CAMBRIAN COLLEGE
Cambrian College helps new Indigenous students adjust to campus life

Classes begin next week, but Cambrian College is already helping new Indigenous students prepare for the upcoming school year.

The annual Indigenous Transition Program is being held this week at Cambrian's Barry Downe campus.

The program provides a supportive introduction to college life by blending academic preparation with Indigenous cultural teachings, community building, wellness activities, and opportunities to connect with elders, faculty, staff, and fellow students.

"The transition to college is exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming," says Andrea Dokis, Director of Indigenous Student Success and Services at Cambrian's Wabnode Centre for Indigenous Services. "Our Indigenous Transition Program is designed to ensure students know they are not making that journey alone. Before classes begin, new students have the opportunity to build meaningful relationships, connect with culture, become familiar with campus supports, and gain the confidence to begin their academic journey knowing they have a community standing beside them."

Emma Graham is a student in Cambrian's Mechatronics program and a research assistant with Wabnode. She is a former participant in the Indigenous Transitions Program who is helping to coordinate this year's program.

"I have made friends through this program that I am still in contact with today," explains Graham. "This program is important because, for most of the Indigenous people I have met here, it's the first time they have ever left their community, and it can feel isolating, generally and socially, compared to what they feel at home. In this program, they give you teachings and connect you with cultural resources, not just at the college, but in the community itself."

The Indigenous Transition Program is part of Cambrian College's ongoing commitment to supporting Indigenous student success.

Last year, approximately 11 per cent of Cambrian's 5200 students self-identified as Indigenous.

To learn more about Cambrian's Indigenous Transition program, visit https://cambriancollege.ca/indigenous-transition-program.

To learn more about Cambrian's Wabnode Centre for Indigenous Services, visit https://cambriancollege.ca/wabnode.