Sandra Germain

Cape Breton University is delighted to honour and recognize a Mi’kmaq woman from the Listuguj First Nation, whose exceptional dedication to creating pathways for Indigenous students to access post-secondary education while remaining connected to their families, communities, cultures and ways of knowing, Sandra Germain.

A respected educator, social worker, (delete social worker) program leader and advocate for Indigenous education, Sandra has been instrumental in bringing CBU’s and Unama’ki College’s In-Community program directly to First Nation students in communities across Atlantic Canada.

Through her leadership, in-community cohorts were established in Listuguj and Gesgapegiag in Quebec, the easternmost districts of Mi’kma’ki, as well as in Tobique First Nation in New Brunswick, creating opportunities for Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqey students to pursue their education close to home.

Sandra understands that access to education is about more than simply providing access to a program. It is about removing barriers that can prevent students from pursuing their goals. Her work recognized that leaving home, family and community to attend university can be a significant obstacle for Indigenous learners.

Aside from her work with CBU, Sandra was the first coordinator and recruiter for the Mi’kmaq Wolastoqey Bachelor of Social Work (MWBSW) program at St. Thomas University’s off-campus program located in Sackville, NB from 2004 to 2023. This program was developed to provide First Nation students with a culturally relevant approach to social work education, recognizing Indigenous systems of knowledge, practice and ways of learning. It was designed to be a part-time program that provided mature students an opportunity to remain in their communities for 3 weeks per month and attend classes one week per month over a three year period. Sandra also helped to negotiate an agreement with McGill University to deliver an in-community part-time Bachelor of Education program for Listuguj students.

Through her dedication to this program, Sandra helped open the door for generations of Indigenous students to become social workers and bring their knowledge and skills back to Indigenous communities across Canada.

Sandra completed her undergraduate degree in Education as a mature student in 2000 before earning a Master’s degree in Adult Education from the University of New Brunswick in 2003. Her academic and professional experience gave her a unique understanding of both the opportunities and barriers facing Indigenous adult learners.

Now retired, Sandra continues to contribute to Indigenous Social Work as the Executive Director for the Mi’kmaq Wolastoqiyik Association of Social Workers (MWASW). She has also served on the Cape Breton University Advisory Board for Unama’ki College, representing Indigenous students from New Brunswick and Quebec, two districts of Mi’kma’ki.

Throughout her career, Sandra has brought together a rare combination of social work experience, post-secondary education expertise, Indigenous and Mi’kmaw knowledge, community connection and leadership.

Today, Cape Breton University confers the degree Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, on a woman whose legacy is measured not only in the programs she helped build, but in the students who were able to pursue an education because she helped make that education possible, Sandra Germain.