The School of Indigenous and Canadian Studies Celebrates its 60th Anniversary

Carleton University’s School of Indigenous and Canadian Studies marked its 60th anniversary on February 6th, 2017. Coinciding with Carleton’s 75th-anniversary celebrations and the School’s recent name change, this event provided an opportunity for alumni, former faculty, and current students and staff to reconnect.

Founded in 1957 as the Institute of Canadian Studies, the School offered the first MA degree program at Carleton and has long been a hub for interdisciplinary research and teaching on Canada. Recognizing the importance of Indigenous Studies to its academic mission, Carleton’s Board of Governors approved a request to change the School’s name to the School of Indigenous and Canadian Studies in 2016. This fall, Carleton will launch a Combined Honours degree in Indigenous Studies.

With these exciting developments as a backdrop, the 60th-anniversary celebration was a chance to reflect on the School’s history, its connections to the community, and its bright future. Invited speakers included Mohawk elder and activist Kahentinetha Horn (MA ’97), former Director of the School François Rocher, Adjunct Professor Victoria Angel (MA ’98), and current Ph.D. student Charlotte Hoelke (MA ’13). President Roseann O’Reilly Runte was in attendance and spoke about the School’s name change and offered best wishes for its continued success. Adjunct Professor Jeff Ruhl (MA ’08) was the M.C. for the evening.

The School would like to extend its thanks to our speakers, alumni, faculty, staff, and students who joined our celebration and who make the School such a vibrant intellectual community.