 It is a one-year access program for First Nation M18 Inuit students to take full-time studies and potentially transfer with 18 to 24 credits completed into a degree program. What are the programs about learning objectives? We want students to get comfortable with post-secondary expectations. We want students to obtain courses that are transferable into their degree program. We want students to build community and work together, learn more about their culture and collaborate with their peers, and complete their post-secondary degree program of choice successfully. What, in your opinion, makes an example of excellence in Indigenous education? I think the program being a cohort, allowing students to work together collaboratively and build community for an entire year, while being registered as full-time post-secondary students, is unique and a great opportunity to capacity build and allow them to learn about themselves, their culture, and university life before they transition into their degree programs. Do you measure the success of your program? Personally, if a student has a good experience and is encouraged to pursue post-secondary based on their experience in the transition year program, I consider that a success. However, more specifically, if a student can complete the program and transfer into their degree successfully, that's generally how we measure quantitatively if students have been successful. Do you notice a difference or change in participants at the end of the program from the beginning? Yes, students who engage in the program and take part in the events and activities are so much more confident and self-assured and eager to learn more about their subject areas. They walk with confidence around campus. They know how to navigate different post-secondary systems. They know how to advocate for themselves and they know how to communicate and problem solve. Is enrollment in the program relatively high? We're receiving a record number of applications. We have a maximum number of seats we're able to accommodate and we're generally very close, if not exceeding our enrollment capacity. Have you received any feedback for evaluation of the program from previous students or other teachers? We do program evaluation of asking students for feedback about the program overall as well as the specific courses that I instruct, university studies, that's mandatory to the program. I have informal feedback from instructors that we've either hired or have been delegated to instruct sections of our courses to determine what's worked well and what potentially needs to change for the courses moving forward. How would you define the word Indigenous? That's a complicated question. I serve students that identify as First Nation Mateur Inuit. I understand Indigenous can mean Indigenous from lots of different places in the world but our program has a mandate to serve students that identify and provide proof that they're First Nation Mateur Inuit. Is Indigenous a term that you would normally use? When speaking generally, yes. I address the students as Indigenous students or when I'm speaking about the students, either or vastly between Indigenous and saying First Nation Mateur Inuit. We try to look at education from a really holistic perspective, so growing and challenging yourself to improve mentally, spiritually, emotionally, and physically so we try to approach how we teach and how students learn holistically. I guess all together from your perspective, what is Indigenous education? I think education is opportunities to learn and grow that are receptive to other ways of knowing that aren't restricted to colonial viewpoints that aren't inclusive of marginalised populations' perspectives. So I think Indigenous education is education where Indigenous students feel welcome, valued, appreciated, and have opportunities to learn about theirs and other people's cultures and histories and stories. What is your vision for the future of Indigenous education in your community here at the University? Ideally any Indigenous student that has demonstrated they have the potential to be successful in a post-secondary program should have the opportunity to be admitted into that program. So I would like to see that the institution takes responsibility for offering more opportunities to Indigenous students, understanding that they've come from systemically underrepresented and underfunded communities or educational systems where they may not have had the same opportunities as other high school students to gain the skills in order to be successful in a post-secondary program. So I'd like to see that the door is open for anybody that wants to get the education that's ready to start the educational journey that they have the opportunity to do so. I have the same question but in all of Canada. Same thing, that there's funding available, that there's program space made available, that the post-secondary programs are receptive to the unique needs and educational challenges of Indigenous students. Aside from funding, what information, materials, resources do you need to achieve that vision? Well funding is a big part of it, but also community support. A lot of our success is based on our reputation and the students and community members willing to endorse what we do. I also couldn't run the program without the support of elders and knowledge keepers that are willing to give up their time to meet with students, support students. A lot of the programming we offer in the center is donated dollars. So if people are able to give up their time and provide those supports, that makes a big difference in what I'm able to do. But a lot of it comes down to financial resources and also having really good quality staff and educators. Aside from the programs in which you are personally involved, what information do you have on other Indigenous education programs in Canada? I try to keep up on what other universities are doing. I'm aware of the majority of the programs in the province of Alberta that have preferential admission or specific programs for transition or bridging for First Nation maintenance students. I like to think I know what's going on across Canada, but I don't always have a good idea. I attend conferences when I can and get updates through different organizations. But as programming opportunities change, I'm not always kept up with what's happening across the entire country.