Georgian College

21 GEORGIANVIEW 2021 SPRING INDIGENOUS CONNECTION Opportunities to participate in Native Way training were then extended college wide. She shares that as quickly as the opportunities became available, the sessions would fill up. "I think what made the training so powerful was that it was not about non-Indigenous people writing history. Rather, it was about Indigenous people talking about their lived experiences with non-Indigenous people, and I think that's where the power of it really came from, and where relationships were built." New programs were introduced at Georgian following this training, and Maryann recalls that these programs were introduced as part of the college's health programs. As the program co-ordinator at the time, the new programs also became her responsibility. "We may have had 30 Indigenous students across the entire college back then, but it was so hard to know because there were no tracking mechanisms or ways for students to self-identify," she notes. Native Way training was intended to help Georgian learn how to be welcoming for Indigenous students and eventually establish a trusting relationship that would make it more comfortable for students to self-identify. Maryann recalls the moment when Pat Lang, then-Vice President, Academic, made the decision to assign Pam Dokis as an Academic Director for the new Indigenous programs (equivalent to an Academic Dean today). "She said, 'the only way we can effect change is if Pam is at a level where she can be a changemaker and at a table where she has the support of her colleagues to do that,' and I didn't realize at the time how powerful that decision was, but in retrospect – it was a brilliant move," says Maryann. She acknowledges it would have been easy to question why someone was being named an Academic Director for 30 students. "But the impact of that decision was so profound, and it had an impact on the community. It also demonstrated that the college was committed to this partnership – that this wasn't just lip service. This was really happening." Following Pam's departure from Georgian, Maryann was appointed to fill her role on an interim basis, and she reflects on the funding structure of Indigenous programs in those early days. "There was a lot of grant writing," she recalls, "and most of the Indigenous funding grants at the time were several hundred pages long, so it was a lot of work." Maryann may have been reporting to Pat Lang, however she acknowledges that funding required the support of the Anishnaabe Education and Training Circle (AETC), which was chaired by Greg McGregor, now the Manager, Indigenous Services and Access Programs. She is quick to share that she considered Greg to be her boss. "It was so important to have the support of the AETC, and we didn't do anything without first running it past them," she says. Maryann never saw herself as the permanent person for this role. "I considered myself to be a place holder," she says. "I only saw myself doing this job until an Indigenous person was recruited, or until the community decided it was time for me to step aside." She compares this level of self-awareness to her time working as a nurse in the Arctic. "I knew there was a lot I didn't know, and I was very open about that. But the chemistry between me and Greg worked. We got to know each other, and he trusted me." Asked to reflect on some of her favourite memories in working with Indigenous students over the years, Maryann notes there wasn't a lot of extra money at the time, but catering and food was so important. "So, I ran a catering service out of my kitchen. When the students needed it, I was making moose meat stew and bringing it in, and I recall a day when my husband and his friend went out and caught a bunch of perch to bring in. My whole family was committed to this relationship." What is clear when speaking with Maryann is that she never saw herself as a leader of change. "It was always about being a partner with our Indigenous communities and leaders, and using my voice where I could to help our programs progress." Today, Georgian has Indigenous Resource Centres at the Barrie, Midland, Orillia and Owen Sound campuses, which provide a culturally supportive and comfortable environment where students can study, socialize and access a wide range of resources. Georgian continues to work with the AETC, a group of 21 communities and organizations, to develop programs and services for First Nations, Métis and Inuit students. Indigenous programs include a blend of contemporary and traditional teaching methods, with Indigenous cultural values and perspectives embedded in the curriculum. Georgian has also hosted an annual traditional Pow Wow for 15 years. Maryann's commitment to Indigenous communities was honoured at her retirement, when the college announced that an endowment fund had been established to honour her work, with the proceeds of this endowment providing annual bursary support for Indigenous students in the future. If you would like to a make gift to this special endowment in honour of Maryann, please visit: GeorgianCollege.ca/fifieldbursary.

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