The Faculty of Arts has a number of ways for alumni to become involved with current students. And, we are always looking for volunteers from a wide variety of disciplines from psychology to history to labour studies to any of our over 40 majors and minors. While there are many ways to volunteer, some of the top options include:

• mentor a new graduate during their first year of work in the Arts Career Apprenticeship Program.
• mentor one or multiple students or new graduates on the online platform UM Café.
• become a co-op employer and help guide a current arts student as they gain work experience before graduation.
• volunteer as a speaker on an alumni panel or for the Arts Career Round Table.

If you are ready to volunteer, complete our
Faculty of Arts alumni volunteer form today!

The Arts Career Apprenticeship Program is a new initiative in 2022 where recent Bachelor of Arts graduates are placed with a local employer for a twelve-month paid position to help gain valuable experience as they launch their career. As part of this program, students are also taught job search skills and techniques and are paired with two mentors, one on-the-job and one outside the organization. Outside mentors (preferably arts alumni) commit to connecting with the student throughout the twelve-month period to answer career and industry questions, share their advice and provide tips to help the new grad be successful in the workplace.

UM Café is a platform that introduces students, alumni and industry partners to one another over a virtual cup of coffee. It provides the flexibility for mentors to choose when, who and how often you meet with your mentees from anywhere in the world – in-person or virtual.

Co-op employers welcome into their workplace highly skilled and motivated student employees who are eager to learn and contribute for 12-16-week work terms. Provincial and federal subsidies and tax credits may be available to participating employers. Students receive a paid position providing degree-related experience, mentorship, guidance and feedback from employers.

The Faculty of Arts and many of our areas of study offer presentations or panels that include alumni speakers so students can hear about the successes and challenges alumni face after graduation. Hearing about careers that arts graduates have gone on to pursue helps current students make choices about their own future career path and sometimes opens doors to jobs they may have never considered. The Arts Career Roundtable is a unique event where students hear from multiple alumni, each with a different major and from a different industry and they get to ask questions in small group settings.

Here’s what arts alumni have to say about volunteering with us:

“I enjoy meeting with arts students and sharing some of my experience with them. Arts grads have a lot to offer, and the key is for them to understand how to leverage their skills and experience as they enter the working world.” — Amber Pohl, [B.A.(Adv.)/03]

“It’s great to talk with current students and learn about their goals and ideas, and it’s also a reminder of how versatile my own arts degree has been since I graduated.” — Frances Koncan [B.A./10]

“I really enjoyed my first experience as a mentor. It gave me a chance to share my belief that an arts education is the best preparation for so many career options.” — Karine Duhamel [M.A./08, Ph.D./13]

Volunteering has many benefits:

• Become a better leader by practicing your communication skills.
• It’s flexible and can work around your schedule and your available time commitment.
• Create connections with newcomers to your field.
• Provide valuable insight and advice to students.
• It’s rewarding and fulfilling.

If you would like to volunteer, please complete our Faculty of Arts alumni volunteer form and we will get back to you to discuss options on how you might best support students. Volunteer opportunities are available year round.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced some of us to balancing work and life from home, Michelle Lepp [BSc(Agribus)/06] has embraced that lifestyle successfully for years. In addition to being a senior loans analyst with Farm Credit Canada, she also operates a third-generation grain farm near Elm Creek, Manitoba with her husband Ian [BSc(Agribus)/06].

Agriculture is in her blood, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Though it’s traditionally a male-dominated industry, Lepp has learned how to make her voice heard and build strong relationships – something that she is passing on to other women as a mentor.

Michelle Lepp [BSc(Agribus)/06]

What is the best career advice you have received?

The best career advice I have received is to be curious and ask questions.  As a young woman in a male-dominated industry, it was difficult to get over the hurdle that I needed to know everything to be credible.  Technical knowledge is table stakes, but listening to others and learning from their experiences has been far more valuable to me than needing to be the most knowledgeable person in a room.

