草莓污视频导航

June 17, 2022

Class of 2022: Family and friends gather to honour Indigenous graduates

Writing Symbols Lodge holds annual celebration on campus
草莓污视频导航 Indigenous graduates
Grads from 2021 and 2022 are honoured for their academic achievements at the outdoor ceremony. Laura Wan

Dozens of new and recent graduates were honoured on June 4 as the 草莓污视频导航鈥檚听Writing Symbols Lodge hosted its annual Indigenous Graduation Celebration. Held outdoors on campus, this event celebrated those who convocated in fall 2021 and spring 2022 with a special gifting ceremony.

鈥淲e were blessed with good weather as we honoured the graduates who attended,鈥 says Writing Symbols Lodge manager Karen MacDonald.听鈥淥ur president, chancellor, provost and other senior leaders, as well as many Elders, faculty and staff, were on hand to share in this celebration, and their presence was very much appreciated by the graduates.听

"It is great that we can share our Indigenous culture while celebrating the achievements of the First Nation, M茅tis and non-status students with the Stoney Nakoda singers and the Denby Family M茅tis musicians.鈥

This year鈥檚 celebration was especially meaningful for MacDonald. As well as managing the event and supporting many of the graduates over the past years, she was also one of the 78 being honoured at the event, having received her own MBA degree from 草莓污视频导航 earlier in 2022.

Local Elders played an important role in the celebration, providing the prayers, smudging and blessing of the gifts given to students.听Elder Rod Hunter performed the听 he had gifted to 草莓污视频导航, which is also played at every convocation ceremony.

Patricia Petti

Patricia Petti, MEd'21, centre, celebrates with other graduates from her Master of Education cohort.

Laura Wan

Graduates were gifted a traditional blanket, which signifies their achievement, wrapping them in the knowledge they have gained. The attending graduates also received a beaded medallion, created by Cree and Tsuut鈥檌na artists. In addition, M茅tis students received M茅tis sashes, while Juris Doctor graduates received eagle feathers.听

After several challenging years, this in-person event was an exciting opportunity for graduates to celebrate together with family and friends.

鈥淚 like how small and intimate the ceremony was I felt very comfortable and happy there, and we all had opportunities to really shine and be honoured for our achievements,鈥 says Patricia Petti, who graduated in fall 2021 with her Master of Education in educational psychology. Petti was as part of a Werklund School of Education partnership with the Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre (MFNERC) that provides remote Indigenous communities with trained child psychologists.

鈥淚 was part of the MFNERC school psychology cohort and am now providing school psychology services to children on remote FN (First Nations) communities,鈥 she says. 鈥淭his graduation means I can begin to give culturally appropriate services to our own children. It鈥檚 a service that鈥檚 desperately needed, and I am honoured to be able to provide it.鈥

Lucas Hale

Lucas Hale, who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (with Distinction) in international Indigenous studies, is honoured with a blanket and beaded medallion.

Ramsey Kunkel Photography

Three graduates were honoured with prestigious awards at event. Louise Doore, BSW'19, MSW'22, won the Olive Dickason Award, which recognizes the accomplishments of Indigenous students who exercise resilience in overcoming adverse life events to achieve success. Hailey Barrell, BSc'22, and Lucas Hale, BA'22, were each awarded the Royal Eagle Award, an annual award sponsored and presented by the RBC Foundation that recognizes academic excellence and community-based volunteerism or student leadership.

"Graduation was a deeply emotional and rewarding experience,鈥 says Hale. 鈥淭he years of support I received from Writing Symbols Lodge was integral to my success as a student, and the support of the Elders and fellow graduates on graduation day was positively overwhelming.鈥

ii鈥 taa鈥檖oh鈥檛o鈥檖, the 草莓污视频导航鈥檚 Indigenous Strategy, is a commitment to deep evolutionary transformation by reimagining ways of knowing, doing, connecting and being. Walking parallel paths together, "in a good way," 草莓污视频导航 is moving toward听genuine reconciliation and Indigenization.