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Interim Aboriginal University Preparation Program, Students, Community
Indigenous student overcomes traumas to pursue BA studies at SFU
After suffering early trauma from the Canadian residential school system and developing a dependency on drugs and alcohol, Frank Watts has since turned his life around. He got sober during a six-month treatment program and decided to go back to school. Now he鈥檚 planning to pursue a bachelor of arts at 尤物视频.
Watts was accepted into the at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences after graduating from the Native Education College in Vancouver, B.C. on the Dean鈥檚 List and as class valedictorian. He currently works as a research assistant in the , where he assists in the digitization of the Centre鈥檚 collection of artifacts.
Watts鈥檚 research assistantship, to which he gained access through academic performance, is one aspect of the IAUPP. The program integrates multiple disciplines, including the humanities and social sciences, with Indigenous perspectives. It offers a supportive environment that helps Indigenous students transition into undergraduate life.
鈥淭he IAUPP program really helped, because it鈥檚 Native-oriented and it gave me the support I never thought I鈥檇 find,鈥� says Watts. 鈥淵ou can try to make the world better through education. And having the support of something like the IAUPP program makes it easier to transition into university.鈥�
Watts is a member of the Nisga鈥檃 Nation, from the village of . His Nisga鈥檃 name, Gwiisuksgumilx (鈥済wee-suks-gum-ilch鈥�), means 鈥渄iving seal.鈥�
His time in the residential school system was a traumatic period in Watts鈥檚 life. He describes having witnessed physical and sexual violence against the Indigenous community. The experiences he lived through contributed to Watts鈥檚 reliance on drugs, which eventually developed into an addiction that he shook at the age of 46. He is now three years sober.
鈥淎 lot of people are scared to apply to programs like IAUPP,鈥� says Watts. 鈥淎s a kid I was always told, 鈥榊ou鈥檒l never amount anything.鈥� But I rose above it.鈥�
The first of his family ever to attend university, Watts will be transitioning into a bachelor of arts program with the intent to bridge into environmental science. Having worked as an environmental monitor for three years in the mining industry in northern B.C., Watts loves to be out in nature and to work in land management.
鈥淚t鈥檚 important to me to have one of our own people managing our lands,鈥� says Watts. 鈥淚 want to be able to do that through environmental sciences. I love being out in Mother Nature.鈥�
Watts is earnest and forthright with sharing his story of overcoming a traumatic past. Having lost loved ones to their difficult pasts, Watts wants to show others that it is never too late to change one鈥檚 path.
鈥淚 want people to know my story so they know how important it is to let go of anger and focus on forgiveness,鈥� says Watts. 鈥淚f I didn鈥檛 forgive, I wouldn鈥檛 be here.