Social Event: NorQuest College

Come join us at NorQuest College on Tuesday 17th October 5:30pm to 7:30pm

There will be entertainment, an art exhibit, silent auction, and the NorQuest host encourages you to tour the college to get a sense of what we are all about. They are looking forward to showcasing their beautiful College.

Location: (15-20 min walk from conference)
10215 108 St NW, Edmonton, AB T5J 1L6 (map)

Please note: This social event required advanced purchase at the time of conference registration. We regret that no more tickets are available.

Agenda will be

  • 5:30 to 6 – networking

  • 6pm – Welcome from Norma Schneider VPAcademic NorQuest College

  • 6:15 to 6:30 – NorQuest Community Choir

  • 6:30 to 7pm – networking

  • 7pm to 7:30 – Darla Daniels and Ivy Brandsma

During the above, there will be NorQuest Indigenous Studies program students and an Art Exhibit

There will also be a silent auction that runs till 6:59 pm when final bids must go in. To claim your item, if you were the highest bidder, you have to be at the event.

NQ Community Choir

The NorQuest Community Choir started in 2018 when Dawn Witherspoon gathered a group of NorQuesters to sing some holiday carols and crash the NQ Holiday Breakfast with their tunes!

Dawn is the choir director and believes that everyone has a voice to share and a song to sing. All NorQuesters are invited to participate. Members come and go as their schedules allow, and we all agree that the days we sing are the best work days of the week!

The choir has sung at various events including more NorQuest holiday events, happy birthday for an internal vendor, College-wide Culture Day, and during Covid, created a virtual “Oh Canada” for the inauguration of President & CEO Carolyn Campbell.

Choir members

  • Dawn Witherspoon
  • Moira Rumsey
  • Angela Goudman
  • Mary Stewart
  • Trish Van Doornum
  • Janice Kraemer
  • Gail Kesslar
  • Reva George
  • Rebecca Hardie
  • Sharon Duval

Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) NorQuest Student Volunteers

RBC Student Ambassadors (see info on why RBC below) are a terrific group of enthusiastic NorQuest College students! They proudly volunteer to represent the college, promote NorQuest programs and services for students, and strongly believe in the importance of an education. RBC Student Ambassadors come from a wide variety of backgrounds, making the group diverse and fun! Today they’re supporting this event!

RBC Student Volunteers

  • Rokia Tourey
  • Candace Thomas
  • Mahboob Rezai
  • Felly William
  • Marcus Low

NorQuest Indigenous Studies program students Art Exhibit

Find your story in Art with the theme, We Are Still Here.

From January to April 2023, Indigenous Studies program students engaged in an Art class that allowed them to share stories that truly mattered to each of them and have a voice through a variety of art forms. Art has been a fundamental element of Indigenous ways of knowing and being since time immemorial and continues to be an essential part of healing, cultural connection, and personal / community expression. It is not one thing; everyone can do it – it’s rooted in the heart and spirit.

The work you see today is a combination of some of the pieces that were presented at the Art Show in April, as well as some additional pieces that our program students have created to continue to keep their voice and presence strong. Please engage with our students and ask them what story is rooted in their art and why the medium they chose is significant to help tell that story. Each piece has a story waiting to be shared.

Darla Daniels, Mathew Patenaude, and Ivy Brandsma – Fiddler, Guitarist and Jigger

From Buffalo Lake Mètis Settlement, Darla Daniels began performing in 2003, playing at festivals, Old Time dances, and community events. Within 5 years, she began performing for crowds of thousands, sharing her love for her roots in traditional Métis fiddle music. She is known for her lively tone, passionate compositions, and the ability to make your toes tap.

In 2012, Darla graduated from Grant MacEwan University, majoring in Jazz and Contemporary Music. She has since toured and collaborated with varying bands and artists of many genres, from Celtic Folk Rock to World music to Country. The greatest influences on her style are Calvin Vollrath, Daniel Gervais, Allison Granger, and late Gilbert Anderson.

Pisimoyapiy Awasis – Rainbow Child- Ivy Brandsma is a 13-year-old Métis woman who truly embodies and challenges temporary understandings of teacher, classroom, and text in meaningful ways as she shares her gifts of story and dance with audiences of all ages across the province.

From Lac St Anne – Manitou Sah Ka hi gan, with connections to the Loyer, Courtorielle, and Gladue families, Ivy loves to teach about her rich Métis culture. Ivy is an exceptional young woman who generously shares what she has learned with others. She is the next generation of youth leading in the movement towards cultural restoration, reclamation, revitalization, and reconciliation.

Mathew Patenaude, a Metis musician from Buffalo Lake Metis Settlement, has had a two-decade music career spanning North America. He’s opened for artists like Emerson Drive, Gordon Bamford, and Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and shared the stage with Brett Kissel, Jess Moskaluke, and Tanya Tucker. Additionally, he works as a liaison for indigenous and isolated communities in Alberta - Victims Services, striving to provide support and resources. His proudest role is being a devoted father to his 5-year-old son, passing down his love for music. Through his music and unwavering dedication, he continues to inspire and connect with others.