By Derek Cornet

Northlands College shows growth as fall classes begin

Sep 11, 2018 | 4:45 PM

Northlands College is growing in northern Saskatchewan as more residents are realizing the value of a post-secondary education.

Hundreds of students are currently enrolled in various programming at Northlands College with some taking university classes, adult basic education or other available arrangements. With a goal of bringing university programming to as many communities as possible, CEO Toby Greschner said 13 students in La Loche are starting arts and science classes for the first time this month.

“Across northern Saskatchewan right now, we have 241 active students in our university program, which is pretty good,” he said. “For the first time ever, we’re offering courses via distance technology into La Loche.”

Most university students are studying in one of three main programs with 61 in nursing, 42 in social work and 40 in education. Greschner also noted 14 students are expected to become teachers next year, which would mark the first group of education graduates for Northlands. In total, there are eight different degree paths the college offers, but Greschner noted staff do their best to help students obtain any degree they want.

Meanwhile, 220 students across the North are enrolled in the adult basic education program with 147 of those studying in La Ronge. Another 37 are taking classes in Buffalo Narrows, 22 in Creighton and 13 are in Black Lake. Greschner said adult basic education has become so big in La Ronge, it takes up nearly all of the canoe building.

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“It’s turned into basically an adult high school and it feels that way,” he said. “Students are going from class to class and it’s a well-run program.”

To kick off the school year in La Ronge, residents in the tri-communities are invited to the second annual Welcome Back BBQ from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Jonas Roberts Memorial Community Centre. Community and cultural development coordinator Jordyn Burnouf added powwow dancers from throughout Saskatchewan will perform, along with drummers from Fond-du-Lac and Stanley Mission.

“We’ve started to push more cultural awareness and inclusion at our college,” she said. “Everyone is welcome to come. We’re going to be doing opening honour songs, a prayer from an elder and we have Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations youth representatives coming to talk about education and leadership.”

derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno