Through her work as the career development coordinator and faculty contract administrator, Kim Nickel tirelessly collaborates with practicum students to plan their futures and career paths. Nickel is a UFV alumna who has been with the university for the past 18 years.
Nickel earned a Bachelor of Criminology from SFU before completing her Master of Criminal Justice at UFV. From there, she began working for the City of Surrey, helping to develop programs for at-risk youth. She explains that one of her most inspiring projects was a conference for teenagers that discussed difficult topics such as sexual assault and substance abuse with many young speakers. After a few years with the city, a colleague suggested she apply to the University of the Fraser Valley, where she has worked ever since, guiding students who are planning their academic and professional careers. She is currently working towards her Doctorate of Education at SFU.
When talking to Nickel, it is easy to hear the passion she has for her students. Every day she dedicates her time to guiding 120 practicum students in their journey into the field of criminology. She talks about how she uses her contacts to help students get “experiential education.”
When asked about the unique perspective that she brings to the department and the university, Nickel said that she “had the opportunity to really develop some sympathy, some empathy and ability to relate to my undergraduate students because my work was evaluated by the same professors who now evaluate [the students’] work. They were the senior supervisors for my master’s, so it really was a humbling experience, and I think it gave me a further appreciation of what it meant to be evaluated by the faculty here at Crim and I am happy to report it went very well.” Nickel turned her experience here at UFV into a career helping others find their passion.
The best bit of advice that Nickel offers students is that “it is okay to be nervous. But you just need to get started anyway. Jump right in and get involved because once you get the confidence to work in a new place, you gain competence.” She also suggested making a “future resume” to get a roadmap for your dream career. By writing down a resume you want to have in five or ten years, you can see what you need to do to go from here to there. Once you do this, then go visit Nickel in the Criminology department and she’ll help you figure out the rest.
Nickel says that one of the things that most inspires her about helping students is the way they lift up and support one another, especially in the unprecedented times of COVID-19. In the midst of the pandemic, Nickel connected UFV Criminology students with students at Carleton University in Ottawa. They were able to talk with one another and compare their personal and academic experiences over Zoom and many of them are still in contact now.
Nickel said that the most important aspect of her job is the legacy of the students she has helped form over the last 18 years. From playing hockey with at-risk youth in Surrey, to her many practicum students, Nickel has impacted hundreds of student lives over the years. She says that many of her students have gone on to hold jobs in government, as educators, and so much more.
The passion that the students have, their ambition and utter dedication to their futures, continues to inspire Nickel as she teaches her students transferable skills, shows them how to expand their career paths, and helps them become even more resilient. She says that “students are the experts of themselves” and she loves being able to guide them and watch them shape their futures.
Image: Allison Holcik / The Cascade
Allison is starting her BA in English with a minor in Criminology to become a publishing contract lawyer. In her spare time, she watches way too many true crime shows and reads a lot of Y.A. fiction, while slugging along on various articles.