The Okanagan Nation Alliance and UBC Okanagan have renewed a commitment to help First Nations students in the valley achieve success in higher education.
Chief Robert Louie of the Westbank First Nation and Deborah Buszard, principal of UBC Okanagan, signed a memorandum of understanding, MUO, Friday. The MUO is a renewal of a commitment the Okanagan Nation Alliance and university first signed in 2005.
There are close to 300 Aboriginal students at UBC Okanagan. Buszard says the re-signing of the MUO re-affirms the university’s commitment to providing educational opportunities to Aboriginal students.
“It’s a continued commitment to be working together and it recognizes the very important role the En’owkin Centre has in helping us deliver appropriate cultural education and also in providing Okanagan language training and teaching as part of our commitment,” Buszard said.
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She emphasizes the purpose of the MUO is to ensure every interested and qualified student has the support he or she needs to get access to higher education.
Pauline Terbasket, executive director of the Okanagan Nation Alliance, says the renewal of the MOU is important because the university has grown and changed since 2005.
She notes it is a sign the university is committed to Aboriginal students.
She adds some of the challenges Aboriginal students face includes socio-economic disparity, high levels of unemployment and financial difficulties in obtaining higher education.
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