The first Indigenous graduate from the University of Manitoba’s Master of Architecture program (with honours), Michael Robertson has been a Partner at Cibinel Architects Ltd. in Winnipeg since 2014.

A pillar of the Manitoba architecture community, Robertson is a current member and Past Chair of the Faculty of Architecture Partners Program, a former board member of BUILD Inc, and the former Chair of the Community Advisory Board’s Winnipeg Housing and Homelessness Initiative.

As a passionate advocate of equity and community service, Robertson has dedicated much of his time to helping others through a variety of commitments, from his volunteer work as Chair of United Way Winnipeg’s Board of Trustees, to his projects with the Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre, Siloam Mission and Main Street Project  and his service to UM over the years as a member of the President’s Advisory Council and former member of the University of Manitoba Board of Governors.

Though he has worked in architecture for 23 years now, Robertson began his career journey working in the student records office at UM while completing his BA in the Faculty of Fine Arts.

“My brother was there ahead of me, and he had a job working in the student records office, so I started working there before I went to school at UM,” says Robertson. “That was my whole life, school and work all at UM. I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.”

Though he would eventually change career directions, moving from Fine Arts to the Faculty of Architecture, there was never a question in Robertson’s mind as to where he would attend school.

“You stumble into things in life, and you feel like maybe it was always the right thing the whole time and you just didn’t know it,” reflects Robertson.

“The way my career has gone, where else would I have gone to school? So much of my work is within our community here, especially with urban Indigenous, and where would I have had a chance to do my learning in that milieu the way I was able to do it here? In the end, even though I stumbled into it, I couldn’t have made a better decision if I had thought about it in more depth.”

In his work as an architect, Robertson embraces the philosophy of An Architecture of Self-Determination, whereby buildings are created and influenced by communities during their development, design and construction. This emphasis on community-oriented design has informed much of the building projects that Robertson has been involved in over the past two decades.

As quality architectural design involves recognizing invisible obstacles and anticipating the essential needs of a space, Robertson’s community work stems from his perspective that true equity comes from recognizing the barriers that those less fortunate are struggling to overcome, and providing the essential supports that they need to help them where they are at.

“A huge part of my volunteer life has been in the ideas of equity in different forms, equity deserving groups, particularly with the Indigenous community, especially with people experiencing homelessness,” explains Robertson.

“That’s a confluence of my interests as an architect in what I believe people have the right to in our society, in our city. It’s unfathomable to me that we don’t have the supports around people that let them have a roof. Homelessness is so complex that learning about that simple idea that people should have a roof is a window into understanding so much more about inequity.”

Inspired by a profound encounter on a city transit bus as a young adult which opened his eyes to the inequity of homelessness in Winnipeg, Robertson’s passion for helping others continues to grow and influence him in ways that he never expected.

“I think that understanding has helped my work life, teaching me to be a good servant with my clients,” says Robertson. “All of these pieces come from that same heart, that same place.”

Driven by a constant desire to do more to help others in need, Robertson is generous with his time and his talents, continually working with the homeless and providing pro bono support for Main Street Project, Siloam Mission, and United Way Winnipeg.

“To get to work with people who are helping people every day, on the front-line, the objective is to help them do their job better, because they’re already doing amazing stuff,” explains Robertson. “You just hope that the help you’re providing just helps them do that work that much better.”

Especially meaningful for him is his work with Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre, an architectural client which he describes as “the tiny village for people leaving homelessness”, with whom he has maintained a long-standing relationship, providing paid and unpaid services.

“Over the years, Michael has developed a profound relationship with [us],” says Gary De La Ronde, Chair of the Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre’s Board of Directors.

“His commitment extends far beyond the realm of his paid architectural services. He has consistently demonstrated a deep understanding of our organization, values, and philosophies, dedicating countless non-billable hours to ensuring our projects not only meet but exceed our expectations.”

Despite his influential legacy of community service, Robertson, who leads with heart and humility, was first taken-aback when he was told he had been selected as the recipient of the 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award for Community Service.

“My initial reaction was that it was a mistake,” says Robertson.

