New Indigenous Students’ Lounge Opens in Coady
/An Interview with Cheyla Rogers
A new Indigenous Students’ Lounge is now open in Coady West on the StFX campus.
A former classroom located at 104 Coady West has been converted into a long-awaited student lounge for the Indigenous student community, and initial feedback shows that both students and staff love their new space.
According to 3rd year Sociology student Cheyla Rogers the large, open and fully functional space is just what her fellow Indigenous students have been waiting and planning for. Rogers, the student assistant for Indigenous Affairs Coordinator Terena Francis, says that they had been sharing space with others in the Diversity Education Center (DEC), located in the Student Union Building. The DEC was good, but space was limited, and it wasn’t really theirs. It was a bit crowded at times, she says, but now since they have their own lounge, they can call it home.
“We don’t yet have an official designation for the lounge here at Coady,” says Rogers, “but we will soon be gathering suggestions from the students for an appropriate Mi’kmaq name, and then we will have a vote.”
“We are so proud. ”
“We are so proud,” she says, “this is finally our space and now it is up to the students to decide what they want, and how we will proceed.” Rogers says that StFX has approximately 100 ‘self-identified’ Indigenous students, mostly from Nova Scotia, but also from across Canada and the USA. Their new lounge at Coady is a choice location, and an opportunity to connect with some of the best students from around the world.
Rogers says this new space is quickly becoming a hub of activity. “We have a wonderful tutor who comes in once a week to provide support and direction for our students,” she says. “We are so fortunate to have Simon Sylliboy drop in once a week to give us his expertise on student life and affairs.” Sylliboy, a student in the school’s Education department, provides guidance for those who need help in navigating the University system. His services are student-centered, and he can arrange for personalized and specialized tutors for those who need them. “He is here usually on Mondays, but anyone can contact myself or Terena Francis for a specific appointment,” says Rogers.
An example of a recent event put on by the Indigenous Affairs office was the workshop: ‘Tobacco Ties – Teaching and Making,’ put on by a group of Cree Women. Rogers says it was so wonderful participating in this traditional practice and learning about the Cree and their ways.
The new gathering place also has a once a month ‘lunch-and-learn’ which combines lunch, a meet-and-greet social, and information tables explaining campus resources such as scholarships and bursaries.
Their new space is nothing less than spacious. With capacity for at least 30, the facility boasts two computers, a fridge, a microwave, a Smart-TV, a projector and all bells and whistles from the IT department.
“We now have a location that we can call our own, which at one moment can be quiet and peaceful, for reflection and study, but can quickly change into a vibrant center for discussion and advancement.””
Plans are in the works for their own printer and hopefully more computers. The former classroom can still be a classroom, but with a quick changeover, a beautiful lounge emerges, with a feeling of inclusion and ownership. The lounge is open daily, Monday to Friday 8:30 to 4:30, and bookings for after hours can be arranged through Terena Francis at: tfrancis@stfx.ca or Cheyla Rogers at: x2017uqs@ stfx.ca.
“Our students like this place a lot,” says Rogers. “It is a great resource center, and it gives a wonderful opportunity to meet others from the campus community and hang out with our peers. We now have a location that we can call our own, which at one moment can be quiet and peaceful, for reflection and study, but can quickly change into a vibrant center for discussion and advancement.” Come by for a visit, she says, and be prepared for a glance into the future!
Want to learn more? The office of Indigenous Affairs has an extensive platform on social media, including Facebook: IndigenousStudents@X; Twitter: @IndigenousAtX and Instragram: StFX_IndigenousStudents. Terena Francis also sends out emails for upcoming events, programs and services. Any StFX student can be added to the contact list if requested.
