New program at U of S puts first-year Aboriginal students first
- Sarah Taggart | March 17, 2014
When Kristina Bidwell took on the new role of Assistant Dean of Aboriginal Affairs in the College of Arts and Science at the University of Saskatchewan, she was asked to answer a serious question: why were so many Aboriginal students in the College dropping out in first year?
"Once they got through that first year, they had a very high graduation rate," said Bidwell, who is Labrador Métis. "It was that first year that represented the vulnerable spot for most students."
Now as Associate Dean of Aboriginal Affairs, Bidwell discovered that Aboriginal students face multiple barriers, including financial difficulties, family responsibilities, loneliness and isolation. With the assistance of myriad professors in myriad departments across campus, Bidwell developed a program called the Aboriginal Student Achievement Program (ASAP) to address these barriers and provide tailor-made support for first-year students.
Jacquelyne Nokusis is a second-year student in microbiology and immunology, and a graduate of ASAP. Single mom to a seven-year-old daughter, Nokusis first heard about ASAP from her educational coordinator on Peepeekisis Reserve. Intent on continuing the educational trend her mother started by graduating from the College of Law, Nokusis plans to study medicine, with a focus on holistic healing.
For Nokusis, ASAP was about connection.
"Being in a classroom with all Aboriginal people definitely helped," said Nokusis. "It gave you a visual. Like, okay, I'm not the only Aboriginal person here."
The program's features include small classes comprising only Aboriginal students, regular tutorials, mentorship meetings with upper-year Aboriginal students, and a strong focus on creating ties with faculty.
"The most important thing about the program is the relationships that you establish with your educators," said Nokusis.
"If you come here and you feel like people care about you, people notice if you're coming or going, people notice if youre not there, I think that makes a huge difference in first year," said Bidwell.
"I have experienced a lot," said Nokusis, who is now a student mentor in the program. "I've been on my own since I was about 16, I've moved around a lot, I've had to raise a child on my own. I want to share that knowledge."
She added, "But at the same time a student could very well come in and teach me something new. It's not just about me helping, it's about us helping each other."
ASAP is on strong ground in its second year.
"We see it as a success on multiple levels," Bidwell said. "We had students tell us that ASAP is what kept them here, that ASAP made a difference to them."
One student said the program was a great way to make friends.
"Thats not very academic," Bidwell thought at first. "But then I thought, 'That's huge.' If you feel like you have friends here and this is a fun, positive experience for you, then you're likely to keep coming."
And that's what ASAP is all about: keeping Aboriginal students coming to class, in first year and beyond.