In recognition of National Indigenous History Month, we’re gratefully asking the entire Centennial community – donors, alumni, staff, and students – to come together in support of the Ka-naadmaadmi Bursary, launched this past academic year to support Indigenous students experiencing financial challenges.
To learn more about the Ka-naadmaadmi Bursary and the barriers many Indigenous students face when it comes to accessing post-secondary education, we spoke with Seàn Kinsella, Centennial’s first Director of the Eighth Fire.
Can you tell us about the Ka-naadmaadmi Bursary and how it’s helping break down barriers to education for Indigenous students?
The idea for the Ka-naadmaadmi Bursary came about when the Centennial College Student Association (CCSAI) approached me to talk about different ways of supporting Indigenous students as part of their efforts around Indigenization and reconciliation.
I told them that flexible bursary support would be most helpful based on my observations of our Indigenous student population, and they immediately donated $10,000 to launch the bursary –– and committed to giving $15,000 each year!
What’s unique about this bursary is that it’s as unrestricted as we could possibly make it. The money is provided to eligible students within a couple of days, and the funds can be used for any need students may have, whether that’s a new computer, help with rent, the opportunity to go home to see their family, or anything that will help take some of the pressure off. This approach sets students up for success by empowering them to be successful on their own terms. They know what they need to do, they just need the resources to do it.
As soon as we announced the availability of this bursary during the Winter 2021-2022 session, the $13,000 we had available was granted out almost immediately. Bursaries are in the amount of $1,000 each.
Can you tell us a bit about the name of the bursary?
“Ka-naadmaadmi” is an Anishnaabemowin sentence from the dialect specific to Wiikwemkoong, and it translates to “we will help each other.” We worked very hard on ensuring the name was correct and meaningful, and consulted with a fluent speaker of Anishnaabemowin to get it right.
What are some of the unique barriers Indigenous students may face to accessing post-secondary education?
Indigenous students often come up against anti-Indigenous racism in their pursuit of education or employment, whether than means being denied employment because of who they are or encountering racist education systems that tell Indigenous students they’re not suitable for a post-secondary education.
Many Indigenous folks also hold a lot of intergenerational trauma related to education, whether due to Canada’s history of residential schools and day schools or because of the way the mainstream education system is set up now, which is generally very colonial in nature.
But another major barrier is the cost of physically getting to a post-secondary institution. For students from remote communities, the cost of transportation from their home community to attend college or university can be extremely prohibitive, not to mention the cost of returning home to visit their families.
Unfortunately, all of these pre-existing challenges were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Indigenous students were disproportionately impacted by unemployment, and Indigenous communities were disproportionately impacted by the virus itself while having limited access to healthcare due to the way it is set up jurisdictionally. As a result, we recognize that many Indigenous communities that previously would have helped students with the cost of their education could have had to divert resources to COVID-19 response. And many remote communities may not have stable access to internet connectivity, making virtual education extremely challenging.
Sadly, all of this means that much of the success we’ve achieved over the past decade in building relationships with Indigenous students and communities has been destroyed by the pandemic. Like many other colleges in Ontario, enrollment among Indigenous students was severely impacted by COVID and will take significant time to recover.
What would you say to people thinking of making a gift in support of the Ka-naadmaadmi Bursary? What difference will their gift make?
First of all, the need is great and we hope to raise as much money as we can for the Ka-naadmaadmi Bursary to support the unique needs of Indigenous students.
Every single dollar donated in support of this bursary is directly granted to students within a matter of days of their application being reviewed and approved. The impact really is nearly instant, and makes such a difference for students.
But I would also say that donating in support of this bursary is an opportunity to give more agency back to Indigenous folks, which is critical for decolonization. Historically, education has been a very colonial and paternalistic place for Indigenous students –– a place that has felt unsafe and inaccessible for many. But access to education was a fundamental right agreed on in many of the original land treaties, and helping to ensure that access truly is an act of reconciliation.
In addition to fundraising for the Ka-naadmaadmi Bursary, do you have any other activities planned for Indigenous History Month?
We look forward to supporting events being hosted by the Pride Committee for Pride Month, including securing Indigenous performers. We’ll also be introducing our new cultural guide, and we’ll be launching Indigenous friendship spaces at all Centennial campuses to ensure students have access to support no matter where they’re studying.
Thank you, Seán! Donate in support of the Ka-naadmaadmi Bursary.
Your gift will break down barriers to education for students of Indigenous heritage who are enrolled in a part-time or full-time program at Centennial College.
Learn more about the Office of Development and the many ways you can support Centennial students. Every gift – in any amount – is an investment in the unlimited potential of the next generation.