What do you feel you have gained from being a mentor?

Being a mentor allows me to see the world through someone else’s eyes.  I am always impressed by the skill and perspective of others, and know the future is bright with tomorrow’s young leaders.

What advice would you give someone beginning their career this year?

Relentlessly develop your network and get outside of your comfort zone.  Seek mentors and connections outside of your industry and friendship circles, looking for people who think differently than you.  Surround yourself with people who inspire you to grow and be the best or better version of yourself.  One of the platforms that has provided this for me is Athena Leadership.

Through UM Cafe, it’s easier than ever for alumni and students to connect virtually from anywhere in Canada and around the world. Go to UMCafe to sign up as a mentor or mentee, or for more information.

Despite decades of success on the basketball court, Michele Sung [BKin/09] believes winning isn’t the be-all-end-all for student-athletes. Instead, she prioritizes the personal growth of her players through a love for the game and community involvement.

Bisons women’s basketball coach, and UM Cafe mentor, Michele Sung.

During her undergrad, Sung became a mentor coach for Indigenous youth and at summer camps, receiving the Sylvia Sweeney award for outstanding achievement in sport, academics, and community service. As an alumna, she’d go on to play in Europe before helping coach Team Canada U16 to a gold medal at the 2015 FIBA America’s Championship. She is currently in her 7th year as head coach for the Bisons women’s basketball team.

What is the best career advice you have received? 

Don’t avoid change or challenges. A lot of the time solutions and taking the next step forward involve change, which can be uncomfortable. But we want to continue to grow, improve and be passionate about our work for both the benefit of our jobs but also to keep our careers exciting.   

What do you feel you have gained from being a mentor?  

Being a mentor has allowed me to step back and really look at my strengths and weaknesses and reflect on things that have really helped me develop as a professional. It also has challenged me to look at coaching from different perspectives and learn creative ways to be collaborative.  

What advice would you give someone beginning their career this year?  

Like all professions this year has been challenging, especially with little to no sport training or events. But it has allowed us time to step back and re-evaluate what we love about our work and what its true purpose is. I tell our student-athletes all the time “your sport is NOT who you are, it is something you do”. Which I think is important when first starting your career – your job is not who you are it’s what you do. So put in the extra time, learn from experienced co-workers, and jump into all of it – just make sure you don’t define yourself by the success or failure of the work/money/task completed. Make it about how much you can you grow as a person and impact those around you.  

Through UM Cafe, it’s easier than ever for alumni and students to connect virtually from anywhere in Canada and around the world. Go to UMCafe to sign up as a mentor or mentee, or for more information.

From a young age, Brent Malcolm [BSc(CE)/12] has been fascinated by the infrastructure we rely on to function every day, like passenger vehicles and mass transit, which led him to a career in civil engineering. Now, through mentoring, the alumnus is helping other UM students find their passion.

After graduating, Malcolm began his career with Stantec before accepting a transfer to their New York office where he now lives as a transportation engineer working on multiple transportation planning and modelling studies and large scale design builds.

What is the best career advice you have received?

I don’t have a single piece of career advice but several which are above the rest: (1) Problems don’t go away just because you choose to ignore them. It is hard to do but walk towards them and not away since they only get worse. (2) Treat other people they way you wish to be treated. We are part of a team and you never know when or why you might need someone’s help but it will happen. (3) Challenge yourself and don’t be afraid to raise your hand for different tasks. Getting out of your comfort zone expands your skill set and uses abilities you didn’t know you had until that point.

What do you feel you have gained from being a mentor?

The opportunity to experience and learn engineering through someone else’s eyes and mind. We often get lost in our minds and only see things our own way – but each and every engineer is different. Also, when asked to share knowledge with the mentee, it keeps my own brain sharp.

What advice would you give someone beginning their career this year?

