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Program: Métis Nation University Education: Master of Arts in Professional Communications, Royal Roads University |
“As I progress in my career, I want to continue to find meaningful ways to give back to our Métis community. Our community is all about giving back and supporting one another.”
Heidi Abramyk is an award-winning Métis communications professional, and she received a Métis Nation University Sponsorship in 2023 to complete her Master of Arts in Professional Communications from the Royal Roads University. Heidi said that this program had been on her vision board for about 10 years before applying, and the funding allowed her to make her dreams a reality. Now, she is positioned to advance into leadership roles in her career. Her advice to other students considering graduate school is to find supportive people who will help them balance the demands of life and school.
Heidi received the Royal Roads Founders’ Award given to students with exemplary qualities relevant to their learning community and field of study, including leadership, commitment to sustainability, positive and proactive work in equity and diversity, and personal growth. She said this award was more meaningful knowing that her classmates nominated her.
After graduation, Heidi was awarded the Indigenous Women in Community Leadership (ICWL) scholarship from the Coady Institute at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. She attended a three-week residency there with 13 other Indigenous female leaders from across Canada. Heidi is creating a website (www.mafamii.ca) based on engaging feedback from the Métis community as part of the program. Heidi says that the program “invites our Métis cousins to learn more about the culture and how to get more connected to the Métis community. [. . .] I hope to continue to work and share ways and stories of other Métis people finding their way back to the culture and community.” Heidi will be launching the website in October and presenting the project at the Métis Crossing, which will be the culmination of the ICWL program.
Heidi also received the Métis Community Achievement Award for Leadership and Professions at CUMFI’s Métis Cultural Days in September 2024. The award was presented to her in Saskatoon, and it recognizes Métis leaders who have given back to the Métis community and contributed to continuing the culture. Heidi said of the experience, “As I progress in my career, I want to continue to find meaningful ways to give back to our Métis community. Our community is all about giving back and supporting one another.”
After graduation, Heidi obtained a Designation in Marketing from the Canadian Marketing Association, and she is currently the Marketing and Communications Manager at the First Nations Capital and Infrastructure Agency. Heidi said, “The funding from GDI helped me go after my dreams and build my confidence to keep setting goals.” Heidi is an example of how far Métis students can go when supported by their community, and we are excited to see her continue to grow as a leader in her field.
Congratulations Heidi!