U of L kicks off Indigenous Awareness Week

By Lethbridge Herald on March 17, 2025.

Leroy Little Bear speaks to students and professors at the opening ceremonies for Indigenous Awareness Week on Monday morning in the Science Commons at the University of Lethbridge. Herald photo by Alexandra Noad

Alexandra Noad – LETHBRIDGE HERALD – Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The University of Lethbridge is hosting its 50th Indigenous Awareness week, with activities happening around campus all week.

Leroy Little Bear (Iikaisskini-Low Horn), vice-provost, says the U of L has been a trailblazer for truth and reconciliation with offering a degree formally named Native American Studies – now Indigenous Studies – since 1975.

“When the commission unveiled its report in 2015, a lot of the challenges that were posed to academic institutions, the University of Lethbridge were already doing,”says Little Bear. “So truth and reconciliation came to be more or less of a push for the University of Lethbridge to continue what it had been doing for many, many years.”

Along with being one of the first institutions to offer Indigenous studies in Canada, the Dhillon School of Business of the University of Lethbridge was the first business school to require all students to take an Indigenous knowledge course as part of their undergrad degree.

Kerry Godfrey, dean for the Dhillon School of Business, says they are working with business schools across the country to create an Indigenous business management degree.

“We are now in conversation with business schools across Canada about how we can develop a consortium PhD in Indigenous management, because we all know that none of us can actually launch this on our own, so we have to work with others to practice wisdom and apply our knowledge.”

Following the opening ceremony, which included speeches from Little Bear, Digvir Jayas, president of the university, and student volunteers from Iniskiim Indigenous Services, the Dhillon School of Business received a Blackfoot name transfer (Mokakit – practise wisdom, apply your knowledge.)

Godfrey says the name reflects on the last several decades the school has offered Indigenous education.

“It is a reflection of 40 years of Indigenous business education at the University and embodies what we believe as the core philosophy of our school about critical thinking and critical doing. Thinking responsibly and acting effectively to create positive change.”

He adds that it is a huge honour for the school to receive a name that reflects the value the school places on education.

There are numerous events happening across campus including information sessions, beading workshops and dance demonstrations.

The week will conclude with a Dhillon School of Business Scholarship dinner at the Agri-Food Hub on Saturday.

A full list of events can be found at: http://www.ulethbridge.ca/indigenous/indigenous-awareness-week