YourTV covered Niagara College’s second annual Indigenous Education Student Awards Banquet, held at Club Roma. The event honoured Indigenous students at the College and recognized the recipients of the Dr. Phyllis Webstad Indigenous Scholarship.
Leah Hogan, Director of Indigenous Education at NC, highlighted the significance of the evening: “This evening is really about uplifting our students and celebrating them and their accomplishments, but also just letting them know that they’re not alone–that they’re feeling a sense of community surrounding them, that we’re all rooting for [them]. Even if they don’t see us every day, we’re all here standing behind them. That’s the whole purpose for having an event like this.”
Dr. Chris McGrath, Vice-President, Students, also attended the event and spoke about the College’s first-ever Indigenous Engagement Strategy during the segment. He shared the launch of Strong Students, Stronger Future, a new funding program beginning this fall that will cover tuition and ancillary fees for each year of study for First Nations students and former youth in care entering their first program at NC.
“What we’re doing is removing the most significant financial barrier that any First Nations student or former youth in care will experience. Let’s get that out of the way and let’s help you get in, through, and out of college,” he said.
Watch the March 27 segment here.
