Rebecca Jamieson facts for kids

Rebecca Jamieson is a Canadian Tuscarora educator. She works to make education better for people on the Six Nations of the Grand River reserve. This is the largest First Nations reserve in Canada.

Since the late 1970s, Rebecca has worked hard to help more people get an education. She helped start Six Nations Polytechnic (SNP). This is a special school for Indigenous people. She has been its president and CEO since 2009.

Rebecca Jamieson has received many awards for her work. She has helped advance Indigenous education. She also helps keep Indigenous culture alive and brings people together. She has two special honorary doctorates. She is also a member of the Order of Ontario and the Order of Canada. These are very high honors in Canada.

Rebecca Jamieson's Early Life and Schooling

Rebecca Jamieson was born in Michigan, USA. She belongs to the Eel Clan of the Tuscarora people. When she was two years old, her family moved. They went to Six Nations of the Grand River in Ontario, Canada. This is the biggest First Nations reserve in Canada.

When Rebecca was growing up, there were special schools called residential schools. These schools tried to make Indigenous children forget their culture. Rebecca noticed that her own people were not in her school lessons. This made her feel that her home life was less important.

Rebecca felt that these schools caused lasting problems for her culture. She believed that Six Nations needed to "take back education." This was an important step for their community to heal.

Rebecca studied at different schools. She got a certificate from the University of Toronto. She also got a teaching certificate. She earned a degree in psychology and philosophy. This was from Wilfrid Laurier University. In 1978, she got her Master of Education degree. This was from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.

Rebecca Jamieson's Career in Education

Rebecca Jamieson started her career helping students. She was a counsellor for students after high school. She worked with Six Nations. Then, she became a teacher. She also worked as a consultant. She directed student services for the Grand River Education Office.

In 1993, she helped create the Grand River Polytechnic Institute. This school is now called Six Nations Polytechnic (SNP). It has become a top Indigenous school in Ontario. In 2009, Rebecca became the president and CEO of SNP.

Rebecca has built strong connections. She partnered SNP with many other Indigenous schools, colleges, and universities. Because of these partnerships, university classes are taught at Six Nations. Students can earn diplomas and degrees through these partner schools.

In 2017, SNP made history. It became the first Indigenous school to offer its own degree. This degree was also the world's first degree program for an Indigenous language.

In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission shared its findings. They also made recommendations. Rebecca and SNP had already been working for decades on similar goals. These goals matched the "calls to action" from the commission.

Rebecca has been asked for her advice more and more. She was the executive director of a council for college standards. She also served on the boards of several universities in Ontario. In 2017, Rebecca and SNP hosted a big event. It was the World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Indigenous Education (WIPCE). About 3,000 people attended this important conference.

Awards and Honors for Rebecca Jamieson

Rebecca Jamieson has received many important awards:

• 2007 – Member of the Order of Ontario
• 2015 – Distinguished Fellow, Mohawk College
• 2015 – Honorary Doctorate of Laws (LLD), University of Western Ontario
• 2017 – Honorary Doctorate of Laws, Wilfrid Laurier University
• 2018 – Member of the Order of Canada (CM)