“The thought that one person would think to nominate you is mind-blowing, for some other people to agree is crazy.”

Now that he has gotten over the initial shock, he sees the award as a meaningful acknowledgement of his work, which will inspire him to do more in the future. 

“It’s an overwhelming sense of honour and above that, a sense that I must make it worth it, I must work a little harder to be worthy of it. What does that mean to me? It means a lot.”

The 2024 University of Manitoba Distinguished Alumni Awards Celebration of Excellence presented by TD Insurance will be held September 19, 2024, during Homecoming. Get your tickets now as the event is always a sell-out!

Named one of CBC Manitoba’s 2020 Future 40, Undi is a writer, poet, editor and lawyer based in Winnipeg. Her writing has been featured at the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word and the Edinburgh International Book Festival, as well as in magazines such as Brick, Border Crossings and Canadian Literature, and on CBC Manitoba and BBC World.  

Though born in Winnipeg, Undi spent her childhood in Zambia and Namibia before returning to Canada as a teen and making Winnipeg her permanent home. 

A poet rooted in storytelling and spoken word, Undi’s interest in writing began in high school, when her Art teacher started a ‘slam’ club – a competitive spoken word team, where her love of language flourished. 

“We would hang out after school, bring in new poems and give each other comments on our writing and performance, and I never stopped doing that,” says Undi.  

After graduation, Undi chose to pursue an undergraduate degree at UM, where she majored in linguistics. While completing her degree, her fascination with the practical applications of language grew, which drew her towards a career in law.  

“In my linguistics studies, the kind of questions I was being drawn to were about institutional uses of language, like how power is justified and wielded through language, and the area where that occurs most often was in law,” explains Undi. 

“As I began thinking more about those questions, I became interested in the more practical reality of how the law works and wandered back to wanting to be a lawyer.”  

Undi is currently an associate at Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP, where she practices primarily in the areas of professional regulation, labour and employment law, administrative law and intellectual property, with a personal passion for assisting artists and arts organizations in navigating their rights and responsibilities. 

“What I really like about [being a lawyer] is that I get to walk people through questions and problems that might seem overwhelming for them, and to make the law – this big, abstract power that exists in the world, made up of language, legislation and regulations – legible to them, and help them understand what’s going on and how they can apply it to their specific circumstances, whether it’s an individual or an institution,” explains Undi.  

“I like it, it feels like dealing with a series of puzzles – these problems that you need to deal with and the tools you need to deal with them are coming from a vast body of language.” 

Undi’s perspective of language as a powerful tool for justice and her passion for helping others understand complex issues is also present in her work as a poet, where she explores themes of gender, racism, immigration and the desire to belong. 

In June 2022, she received the John Hirsch Emerging Manitoba Writer Award from the Manitoba Book Awards, and that same month was asked to read one of her poems aloud at the ceremony for Michael Benarroch’s installation as UM President, an opportunity she gladly accepted. 

Undi’s proudest moment came the following year, when she was appointed as the Winnipeg Poet Laureate for 2023 and 2024. 

“That kind of vote of confidence from the Winnipeg literary community was extremely cool, it’s incredibly humbling. I’ve been fortunate that the community in Winnipeg is so generous and open, and the poets here have always been kind to me.” 

Undi’s debut poetry collection, Scientific Marvel, was released through House of Anansi Press on April 2nd, 2024.  

“It is my first book, so I’ve drawn on my entire life for this book,” says Undi. 

“Not that writing a book is the be-all, end-all of being a writer, but it’s one of the few specific dreams and goals that I’ve had since I was small and first learning how to read. It feels strange and amazing that I did that.” 

Undi remains connected to her alma mater, and occasionally returns to the UM campus as a guest lecturer at Robson Hall. She greatly appreciates the opportunities she gets to reconnect with her teachers, peers, and current students.  