I know it is truly hard to look optimistically on graduating at the moment with the economic slowdown, but know that your career is going to have many ups and downs. Unfortunately you are immediately faced with a “down”, but it will get better from here. As engineers, there is always work to do. Roads, bridges, and other infrastructure still needs to be designed, built, maintained, and decommissioned.

Through UM Cafe, it’s easier than ever for alumni and students to connect virtually from anywhere around the world. Go to UMCafe to sign up as a mentor or mentee, or for more information.

Help students gain experience and provide them with avenues for career and personal development.

The program requires mentors and mentees to commit a minimum of one hour per month. Virtual mentoring opportunities are also available.

For more detailed information and to apply please visit the Faculty of Science Mentoring Program website.

Archives are no longer just about anthropologists taking notes.

“These archives are people telling their own stories, in their own languages—and sharing their knowledge more directly through the use of video and audio,” says Raymond Frogner, head of Archives at the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR).

“These archives are people telling their own stories, in their own languages—and sharing their knowledge more directly through the use of video and audio.”

With its decolonizing and Indigenizing approach, NCTR Archives is unique. In fact, the NCTR is committed to Indigenizing the archival profession. Prioritizing the hiring of Indigenous interns and archives staff, it also seeks advice and guidance from the Survivors Circle, a seven-member body of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Survivors from various regions, selected by NCTR’s Governing Circle.

Carl Stone leading the ceremonial procession across the Fort Garry Campus at the NCTR opening.

Archivists at the NCTR are tasked with the keeping of records, history and stories from Survivors of Residential Schools. The NCTR also provides a platform for mentorship and guidance as archivists and non-archivists bridge the gap between information in archives and an understanding of this information by the general public.

Archivists at the NCTR are tasked with the keeping of records, history and stories from Survivors of Residential Schools.

“The NCTR is blessed with an amazing collection of testimonies, over 7,000 personal, intimate and eye-witness accounts of people’s experiences in Residential Schools,” says Frogner. “The real gem of what we are holding is a cross-country collection of the thoughts and experiences from Indigenous communities from north, east and west.”

The use of audio and video tools allow for archiving oral history and stories in a way that wasn’t possible in the past. Elders and Survivors from across the country now have the ability to tell their stories to people outside their community and in classrooms they may not be able to reach otherwise.

Indigenous input is incorporated at the outset in processing records that were buried and inaccessible. So past narratives are preserved without forgetting the contexts in which the Residential School records were created, interpreting them through an Indigenous lens. Ongoing community engagement meets the needs of Survivors, Intergenerational Survivors and their families.

Words of the Survivors at heart of NCTR Archives

NCTR digital archivist Jesse Boiteau [BesA/08, MA/17], who is Métis, was encouraged to explore Indigenous voices in archives by his mentors, Tom Nesmith, senior scholar, and Greg Bak, associate professor in the archival studies master’s program at the U of M. When he started working at the Provincial Archives of Manitoba in 2008, it was obvious to Boiteau that the Indigenous records housed in archives were predominantly written by non-Indigenous peoples, placing Indigenous peoples as subjects of the records.

At the NCTR, he says, no one accepts the status quo of traditional Western archival theory and practice.

“We work collaboratively to discover innovative ways of how technology and Indigenous input can put decolonizing archival theory into practice,” says Boiteau.

Boiteau: I am mentored every day by the words of the Survivors.

“I am also mentored every day by the words of the Survivors, whom I’ve either met in person or witnessed on screen in audio-visual testimonies. [They are] at the heart of the NCTR archives,” says Boiteau.

And so the NCTR has become a mentor to all of Canada in the sharing of the difficult history and experiences of Residential Schools. Opening the doors to all in the interest of implementing the United Nations Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the NCTR is also providing a place for academics from all disciplines to begin connecting with Indigenous communities, to break down barriers and to start building relationships.

“The UN Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples is here for the self-determination of Indigenous Rights. NCTR is a strong centre for the study, preservation, and pursuit of those rights,” says Frogner.

