On this page Applied Science & Technology Business & Entrepreneurship Health & Education Indigenous Skilled Trades Contact On this page Applied Science & Technology Business & Entrepreneurship Health & Education Indigenous Skilled Trades Contact Speaker Series Shared Discovery We believe in the power of connection and information. Through our Speaker Series, we are bringing together people across disciplines who have great ideas, insight, and experiences to share. We hope you will join us throughout the year for these informative special events. Applied Science & Technology The relationship between applied science and technology has always been complex. Join us as we explore connections, spark progress and shed light on opportunity. Coming Soon Stay tuned! Business & Entrepreneurship Good dialogue underpins great businesses. Knowing your customer base and delivering value is critical in today's competitive market. Join the conversation with trusted and accomplished members of your business community. Coming Soon Stay tuned! Health & Education We think a healthy discussion is good for everyone. Join us as we learn from the talented, knowledgeable and caring health professionals in our community. Coming Soon Stay tuned! Indigenous We are committed to building a campus environment that honours Indigenous traditions, languages, and worldviews. Join us and deepen your understanding of Indigenous knowledge and perspectives through learning. Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults: Educators Course All educators are invited to join NWP Indigenous Services for four engaging and insightful sessions, which will unpack the essential elements of Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults. The sessions will be facilitated by award-winning, best-selling Indigenous author Monique Gray Smith, who adapted Robin Wall Kimmerer’s New York Times best-seller, Braiding Sweetgrass, for a new generation of readers. Robin Wall Kimmerer will join us virtually for the first session of this course. Monique & Robin will take us on a learning journey, exploring the 6 sections of the book and the chapters within each of them, including key content for classroom and school use. In each session, we will attend to: Indigenous wisdom Teaching of the Plants Scientific Knowledge History and Social and Emotional Wellness The reflection questions, calls to action and beautiful illustrations by Nicole Neidhardt. Event Details Dates: January 19, 21, 26, 28, 2026 Time: 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Location: Room D208 Register Here The Outdoor Learning School and Store Learn more about the Outdoor Learning School & Store initiative and how it provides positive, healthy & effective learning opportunities that improve the physical, emotional and mental health of educators and learners alike. Four Seasons of Indigenous Learning Everyone is invited to join Indigenous Services for a monthly learning session. Each session features different Indigenous scholars, educators, or leaders who share perspectives on important issues related to the complex topic of truth and reconciliation. In-person discussion to follow. Event Details Dates: See schedule below Time: 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Location: Room D208 Register Here Speaker Schedule Date Time Speaker Thursday January 15 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Leona Prince Thursday February 12 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Mark Thomas Thursday March 12 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Dr. Gregory Cajete Thursday April 9 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Debra Fisher Thursday May 14 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm David A. Robertson More About the Presenters Leona Prince Leona Prince is a Dakelh woman from Nak’azdli Whut’en, is a proud member of the Lake Babine Nation, and belongs to the Lhts’umusyoo (Beaver) Clan. She is an award-winning educator and is Director of Instruction for Indigenous Education in School District 91 Nechako Lakes. From a young age, she understood the power of story. She is also now the author of a few beautiful children’s books: Be a Good Ancestor, A Dance Through the Seasons and Remember Who You Are / kiskisi awîna kiya (bilingual English / Plains Cree). Leona has always had a love for traditional and contemporary stories. The two most prominent storytellers in her life were my Sakiy (Great-Aunt) Catherine Caldwell and my Stseets (Grandfather) John Barfoot. When she was a little girl, each of them would weave stories from the two cultures that she descends from. Her Aunt wove beautiful stories from her Dakelh history that spoke of creation as a people. Mark Thomas Mark Thomas is a Kinbasket descendant and member of the Shuswap Band, born in Invermere, BC. Mark is sitting on his second 4-year term on Council for the Shuswap Band and holds the portfolios for Aquatics, Fish, BC Hydro, Forestry, CRT, Salmon restoration, and several shared portfolios with the rest of Chief and Council, including