicated goliath, our 2024 Experiential Learning Trip, took 21 students to Victoria. In Victoria, GSU members met with City Councillors and UVic professors, and took a day trip up the western coast of Vancouver Island to experience its unique landscapes first hand. RANGE and ELT provided many opportunities to build community and apply our in-class learning to the real world.

This year the GSU also collaborated with the UBC Geography Student Association on their Climate Town Hall to build community between our two universities. A delegation of GSU members attended the event and one GSU undergraduate presented research on ocean acidification. The Climate Town Hall paved the road for future collaboration with the GSA, such as the small social event together at Granville Island this spring.

In 2024 the GSU also held many smaller events, including midterm study sessions, a hike to Lynn Canyon, a beach picnic, two movie nights (The Lorax and Over the Hedge, if you were curious), degree planning socials, a games night with the Kwantlen Geography Club at SFU Surrey, and a sunset picnic at Burnaby Mountain Park. To boost the fanfare quotient of our semesterly Biercraft Socials, this year we introduced trivia hosted by Dr. Leanne Roderick, to great avail. Competition was strong, and the friendships built along the way were even stronger. The GSU had great turnout to these Biercraft events, with a wide mix of students across years and geography majors.

Finally, the GSU visited the Museum of Vancouver, and had a group tour of the c̓əsnaʔəm exhibit. Students were invited to learn more about the history of the Musqueam Nation in the Lower Mainland, in the process engaging in learning and discussions about reconciliation.

2024 was a very busy and rewarding year for the GSU, and we are excited to continue building community within the FEnv and Geography undergraduate communities in 2025!

Best wishes,

Max MacInnes-Cann and Erik Makinen

GSU Co-Chairs, Spring 2025