Georgian College

The Georgian College Alumni Association launched its Connect 2021 strategic plan in 2018, which focused the efforts of the association on improving engagement with college graduates. One of the major pillars of this plan was Enhanced Indigenization, which was developed to improve Indigenous representation in the association, and to expand engagement with Indigenous communities. One of the first actions taken by the association was to introduce a dedicated position on the Alumni Association Executive Council (AAEC) to represent the voice of Indigenous members, and while the council has had representatives from the Indigenous community in the past – this dedicated position ensures that the voice of our Indigenous members will always be represented in the future. The Council was pleased to appoint Christina Beaudin-Smith in February 2019 to this position. Christina graduated from Georgian's Indigenous Community and Social Development program in 2018, and currently works as the Health Choices Cannabis Co- ordinator with Metis Nation of Ontario. CHRISTINA BEAUDIN-SMITH Indigenous Community and Social Development class of 2018 33 GEORGIANVIEW 2019-20 WINTER INDIGENOUS Nadia was the first person in her family to attend postsecondary. She had no natural supports, and felt overwhelmed in the early days at what appeared to be the daunting task of going to college. The support that Nadia received from Georgian College was a game changer. "The amazing staff made the process easy and helped me every step of the way," she recalls. "From choosing a program that I was passionate about, to making sure my financial needs were met." The donor-funded scholarship support that Nadia received as a student ensured that financial barriers would not stand in the way of her success. Since graduating from Georgian College in 2009, Nadia has continued to follow her passion. She com- pleted a Bachelor's of Social Work Degree in 2014 and has been working in the field of social work for more than 10 years. In 2017, she became an advisor to the Child Welfare Political Action Committee of Canada, a federally incorporated not-for-profit that advocates for a progressive child welfare system that uses evidence- based policy making aimed at improving outcomes for youth after care. Nadia is also a passionate actor, and uses this platform to be a healthy role model for Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth. "I want to empower them, so they have the drive to achieve their own goals." Since 2017, Nadia has appeared in a number of television and film roles, including her role as Jolene in Her Water Drum, a film that deals with the topic of missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada, highlighting the impact it has had on individuals, families and communities. The role earned her an Achievement in Acting award at the 2018 Los Angeles Skinsfest Film Festival. Today, with the help of the people that chose to extend a helping hand along her journey, Nadia George of the Mi'gmaw Nation stands proudly as an actress, advocate, postsecondary graduate and proud Indigenous woman. Photo credit: Antonio Gilbreath, AG Media Enterprises

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