On April 9th, 2026, students, faculty, and staff gathered for the wind-up event for the Indigenous Undergraduate Research Mentorship Program (IURMP) 10th cohort and to celebrate a decade of incredible mentorship partnerships that have occurred across multiple faculties at the University of British Columbia.
The core centerpiece of the IURMP is the mentorship between faculty members and Indigenous students which provides a work integrated learning experience over one term. Students have the opportunity to learn more about scholarly research and what that may look like within their academic field and potentially how that would take shape in a future graduate program.
The program has evolved over the years, developing deeper relationships with various faculties and raising recognition of how important it is to establish graduate pathways for Indigenous students at UBC. Students also receive support from a Graduate Student Coordinator and the Centre for Careers on applying for an NSERC-USRA.
Two Faculty speakers, Dr. Mark Turin and Dr. Kimberly Huyser, who have mentored many students over the past 10 years, shared their insight on the impact the mentorship experience has made beyond the program, encouraging different ways to imagine how these connections can occur in their respective departments and faculties.
Dr. Turin, from the Department of Anthropology, who mentored Lexlixatkwa7 Nelson, a 4th year First Nations and Endangered Languages (FNEL) major, stated: “[IURMP]…doesn’t assume that mentorship will just happen by itself, it doesn’t treat students as simple recipients of opportunity. Instead, we work together in the spirit of collaboration and curiosity.”
Dr. Huyser, from the Department of Sociology, reflected on her own experience as an undergraduate, “I know that opportunities to learn about research as an undergrad student can be foundational and be turning point in their careers. I know it was for me, when I was an undergrad student. I hope that being a mentor for IURMP students that I am able to open up their horizons.”
Two Student program alumni, Danilo Caron, a Ph.D. Candidate in Civil Engineering at UBC and Tatyana Schneider, who is now completing an MSc in Forest Sciences provided reflections of their time in the program. Tatyana noted, “The IURMP program helped me feel a strong sense of belonging at university while building lasting connections that have continued to grow into my graduate studies. I’m especially grateful for the research experience I gained, which opened the door to many new opportunities.”
In regards to UBC’s commitment to Indigenous people, Dr. Turin shared the following insight, “For those of us in the faculty role, it’s easy – sometimes a little too easy – for us to speak in the abstract about things like inclusion, belonging and institutional change. But this program actually gives us a tangible and practical way to recognize these commitments. It speaks directly to what this university says it wants to do.”
The IURMP proudly represents several action items from the Indigenous Strategic Plan (Goal 3: Moving Research Forward), and UBC’s Strategic Directions 2025-2030 (Enhance Experiential Education).
The Office of Indigenous Strategic Initiatives (OISI) wishes to acknowledge the Indigenous staff and leadership who have supported the development and growth of this program and key partnerships with the Centre for Careers, Enrolment Services, and Academic Advising units across campus. Without these collective efforts, IURMP would not be possible.