Be You @ BU Fall 2022 Magazine

When I think about everything I have accomplished and where I am now, being the Indigenous Student Support Assistant at Bishop’s University, I believe I would not be in this position if it were not for the experience and knowledge I have gained through the Tur- tle Island Internship. For those who have never heard about this internship, it was created in 2014 by an Indigenous alumnus of BU, Jordan Larochelle. The goal of this internship was to give Indigen- ous students an opportunity to share and celebrate their diverse cultures and traditions with the rest of the BU community. I was the Turtle Island Intern from 2019 to 2021, and during this time, I have gained so much experience that has helped me grow both profes- sionally and personally. Some of the things that the intern helps organize to help bring awareness and education to the BU community is the Orange Shirt Day, Moose Hide Campaign, Vigils for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, basket-weaving workshops and much more. These are well-known events that occur annually, but it is not all that the intern handles. There are many cultural workshops that we create exclusively for Indigenous students as well as various forms of activism to help better Indigenous student lives on cam- pus. Some of the workshops include beading, moccasin making, dream catchers, land-based trainings, etc. These are all important workshops and community building activities for Indigenous stu- dents. As the Turtle Island intern, you are always trying to find a way of bringing a piece of home to campus to share with everyone else, but also a way of staying connected to home since homesick- ness is something every Indigenous student struggles with during their time here. Although the internship involves a lot of community organiz- ing and education, there is a lot of room for personal growth and development. When I fi rst started, I was not too familiar with organizing events on campus. Throughout the internship, I have gained many organizational skills and have improved my networking skills. The internship really did boost my self-con- fi dence when it comes to my leadership skills. Being able to come up with your own vision and being able to fully invest and plan, from start to fi nish, a project that means a lot to you is very satisfying. I was able to bring black ash basket making to campus during my time as the intern. This is a particularly important tradition to the Mi’gmaq people, especially to my community Gesgapegiag and I was proud to share it here! If you are a future Indigenous student reading this, I highly recommend that you consider doing the Turtle Island Intern- ship. It has helped me grow, meet new people, and gain many valuable skills that are now helping me in the workforce. When I look back at my time at BU, my best memories are from what I was able to accomplish as the intern. Editor’s Note: If you are an Indigenous student or want to learn more about Indigenous supports and resources, Shawna can be reached at: schatter@ubishops.ca

Artwork: Tahothoratie Cross, kanien’kehaka from Kahnawake

Indigenous Student Support and Resources

Shawna, Gesgapegiag, Quebec

Author: Shawna Chatterton-Jerome, Indigenous Student Support Assistant Program: Bachelor of Arts – Sociology (Class of 2021)

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