“There is to be a new set of relationships built and hopefully we can be a bridge to building those relationships.”

This story first appeared in the special mentoring issue of TeachingLIFE published in Fall 2018; read the rest of the issue online.

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation is located at Chancellor’s Hall, 177 Dysart Rd., University of Manitoba.

About the Bentwood Box at the NCTR:

In 2009, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) commissioned Coast Salish artist Luke Marston to create a piece of art to represent all the Survivors of the Residential School System of Canada. The resulting Bentwood Box spent six years traveling the country with the TRC, collecting items relating to personal journeys of healing. Ballet slippers, a hockey jersey and a miniature birchbark canoe were among the 1,300 items placed inside.

Crafted from a single piece of western red cedar, with carvings on each side in honour of First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples, the Bentwood Box now calls the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) on the University of Manitoba’s Fort Garry campus home.

The box is a keeper of truths, and embodies the strength—and the pain—of the Indigenous cultures it represents.

Women who farm and live in rural Manitoba need relationships with each other, not merely ‘connections,” — not easy to establish or maintain given provincial geography.

But organizations well established and new are working hard to change that, and with a high-tech twist.

Technology has helped close some of the distance gap, enabling more women to meet, organize and build skill sets as they work together, said panellists at the recent Manitoba Farm Women’s Conference.

“We’ve kind of built our own machine,” said Pam Bailey, chair of Ag Women Manitoba which formed last year.

Their group emerged from a University of Manitoba mentorship program where participants said they wanted and needed to support each other as they started farming or pursued other agriculture industry-related careers.

Bailey told the conference she was recognizing her own need for a network at the same time. She is the first woman on the Manitoba Canola Growers Association board. She helped co-found Ag Women Manitoba after realizing farm life could potentially get isolating.

Read the full story here. 

Professor Kristin Reynolds.

A mentor’s role is to listen and ask questions, exchange stories, expand the mentee’s network and encourage them to identify their strengths and areas for improvement. Psychology professor Kristin Reynolds says the excellent mentorship she received as a student definitely helped guide her to her current work, including a focus on health information access and literacy. She now passes that experience on to students such as Teaghan Pryor, a fourth year honours psychology student who is a member of Reynolds’ Health Information Exchange Lab and a recipient of a 2017 Undergraduate Research Award (URA). The summer program allows students to be mentored with a professor of their choice for 16 weeks.

Pryor explains how mentoring differs from teaching. “It involves investing time and effort in a one-on-one relationship,” she says.
 
“Rather than just learning in a classroom, Dr. Reynolds shares her knowledge with me in hands-on research situations. I can ask as many questions as I need and I learn in a way that is guided by me.”
 
The work supported by the award included the creation and evaluation of an information tool for late-life depression. The decision-aiding tool provides clear and concise information and resources for older adults, and those that are close to them, to help them make informed decisions about treatment options.
 
Pryor was the lead research assistant for the project. She was given the opportunity to collaborate with faculty from multidisciplinary backgrounds and other student researchers. She conducted literature reviews, created content for the tool and co-facilitated focus groups with health professionals. She gained not only practical research experience but also received valuable feedback and insight as she built critical thinking and leadership skills.
 
The URA is a very beneficial program, agrees Reynolds. It “gave me the opportunity to work with a highly-qualified student who helped move my research forward.”
 
And, she notes that undergraduate students are keen to get involved. “It’s extremely important to foster this early passion and enthusiasm, and provide occasions for skill-building and professional development that will help students develop as people, researchers and potentially assist in the pursuit of their career paths,” she says.
 
What’s next for Pryor? She says that her mentee experience has created a path for her.
 
“Dr. Reynolds’ dedication to her field and support for me has inspired me to pursue a graduate degree in clinical psychology or counselling and hopefully continue into research as a career,” she says.

Just ask Naomi Armah.

