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Dr. Vicky Roy, has been selected to be a part of the Indigenous Education Advisory Committee with Colleges and Institutes Canada. She says MHC is developing a comprehensive Indigenous strategic plan and the school has a lot of good things to come concerning Indigenous education.
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Dr. Vicky Roy, Medicine Hat College’s vice-president academic, has been selected to be part of the Indigenous Education Advisory Committee with Colleges and Institutes Canada.
Roy will provide input on approaches related to Indigenous education and skills development as a member of the committee. She hopes their efforts will have a positive impact on Indigenous learners throughout the country.
Roy says she was very interested when she was offered her spot on the committee, but says MHC has been working to improve Indigenous education long before she was offered the new role.
“I think Medicine Hat College is working for a long time with different partners in the southeastern region and different Indigenous communities to come up with ways to enhance our offerings and make education accessible, especially in the college,” said Roy.
The college is developing a comprehensive Indigenous strategic plan to address current challenges. Between what the college is doing and her new position on the Indigenous Education Advisory Committee, Roy plans to make a difference.
“I believe that access to education is of paramount importance for all Canadians. Unfortunately, there are systemic issues and barriers that continue to make access challenging for certain demographics, and in particular, Indigenous people,” said Roy. “I want to share my knowledge, expertise and experience in post-secondary education in an effort to reduce those barriers and advance opportunities.”
Indigenous education has been an important topic for Roy since she was a student in Quebec and from the beginning of her career as an educator, she says.
Roy adds that her appointment to the committee proves you don’t have to be at one of Canada’s largest schools to make a difference.
“I don’t need to be in a big university, or in a big polytechnic to have a voice there and to represent our region,” said Roy. “We are doing so many great things at Medicine Hat College … and we have a lot of good things coming.”
Other faculty at the college believe Roy’s new role is an important step in the right direction.
“It is a great step for current and prospective Indigenous students because improving safety and inclusion, while Indigenizing the curriculum and college as a whole, will substantially enhance their experience here and ultimately their lives and future,” said David Restoule, Indigenous student specialist at MHC in a news release.
The college is also creating a dedicated space to support Indigenous teaching and tradition. Construction is underway on the Health, Wellness and Athletics expansion and the college will support educational activity aligned to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action to provide a venue to honour and celebrate Indigenous culture and history.
