Indigenous Student Support

If you are an Indigenous University Student at Cape Breton University, there are many support services available to you that lead to academic success. Some of the support services that make Unama’ki College so unique are listed below. A health and wellness day is held at the beginning of each term to introduce Indigenous students to all of the following support services in this list.

• Indigenous Student Enrolment Specialist
  • Unama’ki College is home to a full-time Indigenous Student Enrolment Specialist who serves as a key point of contact for students. The Enrolment Specialist provides support in a variety of areas, including applying to CBU, academic advising, course selection and registration. They are also available to connect students to the many additional services CBU has to offer, including tutoring, success coaching and mental health services. The Enrolment Specialist can meet with students in person at CBU, our Eskasoni office or in your community and they are available online.
• Kisiku on Campus
  • Unama’ki College is home to a Mi’kmaw Knowledge Keeper and Kisiku on Campus. They bring with them years of traditional knowledge and cultural teachings. They are happy to offer advice, share stories, provide emotional support, and foster a sense of pride among the students and staff at Unama’ki College. In addition to their work within Unama’ki College, they share their knowledge and wisdom in classes and events throughout the university.
• Community Engagement Lead
  • Unama’ki College employs a Mi’kmaw Community Engagement Lead from Membertou First Nation as a Community Engagement Lead. They collaborate with Mi’kmaw Kina’matnewey, community education directors, parents and First Nations community members to support Indigenous students in their educational journeys. They focus on building community connections between Indigenous students, faculty and staff.
• Weekly Academic Support Sessions
  • Weekly sessions are available at the Murdena Marshall Student Lounge with staff members from the CBU Writing Centre, Math & Science Centre and the CBU Library. These staff members provide academic assistance to students completing research and/or assignments.
  • The Murdena Marshall Student Lounge is one of the key and most visible spaces within Unama’ki College. The Lounge is a welcoming, positive space for everyone at CBU. It is a multi-use space with study pods, computers, printers, communal tables, sofa, comfortable chairs, and a fully equipped kitchenette stocked with food and snacks provided through sponsorship by Mi’kmaw Kina’matnewey. The Lounge provides a safe cultural space, which is properly ventilated for smudging ceremonies and used for traditional knowledge sharing workshops. There is always a friendly face in the space with the Unama’ki College staff close by. Whether you need a space to study, write a paper or  relax, the Murdena Marshall Student Lounge is the place for you.
• L’nu Resource Centre
  • The Sister Dorothy Moore L’nu Resource Centre houses materials of cultural and historical importance, accessible for use by CBU students and the general public. With full-time reference assistance, it is open five days a week to help students research Mi’kmaw and other First Nations topics. The Grand Chief Room, within the L’nu Resource Centre, is a separate space for quiet reflection, reading, group project work, or to “get away from it all”.
• L’nu Resource Centre Coordinator
  • The Mi’kmaw Resource Centre (MRC) Coordinator and Research Associate is on hand daily at the MRC to assist and support students, staff, faculty and the public with access to the materials available in the Centre.
• CBU L’nu Health Chair
  • The CBU L’nu Health Chair is a Mi’kmaw Registered Nurse with a passion for Indigenous health research and improving health outcomes for Indigenous youth and communities. The Chair strives to bridge gaps in knowledge, services and programs for community members through applied research. The L’nu Health Chair shares knowledge with students and includes them in the research to help improve health outcomes in L’nu communities.
• Unama’ki College Secretary
  • The Unama’ki College Secretary is the welcoming face to students, the public, faculty and staff of CBU. They provide students and visitors with information about the staff and the services offered by Unama’ki College. They also assist students with their administrative needs, such as mailing, copying, scanning and faxing.
• Daily Bus Service
  • There is a daily bus service from Eskasoni and Membertou which transports students to and from CBU. This service removes transportation barriers so students are able to physically be on campus. Please visit cbu.ca/servicehub/ to learn more about CBU’s student supports
• The Dean of Unama’ki College, Laurianne Sylvester, is Mi’kmaw. Laurianne is a member of the Membertou First Nation community.
• Unama’ki College is home to the Kji-keptin Alexander Denny L’nui’sultimkeweyo’kuom the Mi’kmaq Language Lab. The KADL is the centre for Mi’kmaw language teaching at CBU.
• There are faculty who are Mi’kmaq, who speak the Mi’kmaw language, and who are connected with First Nations communities.

For more information on support services for Indigenous students, contact:

Megan Gillis, Enrolment Services Professional
Unama’ki College, Cape Breton University
Megan_Gillis@cbu.ca