Participants of a previous Transitions to Post Secondary day give their approval of a graduation photo of themselves. The taking of grad photos was among the activities to help the visiting high school students envision themselves at TRU students.

About 180 Aboriginal high school students will envision what it is like to attend Thompson Rivers University during the ninth annual Transitions to Post Secondary on Nov. 13.

Being held at the Kamloops campus, the day is for School District 73 students in grades 10-12.

Through activities, presentations, and tours, students will become more familiar with the buildings, where things are on campus, and the services and resources available to them.

Transitions Day builds upon a strong partnership between TRU, SD 73, and local Aboriginal communities, with all three sharing the common goals of offering Aboriginal students the opportunity to see themselves as post secondary students, and to set the stage for a long-lasting and successful relationship with post secondary education.

See below for the day’s schedule.

“TRU has unique relationships with the local school district and the area’s First Nations,” said Vernie Clement, TRU’s coordinator for both its Aboriginal Mentor program and its Aboriginal community outreach. “Whenever we talk to colleagues throughout the province or the country, they marvel at the relationships we have with our community partners and our ability to provide a strong foundation for our incoming Aboriginal students. We know the relationship-building component of the initiative lends itself to the long-term academic successes of our students.”

About 2,600 of TRU’s on-campus students are Aboriginal, which represents about 11 per cent of the student population. Learn more about Aboriginal Education at TRU.

Media inquiries

Vernie Clement
Aboriginal Mentor and Community Coordinator, Thompson Rivers University
Phone: 250-320-1559
Email: vclement@tru.ca

or

Cheryl A. Sebastian
Aboriginal District Principal, SD 73
Phone: 250-374-0679
Email: csebastian@sd73.bc.ca

Transitions Day schedule

Most events will be held in the Grand Hall or Mountain Room, with both located in the Campus Activity Centre (CAC)

8:30 – 9:15 a.m.          Registration – Grand Hall

9:15 – 9:45 a.m.          Welcome – Grand Hall

Opening Prayer:          Estella Patrick-Moller, TRU Elder

Welcome addresses:

Dr. Nathan Matthew, Executive Director, Aboriginal Education, TRU

Dr. Alan Shaver, President, TRU

Cheryl A. Sebastian, Aboriginal District Principal, SD 73

9:45 – 10:15 a.m.        TRU student panel – “High School & Beyond” – Grand Hall

10:15 – 10:30 a.m.      Break

10:30 – 11:10 a.m.      a) Group 1 – Student engagement activities – Mountain Room

b) Group 2 – “Indigenization at TRU” with Paul Michel – Grand Hall

11:10 – 11:45 a.m.      a) Group 2 – Student engagement activities – Mountain Room – CAC

b) Group 1 – “Indigenization at TRU” with Paul Michel – Grand Hall

11:45 – 12:30 p.m.      Lunch and draws – Grand Hall

12:30 – 1:50 p.m.        Trades tours – School of Trades and Technology building

12:30 – 1:10 p.m.        General campus tours – Group 1

Zombie Apocalypse – Group 2 – Grand Hall

1:10 – 1:50 p.m.          General campus tours – Group 2

Zombie Apocalypse – Group 1 – Grand Hall

1:50 – 2 p.m.               Closing remarks – Draws for door prizes – Grand Hall