WEYBURN – Weyburn student Teagen Dubiel is one of the 25 recipients of TD Scholarships for Indigenous Peoples. Teagen is a proud member of the Metis Nation Saskatchewan Eastern Region 3, and is pursuing her Bachelor of Biological Science with aspirations of completing her doctorate in genetic analysis.
It is Teagan's dream to work on reconstructing genetic code that could bring unidentified Indigenous Peoples home, whether that be in support of residential school children or missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit, and gender diverse people (MMIWG2S+), and she wants to give back to the Indigenous community.
Asked what inspired her to get into genetic analysis, she replied, “I think that I was so drawn to genetics when I got to university because of its complexity. Everyone’s genetics are just as complex as them. I think it’s really incredible that such small mistakes or just slight changes in your development can make such an impact on you and your health.”
She added, “There is so much that genetic analysis can do to help people that is still unrealized, and I would love to be a part of that. I have always held the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Children, and Two-spirit people movement close to my heart and I would love to study genetic analysis to identify the victims and bring them back to their families and communities.”
As for plans for her scholarship, she said, “This scholarship will truly be life changing. It alleviates the financial stress that I feel as a student, provides me opportunities to meet other Indigenous students, and provide me networking opportunities. I plan to get everything I possibly can out of the experience that is being offered to me, including employment and mentorship opportunities to better myself, and in turn better my community. It is a key value of mine to give back to the community that has given so much to me as a young woman, and I hope that my successes will not just be achievements for me, but for my Metis community.”
Asked what has kept her going in this endeavour, Teagen replied, “I have received incredible support from my family, who listen with interest to all that I learn about in class, are there to support me when I fail, and celebrate with me when I succeed. I value my brothers in the way that they have shared their university experiences with me and guided me to my success.”
She added she also has to credit the support of her friends.
“I am incredibly thankful for the support and laughter that my friends have given me in the hard times, and the kindness and celebration when I succeed. I am incredibly lucky to have an amazing support system that has kept me going in my academic journey this far, and who I know will be by my side for the rest,” she said.
The TD Scholarships for Indigenous Peoples program, which launched in November 2022, is managed by AFOA Canada, a not-for-profit led by Indigenous Peoples and provides students from Indigenous communities with financial support to explore the benefits of post-secondary education.
Recipients of the scholarship will receive up to $60,000 for tuition and living expenses, as well as opportunities for paid summer employment at TD, peer networking and mentorship.
