Indigenous

'These people want me to be here. I'll be here.'

How the New Buffalo Education Gathering helps Indigenous students envision their future at UM.

A wide shot of four Indigenous student panelists sitting at a long table. There is a star blanket behind them.
Estimated Read Time:
4 minutes
Student panel discussion at the 2025 New Buffalo Education Gathering.
Student panel discussion at the 2025 New Buffalo Education Gathering.
Estimated Read Time:
4 minutes

For first-year nursing student Raiden Terrick, attending the University of Manitoba's New Buffalo Education Gathering helped answer an important question about where he belonged.

"These people want me to be here. I'll be here."  

Terrick, Anishinabe First Nation from the Roseau River community, says that along with the university's Post-Secondary Club program, last year's New Buffalo Education Gathering helped him picture himself at UM. 

A student in a black jacket stands outside Migizii Agamik with trees in the background.
First-year nursing student Raiden Terrick.

“As an Indigenous student, University of Manitoba offers a lot of Indigenous-based programs, which is a lot more support," says Terrick, who is also part of UM's Mahkwa Omushki Kiim: Pathway to Indigenous Nursing Education (PINE) program. "The support is a lot more welcoming, and it makes you want to do it more." 

A place to belong

Terrick's experience at the gathering is exactly what Desiree Morrisseau-Keesick, Director of Indigenous Student Recruitment and Community Relations at UM, had in mind when she first came up with the concept for the gathering.

"They are the next generation and we want to do whatever we can to help them succeed and let them know they belong here."

Desiree Morrisseau-Keesick, Director of Indigenous Student Recruitment and Community Relations

"Our hope is to make an impact that stays with them long after they leave the event," says Morrisseau-Keesick. "We want the impact to be a feeling of love and admiration for them, their communities and that everything we do is for them. They are the next generation, and we want to do whatever we can to help them succeed and let them know they belong here." 

A group of people sit around a table with laptops, papers and markers. They are looking at the camera.
Participants enjoy snacks and activities at last year's New Buffalo Education Gathering.
Two student advisors sit behind a booth beside a standing banner for the Indigenous Student Centre.
Indigenous Student Centre advisors welcome students at the 2025 gathering.

Now in its fourth year, the New Buffalo Education Gathering is an extension of the large Fall and Winter Term open houses hosted by UM to provide prospective students with an opportunity to explore UM programs, view presentations and visit info booths.

More of a one-day conference style event, the gathering also features a scholars' room, residence tours and a student panel where attendees get to hear from current Indigenous students. There is also a photobooth, prizes and a campus scavenger hunt. 

Headshot image of Desiree Morrisseau-Keesick, smiling at the camera.
Desiree Morrisseau-Keesick, Director of Indigenous Student Recruitment & Community Relations.
Four UM staff members sit together in a large room, smiling and posing for the camera.
UM staff at the 2025 gathering. From left: Kookum Karen Courchene, Desiree Morrisseau-Keesick, Gabrielle Desroshers and Vanessa Lillie.

"We want students leaving feeling “yes, the UM might be big, but boy do they have an incredible Indigenous campus community,” says Morrisseau-Keesick. "We want them to leave feeling excited for the idea of pursuing post-secondary education; and that if they choose UM, they will have so many incredible cheerleaders to help them along the way." 

Student to student

For Terrick, one of the most valuable parts of the gathering was hearing directly from current students in the panel discussion. It gave him an inside-look at what to expect.

“I feel like knowing these things, you're not going to get thrown into the fire,” he says. “That was a big thing for me.” 

Cyrus Maytwayashing is a second-year student with the Faculty of Arts and will be one of the student panelists at this year's gathering. He wants prospective students to know about the Indigenous community support on campus. 

"Having an Indigenous community on campus has been a huge part of my student life," says Maytwayashing.  "It has fulfilled my own achievements, as well as giving me the opportunities to participate in programs such as Bison Spirit as well as Bison Circle." 

A headshot of student Cyrus Maytwayashing wearing a black hoodie and smiling at the camera.
Cyrus Maytwayashing, a student panelist at this year's gathering.
Cyrus Maytwayashing, a student panelist at this year's gathering.

This year’s gathering will take place on Friday, Nov. 13 (registration is now closed). And while they expect to welcome 350 high school students, Morrisseau-Keesick, a member of Grassy Narrows First Nation with maternal ties to Crane River, says they intentionally cap the event at 500 registrants to keep it more intimate.

"Communities would often comment on how regular university open houses were a bit scary, overwhelming, intimidating and had too many people. I wanted to create an intentional event where they felt special and recognized," says Morrisseau-Keesick. 

Creating Connections

While the info booths and student panel discussions helped Terrick feel prepared for university life, the gathering also gave him a chance to connect with other students and experience campus in a more relaxed way. 

He still remembers the pizza gathering in UMSU University Centre and appreciated fun additions like the photobooth, which helped create a welcoming atmosphere.

Two musicians with their backs to the camera perform in front of a crowd of students who are sitting at round tables.
Musicians entertain students over lunch at the 2025 New Buffalo Education Gathering.

Activities like the campus scavenger hunt, live entertainment and photobooth are intentionally woven into the gathering to remind students that university should also be a place where they can build friendships, create memories and enjoy themselves.

"It takes courage to take that next step and explore options, and they should be reminded of that."

Desiree Morrisseau-Keesick, Director of Indigenous Student Recruitment and Community Relations

Morrisseau-Keesick believes that laughter is one of the clearest signs of success.

"When I walk through this event and I see staff, students and chaperones truly enjoying themselves, that to me equates a very successful event," she says. "I am so proud of my team and the passion and love that drives them, but I am also proud of the students and the initiative they take to come explore. It takes courage to take that next step and explore options, and they should be reminded of that." 

By

Jenna Khan

Boilerplate: Empowering Learners

At UM, we encourage life-long curiosity while providing tools – inside and outside the classroom – to succeed in a rapidly changing world. Empowering learners is one of the strategic themes you’ll find in MomentUM: Leading change together, the University of Manitoba’s 2024–2029 strategic plan.