Muscowpetung Sask. man turns into first graduate of latest journalism program at First Nations College of Canada

Cole Cappo, from Muscowpetung Saulteaux Nation, turned the primary graduate of the Indigenous journalism communications certification program on the First Nations College of Canada this fall.

Now he desires to pursue a journalism diploma. 

“I wish to share First Nations views from a younger man that grew up and was raised on the rez,” he stated. “That is what I am making an attempt to convey.”

Cappo, 29, was identified with MS when he was 15-years-old and has mobility points. 

He lives 45 minutes exterior of Regina and when lessons are in individual he has a tougher time getting to high school as a consequence of his wheelchair and the way far he has to commute.

By the pandemic, distant lessons helped him work in the direction of the certificates he earned. 

So did the help of his household and Shannon Avison, affiliate professor for the Indigenous Communication Arts program (INCA) on the First Nations College of Canada.

“I’ve a supportive community of household and associates who maintain me and help me, that is how I get via college. With my household and associates,” Cappo stated.

‘Completely fearless’

Avison stated she actually bought to know Cappo over time he spent at First Nations College of Canada and discovered how exhausting he labored to remain on prime of the whole lot — together with instructing his household and associates the ins and outs of his tasks.

In the case of asking questions and studying, Avison stated Cappo is not afraid to ask questions others may not ask. His real curiosity makes him journalist and interviewer, she stated.

“Cole is completely fearless and never self-conscious in any respect,” she stated. “He is actually great.”

When he first graduated from this system Cappo stated he did not fairly grasp the significance of his accomplishment till many individuals began congratulating him.

“It is cool to be talked up as the one graduate, that is cool,” he stated. “It was positively an accomplishment however I am not performed with college.”

INCA eyes Bachelor program

Avison stated the certificates program Cappo went via is a stepping stone to incomes a diploma and ultimately a level.

Sooner or later, she hoped to see an INCA create a Bachelor’s program so extra aspiring journalists may find out about Indigenous journalism on the First Nations College of Canada.

Earlier this month, the College of Regina’s College of Journalism introduced it will pause enrolment for the upcoming fall semester.

“The argument has all the time been ‘effectively, you do not want to try this as a result of there’s already a program on the College of Journalism,'” she stated. 

“[The journalism school announcement] sort of opens up a possibility for us.”

Avison stated the announcement left a couple of INCA college students who had deliberate on making use of to the journalism college “in a lurch” and should have performed the identical for others occupied with journalism.

Nonetheless, Avison stated there are lessons rolling out in Indigenous neighborhood radio, collaborative investigative journalism, and Indigenous digital content material via INCA too.

“The pre-journalism college students who wished to go to JSchool within the fall, they will take our programs, First Nations College programs are open to all people.”