Support from day one

Aaron Thompson took his time deciding whether university was right for him.

After high school, the Winnipeg student spent a few years thinking about what he wanted to study and where he would have the best chance to succeed.

When he was ready, UM stood out. Thompson, who is Anishinaabe from Couchiching First Nation in Treaty 3, was drawn by the Indigenous student supports available on campus.

“I felt as though I would have more support and I would have a better chance to succeed in university by coming here than anywhere else,” Thompson says.

One of those supports was the Qualico Bridge to Success Program.

Launched in 2016, the program was created to help new First Nations, Inuit and Métis students make the transition to university. Qualico invested $1 million to establish the program, supporting pre-orientation activities, academic support, advising, peer mentoring and opportunities for students to connect with one another.

In 2022, Qualico renewed its commitment with another $1 million over five years. Since its launch, the program has supported more than 550 Indigenous students as they begin their studies at UM.

“As a company that builds communities, Qualico was drawn to the opportunity to help foster a more inclusive and supportive community at the University of Manitoba," says Kevin Van, president and CEO, Qualico. "We recognize the importance of supporting Indigenous students as they begin their post-secondary journey, and we’re inspired by the success of students like Aaron Thompson and the more than 550 students who this program has already supported."

For Thompson, who is now entering his third year of political science, having that support in place made a difference.

“Just knowing that the Qualico Bridge to Success program was there to have my back if things got rough, and to provide me with the knowledge and the skills that I might not have had the chance to prep myself for, was really a big help,” he says.

The strongest part of the program, he says, was the community that developed over time.

“It’s not one moment where you get to connect with the community,” Thompson says. “The entire time you’re there, you’re building community, you’re finding people that you trust, can confide in and can work together towards a common goal.”

That connection extended beyond campus. Thompson remembers weekend study retreats at FortWhyte as a chance to spend time with other students in a more relaxed setting and strengthen relationships they had been building throughout the year.

Today, Thompson is thriving at UM. He made the Dean’s Honour List in both terms of his second year, and this fall he is heading to Japan for a year through UM’s student exchange program.