Indigenous College Prep, Certificate

For over 20 years, Lorri Leonard had a perfectly good career going as a hairdresser when not just one but two bouts of breast cancer convinced her it was time for a change – and that eventually led to her taking English upgrading at the Grade 12-level in the community, at the Saanich Adult Education Centre.

“Maybe I could have gone right into college-level,” she says, “but it was so foreign and so scary to be even thinking about going back to school that starting slower really was better.”

Lorri does not have fond memories of high school, to put it mildly. “It was an incredible struggle,” she says, “and just simply walking on campus to talk to an Indigenous Advisor brought back bad memories. It was really hard, very emotional. But Sekwan Wabasca was great. She helped me start my journey. I started back at school the same day my son started kindergarten.”

So far, Lorri’s journey has taken her to the very top of the School of Access academic rankings and on to completion of the Indigenous Studies program. Her goal: to transfer to the University of Victoria for a BA in early childhood education.

Lorri says that “without Indigenous College Prep, I would probably have dropped out by now. But Camosun has given life back to me. I’ve got my spark back. I’m excited again and I can’t wait to get out of bed each day.”