1. Resources
  2. Indigenous Supports

Indigenous Supports

 

Associate Vice-Principal (Indigenous Initiatives and Reconciliation)

Kanonhsyonne (Janice Hill), Associate Vice-Principal (Indigenous Initiatives and Reconciliation) enhances Queen’s Indigenous education opportunities, facilitates research collaborations with Indigenous communities, and promotes an understanding of the histories, knowledge systems, and perspectives of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities.

Office of Indigenous Initiatives

Indigenous Council

Established in 1992, the Indigenous Council of Queen’s University provides guidance on Indigenous programs and services at Queen’s. The Council is composed of representatives from Indigenous communities in Ontario, as well as Indigenous and non-Indigenous faculty, staff, students and senior administrators. The Council reports directly to the University Senate and Board of Trustees.

Indigenous Council

Four Directions

Four Directions Indigenous Student Centre is a home away from home for Indigenous students at Queen's. The centre offers culturally tailored transition and support services for Indigenous students, including peer mentorship programs, access to an Indigenous academic advisor and cultural counsellor, and social events and programming.

Four Directions

Student Association

The Queen's Native Students Association (QNSA) is a group of Indigenous and non-Indigenous students that share an interest in Indigenous cultures and traditions. It provides a forum for discussing contemporary and historical issues, hosts events and celebrations, and works in collaboration with Four Directions, the Office of Indigenous Initiatives, and the Indigenous Council to identify the needs of Indigenous students on campus.

QNSA

Indigenous Student Self-Identification

Indigenous students at Queen’s can self-identify through the SOLUS student account system at any point in their studies. Self-identifying ensures that Indigenous students are provided with information on Indigenous services and program at Queen’s, and allows the university to enhance its programs and services for Indigenous students. Learn more about self-identification

Indigenous Curriculum

Queen's Centre for Teaching and Learning often delivers professional development programming for Queen's educators on integrating Indigenous experiences and ways of knowing in curricula at the individual, unit, department, and faculty levels.

Orientation Day for Indigenous Students

Queen’s offers incoming undergraduate Indigenous students a tailored orientation day that includes early move-in, workshops, and socializing activities to build connections and link students and their families to campus supports through the Four Directions Indigenous Student Centre.

Indigenous Cultural Safety Training

Queen’s Indigenous Cultural Safety Coordinator facilitates regular Indigenous cultural safety training workshops for faculty, staff, and students. Participants of these sessions will gain a better understanding of the historical, political, and cultural issues that impact Indigenous peoples in Canada, and understand the connection between past and current government practices and policies towards First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples.

Indigenous Futures In Engineering

Indigenous Futures In Engineering (InEng) provides culturally relevant student support services to Indigenous students enrolled in Smith Engineering. Working in partnership with the Four Directions Indigenous Student Centre, InEng strives to support the academic, physical, spiritual and emotional needs of students. Through InEng, students have access to tutoring and exam prep sessions, mentoring opportunities with practicing Indigenous engineers, and liaison with industries particularly interested in the development of Indigenous engineers through summer employment, internships, and permanent positions.

Students

Indigenous Admission Pathway

Under the Indigenous Admission Policy, established in 2011-12, entrance criteria for first-year undergraduate Indigenous applicants to any faculty or school are expanded to include consideration of non-academic factors through the submission of a personal statement of experience and/or applicable supplementary essays. Successful applicants must meet the general academic admission requirements for each program.

Financial Aid for Indigenous Students

Queen’s offers both merit- and need-based financial awards to undergraduate and graduate students who self-identify as First Nations, Inuit, and Métis when applying to Queen’s.

Indigenous Cultural Services

The Office of Indigenous Initiatives offers cultural Indigenous services for all faculty, staff, and students. A Cultural Advisor and Knowledge Keeper are available to all members of the Queen’s community for one-on-one and group meetings, ceremonial events, guidance, and consultation around Indigenous knowledge and ways of knowing.

Individuals can request Indigenous Cultural Services by completing a request form and submitting it to indigenous.initiatives@queensu.ca.

 

[students in the workshop]

KAIROS Blanket Exercise: Queen’s Native Student Association hosted a KAIROS blanket exercise in the ARC as part of Indigenous Awareness Week 2017.

Photo by Bernard Clark