Two new students share their stories.
The Access Program in Extended Education kicked off its 51st year of providing holistic support for students at its annual student orientation held during the first week of September.
Each year, Access welcomes 50 to 60 new students during the week before UM classes start. Over 80 percent of students in Access are Indigenous.
“On the final day of orientation, we see groups forming. Students connect with those they will soon be studying with. Their communities are taking shape. That’s what we want, to create community,” says Shawna Bowler, Student Support Case Manager for the Access Program.
Access is a program for people who have experienced any kind of barrier to education, says Bowler, the urban Indigenous person from Winnipeg whose community is Tatanka Najin Standing Buffalo Dakota Nation. “Barriers might be related to health, mental health, coming from a small rural community, coming back to school after a number of years, working and parenting while going back to school. Responsibilities outside of school make it harder. Barriers are different for every person.”
The UM alum who holds both a Bachelor of Arts and a Social Work degree, says her role at Access is to look at student wellness in a holistic way. “Wellness is rooted in relationships- our relationship to each other, to the land, to the university. Orientation is an opportunity for students to learn about UM, campus services, policies, classes, and to meet each other.”
Students who apply to the Access Program are interviewed in May, and Bowler is part of that process. She also connects with them over the summer months, and meets with them in the fall and for a winter check-in. “I get to know them and their needs.”
This was her fifth orientation, and she says, “I like to work with the students, to watch them change, and see them graduate. It is rewarding to see them complete their journey.”
Two new Access Program students share their stories.
Jeremy Raven is Ojibway and grew up in Winnipeg. His family is from Brokenhead Ojibway First Nation.
“I feel like the Access Program is what I need,” says Raven, after attending its orientation. “The culture, the support. I am building a new family here.”
Raven comes to UM as a mature student and father of four with plans to earn his Social Work degree. “I practice the Anishinaabe way. I attend ceremonies. I am a sun dancer,” says the action therapist who works with youth and men in transition housing since he started his recovery journey post-incarceration. “I once walked a different path. I have made changes.”
In 2021, he attended adult education to complete high school and graduated as his class valedictorian. He started sun dancing, following his culture and learning more about it. Then, he completed addictions and mental health studies.
Raven learned about Access while doing a men’s group at UM. It sparked the idea for him to continue his studies. He applied.
“I am very inspired. Some students are just out of high school. Others are restarting their careers. I feel like the experience and information I have will be beneficial to others, as theirs will be to me. We can work together.”
Ever busy supporting the inner-city community by attending weekly walks, traditional drumming, and speaking at schools, as well as working full-time and being a dad, Raven plans to make school a top priority this fall, after his kids of course, noting how earning a university credential will help him to overcome barriers that linger from his past.
“Education is the key to success,” he says. “I want to continue to support people in the best way I can, so they can see that change is possible. I will continue to make a difference somewhere. I want to be that voice, that person people can relay on and ask for support.”
Talia Pelletier is from Lorette, Manitoba. She is Ojibway and French. Her grandmother was from Brokenhead Ojibway First Nation, but did not grow up there. Pelletier started to connect with her culture for the first time in high school, joining drumming and smudges, making ribbon skirts, and hearing from elders through the school’s Indigenous students association. “It was really eye-opening and amazing to explore my history and heritage.”
She is now a UM student with the Access Program.
Pelletier learned about Access when she and her parents consulted an Indigenous recruiter at UM to learn about the supports available to her as an Indigenous student. Now she is working on her Bachelor of Health Sciences degree first with plans to see what sparks her interest from there.
“I have always liked science, math, and helping people. I want to be passionate and happy doing it.”
Access’s Orientation was very helpful, she says.
“I learned about the many supports available to me. Students shared their experiences. It was an opportunity to start building a community. I have already made friends,” says Pelletier.
“It provided friends and comfort, that I don’t have to take it all on alone.”
Coming from a small town, Access introduced her to a bigger place, many new people, and opportunities. As a result, she attended her first class with confidence. “Orientation provided a nice introduction and transition to university life. I felt way more at ease.”
Creating space for everyone to thrive is more than a goal—it’s who we are. Fostering a vibrant community is among the commitments you’ll find in MomentUM: Leading change together, the University of Manitoba’s 2024–2029 strategic plan.
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