“Signing up to be a Welcome Mentor is one of the most rewarding experiences I have had throughout my education at the U of M,” says Armah, a master’s student in the College of Nursing, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences. “I had lots of fun and made new friends for life.”

As part of the program, mentors complete training to support mentees during their transition to university life. One-on-one interactions ensure mentees receive intercultural, personal and academic support throughout an entire academic term – and mentors also benefit from the programming.

“My goal was to assist new international students to transition effectively in their [new] environment, foster new relationships and build my soft skills,” says Armah. “This has been an amazing experiential learning platform that has boosted my mentorship skills, network portfolio, intercultural communication encounters, curriculum vitae and ability to explore available resources to support myself and others.

“I highly recommend the Welcome Mentors program to all,” she adds.

All domestic and international students are encouraged to apply. Apply to be a mentor for the winter term by Nov. 27. Co-Curricular Recognition is provided to all participants who complete and meet the program requirements

For more information on how to apply, click here.

The “bliss of solitude,” as poet William Wordsworth once rhapsodized, may be lost on the graduate student hustling to meet deadlines, slogging through comps and filing necessary paperwork, all while trying to publish and present their research. Graduate school can be solitary, especially once coursework is completed or if a student is far from home.

Having a mentor can make a huge difference.

One of the key benefits of mentorship is the strong relationship that develops between the mentor and mentee, which may become vitally important to a student.

A supportive environment

Sean Byrne suggests that good mentors remember the stress of being students. For the past decade, Byrne was director of the Arthur V. Mauro Centre for Peace and Justice. He’s also a professor in peace and conflict studies and a recipient of the 2017 Faculty of Graduate Studies Award for Excellence in Graduate Student Mentoring.

Byrne believes that part of being a mentor is providing “a home away from home,” adding that students may need something as basic as a warm meal or a good conversation. Some students may be facing homesickness, culture shock or personal challenges such as health issues, divorce or even financial troubles. Each student has different needs, but all students need an open and supportive environment to ensure that they are able to be honest about challenges they are facing, whether professional or personal.

Beyond signing forms

For Juliette “Archie” Cooper, professor emeritus, College of Rehabilitation Sciences, mentoring similarly plays a role beyond simply directing students through their thesis or research projects and signing forms.

And being an advisor does not automatically mean that you are or will be a mentor, she notes in her “Mentoring Graduate Students” workshop at the Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning.

Cooper: “Mentors are chosen. You really can’t impose mentorship.” 

Cooper suggests encouraging students to approach different people, whether researchers in the field or faculty in other departments. As she puts it, “Mentors are chosen. You really can’t impose mentorship.” The key is to create a collaborative, nurturing environment for students.

Guidance, tangible support and suggestions play a significant role in mentorship. Tenured faculty members may forget how intimidating and challenging it was to be a graduate student learning the ropes, from ordering supplies to presenting at and attending a conference.

Whether it is identifying opportunities, such as publishing or applying for grants or preparing for conferences, a little guidance can make a huge difference, especially to an inexperienced graduate student. Megan Campbell, an M.Sc. student in community health sciences, stresses the importance of those opportunities. Assistance with applying for grants, constructive feedback or contributing a paper can help graduate students build confidence.

Empowerment to join in as a peer

The holistic approach used by her advisor Sean Byrne makes her feel empowered and included in the academic community, says Patlee Creary, who graduated in spring 2018 with her PhD in peace and conflict studies.

When she began her graduate degree, she had a larger concept of her work, but was unsure of what the research project would actually look like. As Creary explains, Byrne “gave [her] room to ask questions and to pursue storytelling [as a method].” She appreciated the respect he showed in providing a complete education experience, encouraging her exploration of different paths and empowering her as a researcher and academic.

Read the rest of the article in the current issue of TeachingLIFE, now online and out in print. TeachingLIFE is an annual publication mailed to U of M teaching faculty and staff.