News

Whitehorse, Yukon – Yukon University announces the conclusion of Jamena (James Allen)'s tenure as Chancellor. Allen's tenure will be remembered for his commitment to community engagement, as well as cultural and educational advancement in the Yukon. Allen served as Chancellor in transition as Yukon College became Yukon University.

“This University is very unique,” said Allen, “we’ve had input from all Yukoners, both First Nations people as well as non-Indigenous people, launched this all encompassing project called Yukon University. We have laid the foundation and the direction of this institution going forward. “

Even before his tenure as Chancellor, James Allen’s leadership was pivotal in creating the Executive Development program which later became the Indigenous Governance degree program. Celebrating six (6) graduates this year, this program has room to grow and will continue to support the educational aspirations for Indigenous self-determination.

Whitehorse, YT -- Yukon University’s Housing Maintainer Program lets students earn while they learn,  providing 30 weeks of full-time employment and training.

The training cohort’s latest accomplishment – a 1-bedroom tiny house – will be on the move Thursday March 28th to its permanent location in the Takhini River subdivision.

Built at Yukon University’s Centre for Northern Innovation in Mining (CNIM), through a partnership with Champagne and Aishihik First Nations (CAFN), house construction provided hands-on learning for residential building and maintenance. This is the fourth ‘Building Stability’ home built for CAFN through this partnership. The project intends to build stability for both the trainees and the tenants while the energy efficiency creates a stable sustainable home.

YukonU First Nation students have embarked on a healing journey through Indigenous arts, and the next stop is an exchange with the Sámi people of Norway and Finland. This exchange involves the sharing of traditional skills between two Indigenous cultures who seek to protect and revitalize their Traditional Knowledge and maintain their languages.

Over the past three years, the YukonU community campus in Mayo, Yukon, developed a series of Indigenous arts programs in response to the trauma and grief that students were facing in the community. It began with a hide-tanning workshop in partnership with the First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun, which led to a Yukon First Nations Arts program, and then garment-making and sewing programs that involved students sharing their creations in a community fashion show.

YukonU is celebrating its 60th anniversary, and we are looking for memories and stories to help us reflect back on six decades of educational experiences shaped right here in the North.  

“We are a university rooted in vision and opportunity," says Dr. Lesley Brown, President and Vice-Chancellor, Yukon University. “From the very beginning, students have gained exciting career and education training to meet the demands of a growing North.” 

To our community,

Today our hearts break with the affirmation of the deaths of First Nations children, and the identification of potential burial sites, near the former Chooutla Indian Residential School.  This announcement confirms another appalling truth of about the treatment of First Nations children. It is a truth we cannot turn away from if we are to walk with integrity on our journey of reconciliation.

So today we come together, in grief and love, to honour the lives of these children and to hold up Survivors, their families and communities.

Going forward, we must never forget the injustice and cruelty that allowed these children to die alone far from home. We must choose to create a future where every child matters. This means not only having the right intentions, but also being prepared to follow through with right actions.

At Yukon University, we stand together, in grief and sorrow with Residential School Survivors, their families and communities, to condemn the practices of genocide, racism, discrimination and hatred.

We commit to our own learning and unlearning journey to understand the legacy of residential schools and on-going trauma experienced by Survivors and their families, so that we will never again stand for the practice of taking children from loving homes, families and communities, stripping children of their languages, their heritage, their dignity, their rights and exposing them to violence in their learning environments.

Sincerely,

Dr. Lesley Brown
President & Vice-Chancellor
Yukon University

Gä̀gala-ƛ̓iƛ̓ətko (Nadia Joe)
Associate Vice-President, Reconciliation
Yukon University

WHITEHORSE, YT— The Mastercard Foundation is expanding its partnership with Yukon University (YukonU) to continue to transform education and support Indigenous youth success in the Yukon through the EleV (“ell-uh-VEE") Program.

Yukon University is pleased to announce that Aisha Montgomery has been appointed as Associate Vice-President, University Relations.

Montgomery has called the Yukon home for more than 20 years, raising her family here and contributing to countless initiatives in the territory through senior roles with the Government of Yukon. As Director of Communications and more recently Director of Policy with the Government of Yukon, she has developed strong relationships with municipalities, First Nation governments, the federal government and many other stakeholders across the territory to bring about significant impact on the everyday lives of Yukoners—from midwifery legislation, territorial land development, emergency response and more.

As Associate Vice-President, University Relations for YukonU, Montgomery will oversee government relations, development, marketing and communications, and alumni engagement.

Yukon University has appointed Dr. Fiona Schmiegelow as the new Dean of Applied Science and Management for a five-year term.  

Fiona is a renowned scholar in wildlife and conservation science, and a recognized leader in landscape sustainability, who has lived in the Yukon for almost 20 years. She has directed the partnered Bachelor of Environmental and Conservation Science program hosted at YukonU, as a professor with the University of Alberta, and retains her position as senior professor during her term as Dean with YukonU. 

A sampling of Yukon University research can be found in 55 locations throughout the territory and across Northern Canada with the new Research Activity Map.

YukonU’s Research Chair in Health has released results on the Impacts of COVID-19 on Yukon’s frontline healthcare workers. This study found high burnout rates, a desire to be involved in future planning for pandemics or health emergencies, and other key findings unique to the Yukon.