Dr. Chris Bertram started his post-secondary education in a small, student-focused institution that featured lots of student–faculty interaction, and he has ended up teaching in a similar place.
Bertram, who lives in Chilliwack and teaches in Abbotsford, and who has been teaching kinesiology at the University of the Fraser Valley since 2003, is this year’s winner of the UFV Teaching Excellence award.
His educational journey led him from the Athletic Therapy diploma program at Calgary’s Mount Royal College, through a bachelor’s and master’s degree in science at the University of Nevada and a PhD in kinesiology at Simon Fraser University.
“I take my role as an educator very seriously, so it is a huge honour for me to receive this award,” said Bertram.
The small class sizes and opportunity to work closely with students offered by UFV suits Bertram’s teaching style and philosophy.
“The one thing I have learned about effective teaching is that you simply cannot fake it. If you aren’t 100 per cent excited and committed to the message you are trying to convey, you will lose the room. The best teachers I had in school were the ones who brought passion and enthusiasm to their classes, and I suppose that I got lucky that I found an area that I am genuinely passionate about.”
Bertram recently became kinesiology department head at UFV and will receive his award on June 10 at UFV’s convocation ceremony.