Bison Spirit Indigenous Leadership Program
Bison Spirit is an entry-level Indigenous leadership program that connects to the Paskwamostos Wawiyaw Indigenous Leadership Program.
Designed for new UM Indigenous students with fewer completed credit hours, Bison Spirit helps students build belonging, confidence and foundational leadership skills. As students grow and gain experience, they can continue into more advanced leadership opportunities through Paskwamostos Wawiyaw.
Bison Spirit Indigenous Leadership Program
Program details
Bison Spirit 2026–2027 Program Schedule
Category | Date | Time |
Regular Program | Wednesday, October 7, 2026 | 5:00 PM – 7:30 PM |
Wednesday, October 14, 2026 | 5:00 PM – 7:30 PM | |
Wednesday, November 4, 2026 | 5:00 PM – 7:30 PM | |
Wednesday, November 18, 2026 | 5:00 PM – 7:30 PM | |
Wednesday, December 2, 2026 | 5:00 PM – 7:30 PM | |
Wednesday, January 6, 2027 | 5:00 PM – 7:30 PM | |
Wednesday, January 20, 2027 | 5:00 PM – 7:30 PM | |
Wednesday, February 3, 2027 | 5:00 PM – 7:30 PM | |
Wednesday, February 24, 2027 | 5:00 PM – 7:30 PM | |
Wednesday, March 10, 2027 | 5:00 PM – 7:30 PM | |
Wednesday, March 24, 2027 | 5:00 PM – 7:30 PM | |
Retreat | Saturday, October 3, 2026 | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM |
Saturday, January 9, 2027 | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM | |
Year-end Celebration | Monday, April 26, 2027 | TBD |
Application process
Eligibility requirements
Bison Spirit is for you if you are a full-time Indigenous (First Nations, Métis and Inuit) students that have completed less than 30 credit hours of coursework. If you have completed any university courses, you will need a minimum GPA of 2.5.
Bison Spirit gathers twice a month during the academic year. Each gathering begins with a shared dinner, followed by sessions on Indigenous leadership led by esteemed guests, engaging team-building activities, professional workshops, and/or check-ins to ensure the well-being and success of all participants.
Why join Bison Spirit
With Bison Spirit you will:
- Explore your potential as a leader on campus and in your community.
- Learn from Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and Indigenous leaders about leadership in various sectors of our society.
- Connect with other student leaders on campus and discover leadership opportunities.
- Expand your capacity as a leader by participating in skill building workshops.
- Elevate your leadership proficiency through regular one-on-one check-ins with Bison Spirit leaders.
If you have completed more than 30 credit hours of course work and you are looking for leadership development opportunities and community, consider joining the Paskwamostos Wawiyaw
Bison Spirit is a strengths-based leadership program primarily for Indigenous (First Nations, Métis & Inuit) students looking to improve their leadership skills while attending university. We highly encourage concurrent enrolment in support programs such as the Qualico Bridge to Success Program, Blankstein Momentum Program, Indigenous Business Education Partners, Access Programs, Wawatay, Pathways to Indigenous Nursing Education, or Engineering Access Program.
EleV Program Partnership - Mastercard Foundation
We want to express our sincere gratitude to the Mastercard Foundation's EleV program for their generous support of the Bison Spirit Indigenous Leadership Program. Your contribution has been instrumental in helping us empower Indigenous youth and promote positive change within our communities. Thank you for being a valued partner in our mission.
Miigwech! Pidamaya! Kinanâskomitin! Marsi! Nakurmiik! Mąsi chok! Thank you! Merci!
This program is proudly presented by the Indigenous Leadership Programming team.
Bison Spirit News
Contact us
If you're interested in the Bison Spirit Indigenous Leadership program, don't hesitate to get in touch! We look forward to chatting with you!
Kyra Sinclair (she/her)
Coordinator, Indigenous Leadership Programming
Office of the Vice-President (Indigenous)
University of Manitoba (Fort Garry campus)
431-338-1998
Our office is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.