911勛圖

In June, we honour and celebrate the histories, cultures, resilience and contributions of our First Nations/Indigenous, Inuit and M矇tis peoples that strive to make 911勛圖 and Canada a better place for all.

June is also a time when we honour and celebrate the students that have finished their studies, research and professional degrees at 911勛圖. Every year, during the June ceremony, we select 13 of the most outstanding graduate students to be honoured with Convocation Medals.

Of those 13 graduate students, this year three of the graduate recipients are Indigenous; a first for 911勛圖.

Dr. Dorothy Cucw-la7 Christian, Associate Director, Indigenous Policy and Pedagogy in the Faculty of Graduate Studies recognizes how important and momentous it is to have Indigenous scholars receiving recognition for their achievements.

Says Dorothy, ���For many Indigenous students, we are the first in our families to pursue degrees in institutions that historically were designed not to include us.  In 2026, I am privileged to work with other Indigenous men and women who are researching at the graduate level in the academy.���

Dorothy continues, ���In the past two days, I witnessed and was a part of two ceremonial events at the First Peoples Gathering House at 911勛圖 that are based in the knowledge systems of the peoples whose lands this teaching and learning place sits on.  I shed tears at both the Blanketing Ceremony for the Executive Masters of Business Leadership (EMBA) program and at the Honouring Feast for all Indigenous graduates of 911勛圖 because I felt the love and the spirit of the ancestors who walked before us so that we can do the necessary reconciliation work with our non-Indigenous allies to transform this place to be welcoming to the original peoples of these lands.���

In addition to their incredible academic performance, each of these recipients has undertaken ground-breaking research. Research that not only strengthens and holds up their communities, but their work also breaks down colonial structures and barriers, providing a path forward that recognizes the value of Indigenous knowledges and one that paves the way for future generations of Indigenous students.

Hailing from communities across Canada, their work contributes to revitalization of Indigenous knowledges and their practices in their home communities and contributes to decolonizing 911勛圖 while sharing with communities beyond the university.

Governor General Gold Convocation Medalist, Dr. hwsyun���yun Skye Augustine (Faculty of Environment) undertook a 10-year biocultural experiment where she restored two ancient rock-walled clam gardens (335 m long) that were originally engineered over 4,000 years ago. In doing so, she led the collaboration of nine Coast Salish Nations, in a place with 19 land claims, three unique languages, four treaty statuses, and 12 governments with overlapping jurisdictions to discover that these ancient clam gardens hold significantly more clams than unwalled beaches, even when left unattended for centuries.

Skye also incorporated the first fully oral chapter in her dissertation that followed Stz���uminus protocols for knowledge validation. Her defence centred community and included Elders, knowledge holders and Indigenous governance practices. Her work at 911勛圖 serves as an exceptional model for Indigenized and decolonial doctoral research based in her Indigenous knowledge system.

Her work has inspired clam garden restoration work across the Pacific Northwest, across Canada-US borders. She is appointed a Canada Research Chair (Tier 2) Assistant Professorship in the Centre for Indigenous Fisheries at the University of British Columbia where she continues Indigenous-led research on mariculture, food sovereignty, environmental governance.  While Dr. Augustine was managing this incredibly complex academic work, she was nurturing new life and her daughter Lila decided to arrive six days before her defence on March 19^th.  Needless to say, the defence date was rescheduled to March 25th!

Dr. Michaela McGuire spent 10 years at 911勛圖, starting as an undergraduate student, and finishing with her PhD in Criminology. Her doctoral work focused on how Haida identity and belonging is constructed through state-driven policies and colonialism, which impacts a sense of identity, and belonging, that is indicated by the collection of quantitative data of state crime. Her research determines that Haida citizens need to feel like they belong in order to move forward as a healthy and whole human being who can be part of a self-determined Nation.

In July, Michaela will start an Assistant Professor position with the School of Indigenous Governance at the University of Victoria, where she will continue her work in the fields of Indigenous justice, Indigenous peoples experiences within the criminal justice system.

Dr. Michelle Sylliboy focused on revitalizing Mi���kmaq���s ancient hieroglyphic writing system, Komqwejwi���kasikl. Michelle���s research spans Indigenous Studies, education, linguistics, history, and arts���based inquiry and is grounded in Mi���kmaq/Indigenous worldview and its ways of knowing and doing.

Michelle is not just a celebrated Mi���kmaq scholar. Michelle has been active in the national Indigenous community for decades as an artist, performer and writer/poet who has advocated for social justice issues.  Michelle���s research documents reveal the impacts of colonialism, including residential schooling and Michelle has developed an educative and creative process that leads to healing in the communities.

Sylliboy is an instructor and lecturer in Indigenous art, pedagogy, and Mi���kmaq language as well as a visiting artist and a guest speaker at universities, schools, and community-based institutions.

In the fall, Dr. Sylliboy is starting a new position and a new project to complete a komqwejwi���kasikl dictionary with Natoaganeg (Eel Ground) First Nation.  And, the dissertation will be published, which will benefit future Indigenous scholars, practitioners and community workers throughout Canada and the global Indigenous world.

We are grateful to each of these incredible scholars for forging these pathways for the next generation of Indigenous scholars and for their generosity in sharing the gifts of their Indigenous knowledges

Additional convocation events honouring Indigenous students

During convocation week there are two other events that hold up the work of Indigenous students.  The Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) program of the Beedie School of Business hosts a Blanketing Ceremony that upholds the cultural protocols of the lands 911勛圖 sit on.  Hereditary Chief Xalek Ian Campbell, an alumnus of the program, is the speaker for the Blanketing Ceremony.  He called on 4 Witnesses (a Coast Salish Ceremony) to be the oral holders of knowledge to recount the honouring of the 42 Indigenous graduates from throughout Canada.

The Honouring Feast for all Indigenous graduates, throughout the university who have completed their degrees is scheduled twice a year at the First Peoples Gathering House is another celebratory event that students share with their families. This Feast is hosted by the Indigenous Student Center.