Photo: TRU President Brett Fairbairn expresses how the planned Indigenous Education Centre is another important step for TRU on the journey toward reconciliation. He addressed those gathered for a site blessing outside the Cariboo Child Care Society building on the Kamloops campus Wednesday. The day care is moving and the site will become the new Indigenous Education Centre. (Supplied: TRU)
The first step towards a new Indigenous Education Centre at Thompson River University took place Wednesday.
The new Indigenous Education Centre is set to provide an safe space for students, faculty and staff to access support and services at the university and in the community.
Tina Matthew, executive director of TRU’s Office of Indigenous Education says the Indigenous Education Centre will be a place of belonging.
“It will be an Indigenous space on campus that brings all Indigenous services together, where everything is centralized, including the Office of Indigenous Education, Qelmúcw student recruiters and the Indigenous Co-op and Internship Program. It will be a place for our Indigenous students, faculty and staff to come together and meet, and for us to share resources with them.”
Once open, it is set to be located at TRU’s Cariboo Child Care Society, which will soon be relocating to the new Early Childhood Education Centre on TRU campus.
A traditional Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc land blessing took place at the future site, to mark the official first step of the education centre.
Officials with TRU say the project’s planning phase is currently underway with fundraising for construction set to begin shortly.
Its unclear when the transition will take place.
