Indigenous students at Smith Engineering are supported through dedicated programming within the Faculty of Engineering, as well as many resources across the campus that provide support and community to the Indigenous students at Queen’s as a whole.
Indigenous Futures in Engineering (InEng) offers holistic support for Indigenous students, with academic, socio-cultural, and professional development services. The unit has a student gathering room with space for study and networking. It also offers access to tutoring and exam prep sessions, mentoring opportunities with practising Indigenous engineers, and liaison with employers for both summer employment, internships, and permanent positions.
Indigenous Futures in Engineering is also committed to growing the number of Indigenous engineers in Canada. Its programs include outreach to elementary and high school classrooms, supporting Indigenous undergraduate and graduate engineering students at Queen’s in their studies, and connecting new graduates with the resources and opportunities to help launch their careers.
Learn about STEMInA, a program for Indigenous students pursuing STEM degrees at Queen's in Engineering, Health Sciences or the Science departments of Queen's Faculty of Arts & Science.
Coming soon – links, resources and tools for Indigenous students.
Transition Week is an on-campus orientation program for Indigenous STEM students hosted by the STEM Indigenous Academics (STEMInA) program, one week prior to general move-in. It starts with a family orientation over two days and continues throughout the week to welcome first-year undergraduate students to their new surroundings, academic programs, and community in Kingston. Accommodations and food for both the family orientation and transition week are provided by the STEMInA program, and students get to move directly into their new homes in residence.
Four Directions offers a variety of services to Indigenous students across campus, from social and cultural activities to study spaces.
Smith Engineering has a chapter of AISES, the American Indian Science and Engineering Society. Q-AISES participates in many opportunities through the AISES network, including conferences and competitions. Recent and most notably, the Q-AISES Rocket Team is the 2023 International Champion (Canada and USA) in the NASA-sponsored First Nations Launch competition!
The QNSA is an AMS-ratified student club that brings together undergrad, graduate, and professional students who share an interest in Indigenous culture and traditions. The QNSA, in collaboration with Four Directions Indigenous Student Centre, organizes Indigenous Awareness Week activities every year.