Some of the about 220 students (and an adult) who attended the 2011 edition of Aboriginal Transitions Day held Nov. 17, 2011.

Thompson Rivers University hosts its Annual Transitions Day for Aboriginal Students in School District 73 Thursday,  November 17th.

220 grade 11 and 12 Aboriginal high school students will spend the day touring the TRU campus, engaging with academic faculties, participating in student run leadership activities, and hearing from past and current Aboriginal students in a student panel discussion on their experiences with post secondary.

Of TRU’s nearly 14,000 on-campus students nearly 1,600 are Aboriginal.

This innovative initiative builds upon a strong partnership that exists between TRU, SD 73 and the local Aboriginal communities who share the common goals of offering Aboriginal students a space to envision themselves as post secondary students and to set the stage for a long lasting and successful relationship with post secondary education.

“As a comprehensive university, TRU offers Aboriginal graduates many pathways to education, regardless of their entry point.” – Joanne Brown, TRU’s Coordinator of Services for Aboriginal Students.

According to BC’s Student Transitions Project data, only 8% of BC’s Aboriginal high school graduates are ‘university eligible’ compared to 31% of BC’s non-Aboriginal graduates.

University eligible is defined as having a high school GPA of 75% or higher and completion of certain academic courses.

“As a comprehensive university, TRU offers Aboriginal graduates many pathways to education, regardless of their entry point,” said Joanne Brown, Coordinator of Services for Aboriginal Students.

“TRU’s university preparation courses, it’s vast array of certificates, diplomas, and trades programming, and its many baccalaureate options means that Aboriginal students can begin and end their educational journey at TRU,” Brown said.