10/05/2026
Global engagement is civic engagement. Do you agree?
Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation gave BSU students an opportunity to step outside the traditional classroom and engage with Indigenous histories, cultures, and lived experiences.
Held September 30 in the Heritage Room, the program brought together Joyce Rain Anderson from Native American and Indigenous Studies, Andy Holman from Canadian Studies, Simone Poliandri from American Studies, and Mike Zimmerman from Anthropology for a multidisciplinary conversation connecting Canadian, Indigenous, American, and international perspectives.
Elementary education majors Ava, Hannah and Jocelyn attended the event. Jocelyn shared why learning matters to her future as an educator: “We wanted to learn more about Orange Shirt Day so we can be more informed and sensitive when working with our future students.”
Global engagement is much more than simply understanding the world around us. It is a door to becoming more thoughtful and informed, and a way to serve as engaged citizens in our own communities.
At the Minnock Institute for Global Engagement, we believe learning across cultures helps us better understand one another and strengthens our capacity to engage thoughtfully in the world.
Adding to the global spirit of the day, our visiting scholars from China and Japan, Liao (Lucy), Celeste, and Yumiko, joined the BSU community in standing in solidarity with Indigenous communities and holding Orange Shirt Day shirts alongside students and faculty. Their presence was a meaningful part of the day’s global exchange.
Child Matters.
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