“I have very fond memories of my time at the University of Manitoba. I had the privilege of learning from so many great people, and it’s meaningful to still feel supported even though I’m no longer part of the on-campus university community,” says Undi, who served as Vice Chair (External) of the Robson Hall Outlaws (LGBT2SQ+ Student Group) from 2018 to 2020 and Chair of the Robson Hall Feminist Legal Forum from 2019 to 2020. 

“I participated in a lot of student groups when I was at the Faculty of Law, and those were some of my most meaningful experiences. Staying involved with students is good for me, because they remind me of how fortunate I am to have this job and how much I really wanted to be in this career when I was in law school. I particularly enjoy connecting with marginalized students, it’s a rewarding way to stay connected to the university.” 

Being selected as the recipient of the 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award for Outstanding Young Alumni is also very meaningful for Undi. 

“It’s great, it’s very touching. It’s meaningful that people thought of nominating me for this award and thought to write letters of support for me. It’s a lovely indication of the community that I have here and have been a part of. That’s what I’m really touched by.” 

The 2024 University of Manitoba Distinguished Alumni Awards Celebration of Excellence presented by TD Insurance will be held September 19, 2024, during Homecoming. Get your tickets now as the event is always a sell-out! 

This year’s recipients were chosen from an impressive selection of grads who were nominated by their peers.  

On behalf of the 2024 Distinguished Alumni Awards Committee chair, The Honourable Dr. Pat Bovey [LLD/21], and her fellow panelists including previous award and honourary degree recipients, Alumni Council representatives, and alumni leaders, the University of Manitoba is delighted to announce the recipients for 2024 are:   

• Lifetime Achievement: Steve Kroft [BA/88] – Throughout his career, Kroft has served as an inspiration, not only through his ambitious entrepreneurship and relentless pursuit of innovation and excellence in business but also through his remarkable devotion to community service at the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba, CancerCare Manitoba Foundation, Business Council  of Manitoba, and the University of Manitoba, among others. Through this work, Kroft has shown a commitment to enhancing and improving life for all Manitobans. 
• Professional Achievement: Dr. Joss Reimer [MD/08, MPH/13] – Dr. Reimer has been one of the most important medical voices in our province, leading arguably the most effective COVID-19 vaccine rollout program across Canada, and her leadership continues to result in the saving of lives and long-term health for Manitobans and for all Canadians as the incoming President of the Canadian Medical Association. 
• Academic Innovation: Dr. Harvey Max Chochinov [MD/83, PhD/98] – One of the most prolific and respected researchers in supportive and palliative care in the world today, Dr. Chochinov’s research-informed best practices are recognized globally for enhancing the psychological well-being and quality-of-life of patients with advanced disease. 
• Community Service: Michael Robertson [BA/98, MArch/04] – Robertson’s commitment to community service is deeply rooted in his character, and he’s demonstrated that in many ways through his  commitment to the United Way of Winnipeg, his projects with the Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre and in his service to UM over the years as a member of the President’s Advisory Council, Board of Governors and the Faculty of Architecture’s Partners Program board. 
• Outstanding Young Alumni: Chimwemwe Undi [BA(Adv)/16, JD/20] – A vocal truth teller, poet, and published author, Undi is unafraid of calling out injustices, and she has demonstrated her commitment to her causes both while at UM serving as Vice Chair (External) of the Robson Hall Outlaws (LGBT2SQ+ Student Group) and Chair of the Robson Hall Feminist Legal Forum.  She is also an associate at TDS law firm, a member of the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers and is the Winnipeg Poet Laureate for 2023 and 2024. 

“We have been honouring  alumni at the Distinguished Alumni Awards for 65 years now, and every year it is still so exciting to learn about and share the amazing stories of the recipients,” says Tracy Bowman, Executive Director of Alumni Relations. “UM alumni are not just achievers. They’re the movers and shakers, the ones out there making waves in every corner and industry you can imagine. I look forward to celebrating UM’s alumni accomplishments this year and for many more years to come.”  

This year’s sold out event takes place the evening of Thursday, September 19 as part of Homecoming 2024.

If you know an extraordinary UM alum who deserves to be showcased at the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Awards Celebration of Excellence, we want to hear from you! Visit our website for more information.