Honouring our Indigenous Campus Community

The Office of the Vice-President (Indigenous) is excited to recognize members of the Indigenous community across the University of Manitoba's campuses. Last year, the Indigenous Awards of Excellence evolved to be more reflective of the diverse gifts that our Indigenous campus community members share. We stepped away from the former categories and expanded criteria to ensure that anyone deserving of recognition could be nominated. The name also changed from the Indigenous Awards of Excellence to Honouring our Indigenous Campus Community. In 2024, we will celebrate the eighth year of recognizing students, staff and faculty in a blanketing ceremony.

Up to six students, two staff, one faculty, and one former employee can receive this special recognition.

The nomination period is closed.

The 2024 honourees will be celebrated at the Honouring our Indigenous Campus Community recognition ceremony in June 2024.

Eligibility and nomination criteria can be found below.

Honouring Our Indigenous Campus Community Indigenous Students

  • Honouring Our Indigenous Campus community

  • Students must be enrolled at the University of Manitoba at the time of nomination and recognition with a minimum of 18 credit hours (over fall and winter terms) for undergraduate students or must be active in graduate studies. If a student withdraws before the June 2024 ceremony, they will no longer be eligible. If a student is also a faculty or staff member, the nominator can decide which category they would like to apply.

    Note: Student recipients will also receive $250.00 and acknowledgement on their Experience Record.

Honouring Our Indigenous Campus Community Indigenous Faculty

  • Honouring Our Indigenous Campus community

  • One faculty member will receive this recognition. The faculty member must have been employed by the University of Manitoba for at least one year at the time of nomination and continue their employment until recognition (June 2024). In the Faculty category, any self-declared Indigenous University of Manitoba employee in the following positions (UMFA positions) can be nominated:

    • Professors
    • Associate Professors
    • Assistant Professors
    • Full-Time Lecturers
    • Senior Instructors
    • Instructors II
    • Instructors I
    • Librarians
    • Associate Librarians
    • Assistant Librarians
    • General Librarians

Honouring Our Indigenous Campus Community Indigenous Staff Members

  • Honouring Our Indigenous Campus community

  • In the Staff category, any self-declared Indigenous University of Manitoba employee who does not fall into the Faculty category can be nominated. Up to two Indigenous staff members can be honoured: one for a staff member who has served at least one year, but fewer than 10 years and one with 10 or more years of service. A staff member must be employed by the University of Manitoba at the time of nomination and recognition (June 2024).

    Elders and Knowledge Keepers are eligible to be nominated in either Faculty or Staff categories.

Indigenous Legacy

  • New this year, the Legacy category is for any former self-declared Indigenous University of Manitoba faculty or staff member, who has made a positive impact on the campus community and is worthy of recognition. This individual must have been employed by the University of Manitoba for at least five years. The honouree cannot be employed by UM at the time of nomination and recognition (June 2024).

Nomination Criteria

  • There are many ways in which we inspire one another within our campus community. When you are submitting your nomination, consider how your nominee is making a difference. Below you will find some examples of how folks can inspire:

    •  Considered a role model/mentor, demonstrates high standards of integrity and respect
    •  Significant personal achievement or growth (life, academic, athletic, professional - anything that the nominee should be honoured for)
    •  Contributes to ensuring a sense of belonging within UM for Indigenous students, staff, faculty, alumni and guests
    • Creates pathways for others and dismantles barriers for future generations
    •  Makes connections with Indigenous communities, groups and organizations on and/or off campus
    •  Promotes a positive learning environment
    •  Fosters a greater understanding of Indigenous knowledge, cultures and traditions amongst students, staff and faculty
    •  Builds relationships and community
    •  Demonstrates courage
    •  Demonstrates leadership
    •  Creates a space in which Indigenous students, faculty and staff succeed
    •  Goes above and beyond to advance Indigenous engagement at UM through programming and initiatives
    • Creates space for and/or advances Indigenous pedagogy, research and scholarship
    NEW THIS YEAR: 

    In the nomination package, please include an Indigenous community connection statement for the nominee. The Indigenous community connection statement helps the selection committee to understand the nominee’s kinship ties and responsibilities to their nation (which might include family lines, community relationships, connections to place, citizenship, etc.).

    All nomination materials must be submitted in one complete package, compiled into a single document.

Nomination Form

FAQ

Who can nominate an Indigenous student, faculty or staff member for an award?

Any support staff, faculty or student from UM may submit a nomination. You may not nominate yourself. Support letters can be from individuals outside of UM.

 

How do I nominate an Indigenous student, faculty or staff member?

Step one: Contact the candidate to receive permission to nominate them for an award. Ask if anyone else is nominating them. Each candidate may only be nominated once per year. While we recognize that past recipients of the Indigenous Awards of Excellence and Honouring Our Indigenous Campus Community continue to make exceptional contributions, we will be recognizing people who have not been honoured previously.

Step two: Download and complete the PDF for submitting a nomination. If you experience any problems, please contact Indigenous.Engagement@umanitoba.ca. Please include an Indigenous community connection statement for the nominee and provide specific examples that describe how their contributions relate to the criteria. Please provide details that demonstrate the impact the candidate has made. The selection committee will only consider information that is included in the nomination package, so please complete your nomination in full and in alignment with the criteria. You may use point form.

Step three: You may attach up to two one-page letters of support from other support staff, faculty, students or community supporters to accompany the nomination. It is helpful to share the criteria with those providing the letters so that their examples are informed by the criteria. These letters offer an opportunity to show the contributions of the nominee from different perspectives. The impact of the letter is not weighed by the status of the individual providing the letter, but more on their ability to speak about the contributions the nominee has made.

Step four: Email your completed PDF and support letters to Indigenous.Engagement@umanitoba.ca

The selection committee will only consider information that is included in the nomination package, so please complete your nomination in full.

All nomination materials must be submitted in one complete package, compiled into a single document.

When is the deadline?

All nominations must be submitted by Friday, March 1, 2024, at 4:30 p.m.

Read about last year's ceremony.

Contact Us

Indigenous Engagement 
406-55 Chancellors Circle
University of Manitoba (Fort Garry campus)
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Canada

Indigenous.Engagement@umanitoba.ca