VIU summer camp to help ease transition into university or college for Indigenous students
NANAIMO — Making the switch from living at home to living on campus for school can be a challenge, which is why a new VIU summer camp wants to prepare Indigenous students thinking about post-secondary education far in advance.
The Thuy’she’num Tu Smun’eem summer camp, running from Aug. 11 to 14 at VIU’s Nanaimo campus, wants to help any Indigenous students from Grades 8 to 12 dip their toes into university waters before diving head first into their studies in a few years.
Program coordinator and recent VIU graduate Troy Barnes told NanaimoNewsNOW the idea for the summer camp came from the uncomfortable experience he and other coordinators shared when they first left their homes.
“All of us have a story of the struggles of academia, the struggles of going to university. One of the biggest takeaways we noticed was the importance of finding our voice and the importance of telling your story in a public way.”