Nipissing University holds symposium on transition education for Indigenous students

NORTH BAY (March 29, 2019)– Nipissing University, and Enji Giigdoyang, the Office of Indigenous Initiatives, is proud to announce that a two-day symposium focusing on transitional education for Indigenous students entering university was recently held. The symposium, which took place on March 27 and 28 in the Learning Library, drew upon the experiences of Indigenous students, community members, and staff from Nipissing, Algoma, Lakehead, and Laurentian Universities.

The event featured a keynote address from Dr. Sheila Cote Meek, the Associate Vice President, Academic and Indigenous Programs at Laurentian University. Dr. Cote Meek is the author of Colonized Classrooms: Racism, Trauma, and Resistance in Post-Secondary Education. Other speakers and panels featured community leaders in education from across northern Ontario, many of which will focus on the challenges and successes Indigenous students face while in university.

The symposium is part of a larger partnership between the four northern Ontario universities, focusing on transitional education for Indigenous students in the summer. The Summer Indigenous Institute, which is led by Nipissing University in partnership with the other northern schools, will accept up to 40 Indigenous students beginning their undergraduate careers next September.

Indigenous communities have long recognized the need for educational supports to assist Indigenous students make the often difficult transition to university. Nancy Allaire, Director of Education for Nipissing First Nation, looks forward to the potential offered through additional transitional support.

“It is exciting to witness the many transitional opportunities that universities are exploring and providing for our Indigenous students who are considering pathways to universities,” says Allaire. “This allows students to be able to reflect on their academic goals and build on their personal skills and career interests so they can make informed decisions about their personal pathways.”

Transitional education for Indigenous students offers a unique opportunity for community members to learn critical learning skills required for academic success while simultaneously maintaining cultural grounding in Indigenous ways of learning. Allaire notes how important this is to Indigenous student success.

“It is imperative that these transitional opportunities reflect the holistic lifelong learning model where Indigenous students can experience sources and domains of knowledge such as Indigenous and Western knowledge and adequate nurturing guides are built in for the collective well-being of our Indigenous students.”

The symposium will draw from numerous local Indigenous educators, students, and support staff. Administrators from each of the four northern universities will be in attendance to support each other’s ongoing efforts in transitional Indigenous education.