Kathleen Larocque spent most of her life working in the Financial Services Industry as an administrator in Investments, life insurance and estate planning.
Throughout her career, she saw the need to engage with members of the Indigenous community on their understanding of finances, as well as financial planning at an organizational level. She began taking courses through the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association (AFOA) “and I quickly learned the obstacles to Indigenous prosperity are due to the colonial policies in place,” says Larocque.
Through her connections in the Aboriginal community, she applied and was accepted to the new Indigenous Policy and Administration (IPA) Graduate Diploma program at Carleton.
She said she thinks the program will provide her with “a better understanding of the problems associated politically and administratively that hinder reconciliation of a nation-to-nation relationship with our state and Indigenous peoples.”
So far, Larocque says highlights have included visiting the Akwesasne and Kitigan Zibi reserves as part of the IPA’s Summer Institute. “I had not been at either of those reserves before and it was great to share and understand some of the strategies they have in place for building community capacity.”
In response to advice provided during the formative years of the IPA program, it is offered part-time and almost entirely online, making it easily accessible to program participants. Students also meet at Carleton in June at the beginning of the program for intensive on-campus courses as part of a Summer Institute.
Says Larocque: “I liked the personal engagement we were able to obtain in the Summer Institute because it gave us an understanding of who each of us is and know that we have a common link that makes writing in discussion pieces a little easier to do.”
Larocque shares that she really likes the professors involved with the program. “All the professors I have engaged with are terrific, extremely open and ready to help and accommodate all types of situations to help students succeed in the program. Dr. Frances Abele and Dr. Katherine Graham are exceptional ladies and their concern and involvement in the program is what makes it so easy to engage in. They have created a great program for people to get fundamental in-depth knowledge in such a short time frame.”
Alongside faculty and sessional instructors from the School of Public Policy and Administration, two newly hired Indigenous professors teach in the program, Heather Dorries and Hayden King. Sheila Grantham is the program administrator and outreach coordinator.
Larocque says that she thinks the way the program is set up really benefits the participants as they can continue to work while completing the program. As a mother of two, she also has time to volunteer at her younger daughter’s school as a member of the parent council.
Upon graduation, Larocque wants to work in the field of public administration helping to change policies involving Indigenous peoples in Canada.
You can find out more about the unique IPA graduate diploma program by going to this website. Carleton also offers a Master of Public Policy and Administration, with a concentration in Indigenous Policy and Administration.
The deadline to apply to the graduate diplomate program has been extended to April 1.
Dancers celebrating during the launch of the IPA program
