At Bow Valley College, we take our commitment to Indigenization seriously. We are proud of our work towards truth and reconciliation. Through the work of the Iniikokaan Centre and our campus colleagues, we are celebrating the unique cultures, traditions, and practices of Indigenous Peoples for the month of March during Indigenous Awareness Month.

We know that reconciliation is a shared responsibility across the College, and we stand by our commitment to a reconciled Canada where all Indigenous Peoples are respected, valued, and included. Through the Iniikokaan Centre, our Indigenous hub, our Indigenous students feel supported and like they truly have a home on our campus. Students like Mizze Cote-Walker, an Addictions Studies student at Bow Valley College and a proud Indigenous woman, know this firsthand.

“I was intimidated to start at a post-secondary, but I was drawn to Bow Valley College because of the Indigenous hub,” Mizze says. “My dad was a residential school survivor, so the prospect of an education, in my family, was different. Education is more than just a piece of paper. Education supports truth and reconciliation. It’s a mindset.”

In addition to the cultural, spiritual, and community support provided on campus, we are proud to offer financial support for our Indigenous students as well. We recognize that many Indigenous students may face unique financial barriers and we are here to help. We would like to thank all our donors and our Bow Valley College community for helping to make programs like this possible. We extend our gratitude to Suncor Energy Foundation, United Way Calgary and Area, Nickle Family Foundation, CIBC, and Imperial Oil for helping support our Indigenous programming. 

Michelle Fournie, Manager of the Iniikokaan Centre, shares the importance of Indigenous Awareness Month for the College and our community. 

“We recognize that there is much to be learned from and with Indigenous peoples and communities,” Michelle says. “The Iniikokaan Centre—a hub of cultural engagement and community building within Bow Valley College—seeks to create safe and respectful opportunities to increase awareness, understanding, and celebration of diversity among Nations. The 2022 programming centres around the theme of ‘identity,’ expressed through language, art, ceremony, and connection. We invite all interested in connecting and reconnecting to join in on the host of activities and events.” 

Many of the events across the College for Indigenous Awareness Month are online and open to the public. Our March Indigenous Awareness events remain essential to the College’s mandate to reduce barriers while increasing attraction and retention of Indigenous students and employees.

For more information or to register for any of the events, contact Michelle at mfournie@bowvalleycollege.ca.