Schooling is the pathway to better opportunities for so many. But for students like Austin, ambition alone may not be enough. EPCOR helps remove barriers to educational success — from kindergarten to post-secondary
Huge lectures halls, stressful courses, and feeling alone at a massive college or university is a stressful prospect for anyone. For students fresh out of high school it can be scary. For someone who has been in the workforce for a few years, it can be overwhelming. Support is essential, especially when a student is considering more challenging disciplines.
The Conference Board of Canada states that while Indigenous people make up over four percent of Canada’s population, only about two percent work in fields focused on science, technology, engineering, and math, known as STEM. The Board goes on to say that improving Indigenous participation and leadership in major economic sectors, such as science, technology, and finance, is an important part of the reconciliation journey.
Donations from EPCOR to the University of Alberta’s Transition Year Program (TYP) are helping address some of these issues. The three-year, $130,000 investment allows the university’s First Peoples’ House to create inclusive, supportive learning environments for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit (FNMI) students, specifically for those pursing degrees in STEM-related fields.
“When we sat around a table together, we had an interesting discussion about why more students weren’t pursuing STEM,” says Gillian Adams, Senior Manager Marketing and Community Investment at EPCOR. “It was that conversation that led to a really creative solution and ultimately a proposal by the University of Alberta, and our commitment to funding that would reduce class sizes.”
Today, the TYP offers students smaller classes, as well as one-on-one tutoring, refresher classes, and ongoing academic support whenever someone needs it. Smaller classes are less intimidating and foster stronger, more supportive relationships between instructors, students and their peers, many who are from rural communities and are away from home for the first time.