OISE alumna Rebecca Jamieson receives Order of Canada for advancing Indigenous education
Jamieson has spent 30 years improving outcomes for Indigenous students and bridging gaps in understanding between Indigenous and non-Indigenous cultures
By Natalie Neumann Butler
July 19, 2018
Rebecca Jamieson, President and CEO of Six Nations Polytechnic, holding a two-row wampum belt. (Photo by Mark Burnham/Mark Burnham Photography)
Congratulations to OISE alumna Rebecca Jamieson, President and CEO of Six Nations Polytechnic, on receiving the Order of Canada for her immense contributions to Indigenous education. The award is one of the country's highest honours.
Jamieson, who is Tuscarora, Six Nations, graduated from OISE with her masters of education in 1978. She returned to Tkaronto in 2017 to co-host the World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Indigenous Education (WIPCE) which drew over 3,000 people from around the world, including members of the OISE community.
Longstanding contributions
Jamieson is currently President and CEO of the Six Nations Polytechnic, a post-secondary institute located in Canada’s most populous Six Nations at the Grand River First Nations. Established in 1993, the institute provides higher education and training programs through partnerships with universities and colleges across the country—many of which Jamieson has developed—and is regarded as a centre of excellence for Indigenous knowledge. Previously, Jamieson was director of student services and counselling and served as a chief administrator at the Grand River Post Secondary Education Office. She has held many roles in teaching, counselling, curriculum, institutional research and development, policy, administration and governance.
Celebrated leader and educator
A celebrated leader and educator in First Nations communities, Jamieson has made significant advances to community partnerships, student access and programs at Six Nations Polytechnic, including implementing a one-of-a-kind Bachelor of Arts program in Ogwehoweh Languages. She has also helped advance Indigenous education in Ontario more broadly.
Jamieson is the first executive director of the College Standards and Accreditation Council (CSAC) and on the Board of Governors for several Ontario universities and Mohawk College. In 2008, she received the Order of Ontario for her efforts and advocacy to improve student learning and build partnerships at Six Nations. A tireless advocate for preserving Indigenous languages, Jamieson's efforts to revitalize Ogwehoweh languages were recognized in 2017 with an honorary degree from Wilfred Laurier University.
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