Indigenous Outreach Program: Connecting Communities, Inspiring Futures
Program Vision
- To build meaningful relationships with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students, families, schools, and communities by creating culturally safe pathways to higher education that foster belonging, confidence, and student success.
Program Goals
- Increase awareness of post-secondary opportunities for Indigenous youth.
- Strengthen relationships between the University, Indigenous communities, and school boards.
- Support students in navigating the transition from high school to university.
- Increase Indigenous student recruitment, retention, and graduation.
- Foster a sense of belonging before students arrive on campus.
Relationship before recruitment – prioritize trust, reciprocity, and long-term partnerships with Indigenous communities.
Belonging before arrival – help students feel connected to the university before their first day on campus.
Culture as strength – embed Indigenous knowledge, language, and cultural practices throughout outreach and transition activities.
Holistic student succes – support students academically, emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually.
Community partnership – co-create programming with Elders, Knowledge Keepers, schools, families, and Indigenous organizations.
Reciprocity and accountability – ensure outreach benefits both the university and the communities it serves through ongoing dialogue.
This framework aligns closely with the ISSC Roadmap to Success by viewing outreach as a relationship-centered continuum – from early engagement with youth and families to successful transition, belonging, and long-term student success at the University of Windsor.
Annual Outreach Cycle
Seasonal Activities
- Fall, School visits, career fairs, community presentations, Orange Shirt Day outreach
- Winter, Campus tours, application support, scholarship workshops, Future Leaders Day
- Spring, accepted student events, transition planning, family information sessions
- Summer, Head Start Program, Summer Transition Camp, Welcome Week preparation
Current Projects
Check back soon for any new projects we're working on! Thanks for visiting us
For more information about Outreach Programming at the University of Windsor's Indigenous Student Services Centre, please contact Victoria Hecnar at e-mail: vhecnar@uwindsor.ca