Message to Community - National Indigenous Peoples Day June 21 

National Indigenous Peoples Day recognizes the unique heritage, cultures, and contributions of Indigenous peoples. 

Our Senate Committee on Reconciliation, staff in Indigenous Student Services and Indigenous Experiential Learning, the Student Reconciliation Committee, and our partners among Indigenous communities have worked together to make reconciliation a permanent aspect of our university. I want to thank the faculty, staff, students, and partners — Indigenous and non-Indigenous — who have been key to our response to the challenge of reconciliation and who organized and participated in many events.  

Over the past year, we observed Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation with educational events to acknowledge the legacy of residential schools. The student-organized events included film screenings, fundraising, information posters, and a social media campaign, and there were connections with events in the wider community. In October, we hosted the 2022 Indigenous Film Festival. The Chancellor’s Lecture Series on Indigenous Issues, endowed by our Chancellor and the Endowed Chair in Native Studies Graydon Nicholas and his wife Beth, hosted Dr. Cindy Blackstock who spoke of the importance of engagement to implementing the TRC’s Calls to Action. STU students earned FutureWabanaki Awards for their experiential learning success, and we hosted a very successful university camp for Indigenous Youth. At Spring Convocation, we awarded an honorary degree to coach and philanthropist Ted Nolan, and our Valedictorian was Leanne Hudson, an influential student leader. Our latest cohort of Mi’kmaq Maliseet Social Work graduates will be starting their careers in a profession vital to society. 

Continuing our education and awareness efforts to make progress towards reconciliation will be important. We will share more information on plans for the academic year as we move closer to the fall semester.  

Thank you.  

Dr. Kim Fenwick

(Acting) President and Vice-Chancellor