Parks, Recreation and Culture. Mark is educated in and has worked in the natural resource management field for over 30 years, much of that time advocating for the return of our Salmon stocks. Mark has attended Nicola Valley Institute of Technology (NVIT) in their Integrated Resource Management Program (IRM) and the University of Lethbridge’s Environmental Sciences Program. In May 2023, Mark was stood up as Salmon Chief for his community. Dr. Gregory Cajete Dr. Gregory Cajete is a Tewa Indian from Santa Clara Pueblo, New Mexico. Currently, he is Director of Native American Studies and an Associate Professor in the Division of Language, Literacy and Socio-cultural Studies in the College of Education at the University of New Mexico. Dr. Cajete has received several fellowships and academic distinctions, including the American Indian Graduate Fellowship from the US-DOE Office of Indian Education (1977-78); the D’arcyMcNickle Fellowship in American Indian History from the Newberry Library, Chicago, IL (1984-85); and the KatrinLamon Fellowship in American Indian Art and Education (1985-1986) from the School of American Research in Santa Fe, NM. Dr. Cajete has authored a number of books, including Native Science: Natural Laws of Interdependence. Debra Fisher Deb Fisher is the Minister of Children and Families and the Minister of Education for the Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC). She was appointed to the Executive as Secretary for Métis Nation BC for this term and continues to serve on the Ktunaxa/Kinbasket Children and Family Service Society and Interior Health Leadership Table. Her historical Métis family names are Bourassa/ Boyer/ Piche/ Ouellette/ Dumont/ Ross on her mother’s side from Red River, Manitoba and Batoche/Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan area. David A. Robertson David A. Robertson is a member of Norway House Cree Nation and lives in Winnipeg. David is a two-time Governor General’s Literary Award winner and has won the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award and the Writer’s Union of Canada Freedom to Read Award. He has received several other accolades for his work as a writer for children and adults, podcaster, public speaker, and social advocate. He was honoured with a Doctor of Letters by the University of Manitoba in 2023 for outstanding contributions to the arts and distinguished achievements. In his bestselling memoir, Black Water, he shares the story of a son who grew up away from his Indigenous culture, who takes his Cree father on a trip to the family trapline and finds that revisiting the past not only heals old wounds but creates a new future. His newest book, 52 Ways to Reconcile, offers a guide to understanding how small, attainable acts towards reconciliation can make an enormous difference in our collective efforts to build a reconciled country. The Outdoor Learning School and Store Learn more about the Outdoor Learning School & Store initiative and how it provides positive, healthy & effective learning opportunities that improve the physical, emotional and mental health of educators and learners alike. Winter Storytelling Course with Richard Van Camp Everyone is invited to join Indigenous Services for a winter storytelling course, Indigenous Storytelling: Creativity, Reclamation & Miracles. Participate in 4 x 75-minute online sessions with bestselling author and internationally renowned Tlicho Dene storyteller Richard Van Camp. Richard will share four of his passions with us in February: writing, storytelling, reclaiming family medicines and sharing miracle stories. In-person reflection to follow. Event Details Date: Monday, February 2, 9, 23 and March 2 Time: 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Location: Collins Recital Hall (L106) Register Here Course Overview Session #1 - Creative Writing: Come learn the art of designing characters and sharing why we need conflict in our stories. Session #2 - How to Become a Better Storyteller: Get ready to learn the art of storytelling that you can share anywhere, anytime with anyone. Session #3 - Reclaiming Family Medicines for Yourself, Your Community and for Future Generations: Learn how to be an archivist to find what you deserve for peace in your own life and so much more. Session #4 - Miracle Stories: Everything I Share Here is True Even If You Don’t Believe It! The most amazing miracle stories. You won’t even believe it. Jaw-dropping and soul-dazzling. Get ready. The best part? It’s all true. The Outdoor Learning School and Store Learn more about the Outdoor Learning School & Store initiative and how it provides positive, healthy & effective learning opportunities that improve the physical, emotional and mental health of educators and learners alike. Skilled Trades Be it innovative discoveries or changing technology, these days the tools for success are ever-changing. Come and benefit from experienced industry and trade specialists. Coming Soon Stay tuned! Get in Touch For information about our Speaker Series, please contact us at Engage@NWPolytech.ca