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Thompson Rivers University
Thompson Rivers University

Office of Indigenous Education

The Office of Indigenous Education is the administration and academic office that reports directly to the Provost and Vice-President Academic. The office works with the deans, faculties and departments on Indigenization across the campus.

This includes incorporating TRC 94 Calls to Action and UNDRIP into courses, curriculum, and programs.

This office also liaises and connects TRU with the surrounding Indigenous communities and organizations for research, partnerships and collaboration.

We support Indigenization efforts at every level of the university and provide specific support for Indigenous employees, students and Indigenous communities.

Contact


Meet the team

Tina MatthewExecutive Director, Office of Indigenous Education
Tina MatthewExecutive Director, Office of Indigenous Education

Weyt-kp xwexwéytep! Tina respectfully acknowledges Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc territory where the TRU Kamloops campus is located and is grateful to be a guest in beautiful unceded Secwépemc territory. She is a proud Secwépemc woman and member of Simpcw First Nation...

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Vernie ClementAssociate Director, Office of Indigenous Education
Vernie ClementAssociate Director, Office of Indigenous Education

Dahooja. Si Vernie Clement ts'uhutni, Dakelh nusdli 'ink'ez Lhoosk'uz Whut'en. Su'uma 'en Rosa Chantyman, 'en Lhoosk'uz whut'en, 'ink'ez su'uba 'inle 'en Nazkoh whut'en 'ant'e. Su'adoo 'inle 'en Agnes Chantyman 'en sghestan 'uski nusdli da, Lheyidli 'ink'ez Lhoosk'uz whuz. K'an...

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Ted GottfriedsonSecwépemc Cultural Advisor
Ted GottfriedsonSecwépemc Cultural Advisor

Weytkp, my name is Ted Gottfriedson. I am from TTk’emlúps te Secwépemc. My parents are Ted and Evelyn Gottfriedson (Thomas) from Tk’emlúps, my paternal grandparents were Gus and Millie Gottfriedson (Manuel) from Tk’emlúps; my maternal grandparents were Squwey and...

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Garry GottfriedsonTteS Cultural Advisor
Garry GottfriedsonTteS Cultural Advisor

Gottfriedson is from Kamloops, BC. He is strongly rooted in his Secwépemc (Shuswap) cultural teachings. He holds a Masters of Arts education degree from Simon Fraser University. In 1987, the Naropa Institute in Boulder, Colorado awarded a Creative Writing...

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Kimberly RolleAdministrative Assistant
Kimberly RolleAdministrative Assistant

Kimberly Rolle was born on the island of Freeport, Grand Bahama in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. She has five siblings (three sisters and two brothers). She was raised by her mother and grandfather in the oldest Bahamian village...

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Megan BanmanSupervisor

Megan is from a small prairie town in southern Manitoba on Treaty One territory. She is Métis and her family has ties to the Manitoban Red River Settlement. She taught kindergarten to Grade 6 for 18 years before moving...

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Kaleena CarriereAdvancement Officer, Indigenization
Kaleena CarriereAdvancement Officer, Indigenization

Kaleena proudly identifies as Metis and embraces and honors her ancestors from the Red River Métis Settlement in Manitoba. Kaleena was born in Kamloops and her family has connections to the area and surrounding communities within the traditional territory...

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Emma McMillanTransitions Coordinator
Emma McMillanTransitions Coordinator

Emma is proud to identify as a Secwépemc woman with roots in the Simpcw First Nation, just north of Kamloops. She was born and raised in Kamloops, going to school at Kamloops School of the Arts, formerly Beattie, and then...

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Wynona EdwardsASP Cultural Coordinator
Wynona EdwardsASP Cultural Coordinator

Wynona is from Ts'kw'aylaxw First Nation of the St'at'imc people. Although she was born and raised her in the Tk'emlúps to Secwépemc territory, within the unceded tradition lands of the Secwépemc Nation here in BC. She is currently in her...

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Laura GrizzlypawsIndigenous Educational Developer
Laura GrizzlypawsIndigenous Educational Developer

Grizzlypaws was born and raised in Lillooet, British Columbia in the Interior Plateau region, she is of St’át’imc descent. Her ancestral name is "Stálhalamcen – Grizzly Paws," She belongs to the people of Xwisten the Bear Clan. She is...

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Robert EdwardWork Study
Robert EdwardWork Study

Robert Edward is a Similkameen/Syilx from Keremeos, British Columbia, and is in the Natural Resource Science program. As a Syilx person, he cares very much about the land he comes from and hopes to learn as much as he...

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Ellis RondquistWork Study
Ellis RondquistWork Study

Ellis is a BSW student with a minor in sociology who is Métis, Nehiyawak (Cree), and settler descent. They use they/them pronouns and are urban Indigenous and white passing. They are also queer and has a specific area of...

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Thompson Rivers University campuses are on the traditional lands of the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc (Kamloops campus) and the T’exelc (Williams Lake campus) within Secwepemcúl’ecw, the traditional and unceded territory of the Secwépemc. Our region also extends into the territories of the St’át’imc, Nlaka’pamux, Nuxalk, Tŝilhqot’in, Dakelh, and Syilx peoples. » TRU Service Area » Secwepemcúl’ecw Territory


Major projects

  Academic


Support for programs aimed at Indigenous students in the School of Nursing, Bachelor of Education, Trades, Bob Gaglardi School of Business and Economics, Faculty of Arts, and Faculty of Law.


Elimination of educational and employment gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians by setting measurable and achievable goals in the areas participation, retention and completion rates of Indigenous students.



Ministry of Post Secondary Education and Future Skills funding to support community, rural/urban Indigenization initiatives. For example, Transitions to Post-Secondary where we invite Indigenous students from school districts in the TRU service area — SD 73 Kamloops, SD 27 Williams Lake, SD 58 Merritt, SD74 Gold Trail, SD 83 Salmon Arm.


Outbound Travel Opportunities for Indigenous Students — international Indigenous partnerships and student publications through the Knowledge Makers Journal in collaboration with All My Relations Indigenous Research Center


This image shows Sek̓lép (Creator, Trickster, teacher) on his educational journey at TRU. This image is synonymous with indigenization and represents working in partnership and supporting one another.

  • Dark blue on the outside represents Séwllkwe (Water)
  • Green represents Specéc (Air)
  • Brown represents the Tmicw (Land)
  • Orange represents the Skwék̓w7es (Sun)
  • Yellow represents the Mégcen (Moon)

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