Kwe Sewakwé:kon,
It has been difficult for me to get in the habit of posting regularly but I have emerged from the comfort of my quiet life to share some of my experiences as a grad student. Many other students ask me for help and advice and a few of them made me realize how much I have figured out (with help) along the way. I hope that sharing my experiences will help some of you with the struggles of university and grad school. Posting here, there is a better chance that the info will reach a broader audience. When I mention universities, programs, or any other resources I will provide as many links as possible to help you all out. I also added some additional info at the end of the post for those of you unfamiliar with some of the lingo.
In this post, I would like to start with an overview of my educational background. In 2013, I began my studies as an undergraduate student at Concordia University in the First Peoples Studies Program (FPST). I also have a minor in Anthropology. I completed my degree in the spring of 2017 with Great Distinction* and served as an Arts and Science Valedictorian (my speech is on the “video” page). There are currently no graduate degree programs in First Peoples/Indigenous studies in Quebec. Luckily, Concordia has an Individualized Program (INDI) that allows you to build a unique multidisciplinary Master’s or Doctoral program. I put together an Individualized Master’s degree grounded in First Peoples/Indigenous studies that merges education, anthropology, communication, history, and applied human sciences. My Master’s research is on the Indian day schools in my home community of Kahnawà:ke. I expect to complete this research and graduate this Spring, 2019.
I have received numerous messages and emails with questions about things like: FPST, scholarships, grad studies, student leadership, INDI program, grad school applications, choosing research topics, territorial acknowledgements, cultural protocols, Indigenous issues, and so on. As a graduate student, I have tackled some of the typical issues that arise and faced a few unique ones as an Indigenous person. After this initial post, I plan to write about each of these topics one by one. Note that I am not an “expert”, just someone who is willing to share my experiences in the hopes that it helps someone else.
In Peace & Friendship,
Wahéhshon (“She walks about”)
*Great Distinction (Definition at Concordia University, note that gpa is calculated on a 4.3 scale)
Access Nov 26, 2018: http://www.concordia.ca/academics/undergraduate/calendar/current/sec16/16.html
16.1.9 High Academic Achievement
A degree “With Distinction” will be awarded to students who obtain a final graduation grade point average (FGGPA: see §16.3.10 II.c) of at least 3.40 and below 4.00.
A degree “With Great Distinction” will be awarded to students who obtain a final graduation grade point average (FGGPA) of 4.00 or greater.