A loving wife to Rick and mother to Kylie and Chelsea, Heather McMullan was also a devoted student who believed that education is a lifelong endeavour. Though Heather held various important positions throughout her lifetime, including serving two terms as an elected councillor on Langley Township Council, it wasn’t until she graduated in 2002 with her Bachelor of Social Work degree from the University of the Fraser Valley that she found her true calling: acting as an advocate for children in need.

Following her graduation, Heather began working as a child protection social worker with the British Columbia Ministry of Children and Families. Heather was eventually assigned to the Aboriginal Children and Family Services team on which she worked until a few months prior to August 1, 2009 when she lost her brief but courageous battle with cancer.

In early 2009, Heather’s colleagues selected her to receive the Social Worker of the Year award for her dedication and tireless efforts on behalf of the children she was assigned to protect and help.

Heather possessed true leadership traits and a passion for fighting for the underdog, which she has instilled in her two daughters. She was an excellent student, as well as a community-minded volunteer who served on many boards and committees.

At the time of her death, Heather had completed all of the required courses and had almost completed her thesis for her Masters degree in Urban Studies from Simon Fraser University. Heather will be deeply missed by her family, friends and colleagues but she will be especially missed by the children on her case load for whom she worked so hard to improve their lives.

This award was created to pay tribute to Heather’s memory. The Heather McMullan Memorial Endowment Leadership Award will help students achieve their educational goals while acknowledging their scholastic efforts, as Heather would have. The award has been endowed with a lead gift of $20,000. The goal is to raise a total of $50,000 to result in an annual award of $2,000 in perpetuity. Please note that any donation to UFV is eligible for a tax receipt for the full gift amount.