SAGE – Supporting Aboriginal Graduate Enhancement is a student-driven, inter-disciplinary, cross-institutional, peer-support and faculty-mentorship program and network for Indigenous graduate students throughout their educational journey, and beyond graduation. SAGE promotes and fosters Indigenous values and ways of being in all areas of academia.
SAGE emerged from the Maori and Indigenous [MAI] graduate program at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, New Zealand. Numerous. Since its inception, SAGE is now offered across numerous Canadian University across Turtle Island. SAGE was introduced to UBC in 2005 by Dr. Graham Hingangaroa Smith (Māori). SAGE-UBC was subsequently founded in the Faculty of Education, UBC under the leadership of Dr. Jo-ann Archibald (Stol:lo). Since its inception, SAGE-UBC has been offering support to Indigenous graduate students in the Faculty of Education and the broader UBC community.
SAGE provides social, academic, research, and professional networking and mentorship opportunities locally, nationally, and globally. This includes opportunities to connect with one-on-one supports and mentorship, access to resources and newsletters, on-campus and virtual gathering events and lectures, funding and publication opportunities, and so much more. Please join our listserv to be a part of our SAGE community!
All Indigenous and non-Indigenous graduate students and faculty who are engaged in Indigenous research from any post-secondary institution is highly encouraged to join our listserv and participate in our SAGE community! Indigenous and non-Indigenous students, whether they are in diploma or undergraduate programs, who are interested in pursuing Masters/PhD/EdD studies are also invited to join!
Our UBC SAGE community is also open to non-UBC students and faculty members.
All are welcome!
SAGE Goals include:
• Increase the number of Master/PhD/EdD Indigenous students, candidates, and graduates;
• Assist Indigenous students transitioning into graduate-level programs;
• Develop graduates’ cultural and community consciousness to positively affect change within Indigenous communities;
• Establish and encourage Indigenous mentorship across all post-secondary institutions;
• Link Indigenous (and non-Indigenous) researchers, students, and faculty with culturally-informed mentors;
• Promote funding and publishing opportunities to increase the literature on culturally-grounded Indigenous research and methodologies;
• Celebrate local, national, and international Indigenity and Indigenous values, ethics, and ways of knowing and being, particularly within academia;
• Create and promote internal and external lecture opportunities or other events related to Indigenous research and Indigenous methodologies;
• Collaborate with post-secondary institutions across Canada and globally to foster new SAGE opportunities on national and international levels;
The SAGE program operates on the principle and cultural foundation of respect, reciprocity, relationships and responsibility.
Join our SAGE listserv by emailing the SAGE Provincial Coordinator at grad.sage@ubc.ca to become an official member of the SAGE community!
About the SAGE Logo
The SAGE logo was designed by artist and SAGE member Jocelyne Robinson. Please find her artist’s statement on her piece below.
“The scale of the letter “S” emphasizes the importance of support shared in the SAGE graduate community. The smaller leaves at apex of the letter “A” represent the individual contribution while the larger leaves at the rims of the circle logo represent the reciprocal role of the graduate community as a whole gathering and sharing research, medicines for knowledge and well being. The water evokes the flow of knowledge shared amongst the community that is gathering. The circle four colors evoke the diversity of worldviews amongst the SAGE members who gather in the spirit of the hands forward and hands backward philosophy.”
– Jocelyne Robinson
SAGE - University of British Columbia 