We are excited to announce the Centre for Student Engagement (CSE) Indigenous Access Days as one of the recipients for the 2024 Access Programs University Fund (APUF). CSE has been awarded a two-year grant to expand access to post-secondary education for Indigenous high school learners through organized campus visits at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM).

Indigenous Access Days aim to bridge the gap between Indigenous communities and post-secondary education.

“From Indigenous Access Days, we hope that Indigenous students feel empowered to consider post-secondary as a realistic option for our communities and combining western education with traditional Indigenous knowledge to uplift our respective communities,” said Delaney Thomas, Community Engagement Coordinator: Indigenous Access and Inclusion.

CSE has hosted Access Days for several communities and in Fall 2024, they held their first Access Day specifically for Indigenous students. Eight high school students from the Peel District School Board (PDSB) participated in a campus visit, providing them with an immersive experience of university life. They learned about a variety of academic programs, admissions processes and support services available, led by Indigenous staff and students.

“It was important for CSE to create a space specifically for Indigenous Students as our students have specific needs, services and experiences in Post-Secondary,” Delaney said.

CSE plans on expanding the initiative by hosting more events and extending their outreach.

“Moving forward we plan to hold even more Access Days in the future and would love to expand our scope to reserve communities or create an online Access Day for better accessibility for remote communities,” Delaney said. “By prioritizing Indigenous access to post-secondary, we are disrupting the historical patterns of excluding Indigenous thought and voices from western institutions.”

Interested in learning more? Check out their website for more information.

January 22, 2025