Ignite your leadership potential
Applications are open for NEW Bison Spirit Indigenous Leadership program
Symbolizing strength, resilience and unity, the bison holds profound significance for Indigenous cultures across Turtle Island.
It’s fitting, then, that the Bison Spirit Indigenous Leadership Program draws its name from this mighty animal. A new co-curricular program at the University of Manitoba (UM), Bison Spirit allows Indigenous students to explore their strengths and potential as leaders, both on UM campuses and in community.
“This strength-based program will provide a supportive, identity-affirming space where Indigenous students can develop their leadership potential and expand their network by connecting with other student leaders on campus,” says Sadie Lavoie, Indigenous leadership program coordinator.
Designed specifically for Indigenous UM students who have completed less than 30 credit hours of coursework, Bison Spirit will enable students to hear from and connect with Elders, Knowledge Keepers and Indigenous leaders in different sectors. They will also have the opportunity to participate in skill-building workshops, like public speaking.
Sadie Lavoie, program coordinator
“We’ll be exploring what it means to be a leader and discovering opportunities for students to get involved [in community],” says Lavoie. “In other words, what type of leader are you and how can we build that capacity?”
Participants will gather twice a month during the academic year. Each gathering begins with a shared dinner, followed by sessions on leadership, team-building activities, workshops, and/or check-ins. Applicants are encouraged to review the gathering dates to ensure they can commit to them.
Cree student Brooke Anderson Baptiste was looking for an Indigenous student leadership program when she transferred from the University of Alberta to UM last year, but didn’t have enough credit hours to join the Indigenous Circle of Empowerment* yet. She says an introductory leadership program like Bison Spirit would have helped fill the gap and given her more time to immerse herself in the Indigenous campus community.
“That would have meant a lot [to me] to get comfortable,” says Anderson Baptiste, a political studies and economics student from Samson Cree Nation in Alberta. “For a lot of students coming from the reserve, it’s important to know you’re not alone and your experiences are valid. You find other students to grow with through your leadership journey.”
Bison Spirit is open to full-time Indigenous (First Nations, Métis and Inuit) students who have completed under 30 credit hours of coursework (with a minimum GPA of 2.5). Applications for the 2024/25 cohort are open until Sept. 16. Apply today!
*For students who have completed more than 30 credit hours of coursework and are looking for a leadership development program, the Indigenous Circle of Empowerment (ICE) is also accepting applications until Sept. 16. Stay tuned for a UMToday article summarizing highlights from the 2023/24 ICE cohort!