EDUCATION GUIDE
11
SUPPLEMENT TO THE FREE PRESS • SATURDAY, AUGUST 8, 2026
UNIVERSITY OF WINNIPEG
When your future is limitless
Discover new possibilities at the University of Winnipeg
Ashley Sinclair
SUPPLIED
T he best education doesn’t limit your future. It expands it. It opens doors to opportunities you never thought possible. At the University of Winnipeg, students find the support and inspiration they need to build the future they want, one that is entirely their own. When education changes the game If Rhéanne Marcoux could distill her UWinnipeg experience into one lesson, it's that education has no boundaries. President of the Winnipeg Sea Bears, Rhéanne's career has taken her across the professional sports scene. A graduate of the Joint Com- munications Degree/Diploma program, she achieved a diploma at RRC Polytech before completing a Bachelor of Arts in Rhetoric and Communications at UWinnipeg. While following her passion for the written word at UWinnipeg, Rhéanne also took the opportunity to explore a variety of other sub- jects including psychology, philosophy, and kinesiology. Her curiosity was encouraged by her professors. "That's not, I think, the experience everywhere," said Rhéanne, "so it was really nice to be able to have that direct access to your teachers and professors and have their input."
Just as her professors influenced Rhéanne’s education, her love of sports guided her career. Before joining the Sea Bears, she patrolled the sidelines as a reporter for the CBC, became a media specialist for the Winnipeg Jets, and rose through the ranks of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to become senior director of branding. It's been a whirlwind experience, but the mindset of continual learn- ing Rhéanne developed at UWinnipeg has helped her adapt to each new opportunity. "You can always add more to your repertoire and do more and learn more,” she said. “That's been my philosophy; I'm going to learn as much as I can, and take that and grow with it." When Indigenous languages thrive When he enrolled at UWinnipeg, Cameron Adams hoped his educa- tion would provide the opportunity to learn Swampy Cree. Now, he's an emerging leader in the field of Indigenous language revitalization. First drawn to UWinnipeg for its intimate class sizes, Cameron's experience in Cree courses, notably Introductory Cree with Ida Bear, shifted his focus from learning Indigenous languages to helping pre- serve and teach the next generation of speakers. Under the mentorship of Ida Bear and Elder Margaret Osborne, Cam- eron released the n-dialect language app, nēhinawēwin, with the aim to help others learn Swampy Cree. When Cameron completed an integrated Bachelor of Education and Bachelor of Arts degree at UWinnipeg, he was one of only 20 recip- ients Canada-wide to receive a prestigious McCall MacBain Schol- arship. The scholarship allowed him to complete a Master of Arts in Indigenous Language Revitalization at McGill University in Montreal. Today, Cameron continues creating opportunities for the revitaliza- tion of Indigenous languages in his official capacity as an Indigenous language consultant with Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning. When thinking back on his time at UWinnipeg, Cameron fondly recalls the community and support he found on campus. "UWinnipeg gave me a sense of belonging — but also belief that there's a better world both in higher education and beyond higher
education," he said. "That comes through building a community around you that can support you, challenge you, and help you further
yourself in whatever goals you strive to achieve." When you teach from the heart
Ashley Sinclair's time at UWinnipeg has not only helped her discover her own purpose, but has placed her on the pathway to helping others do the same. Ashley arrived at UWinnipeg through Build from Within, a partnership between the university, Winnipeg School Division, and Indspire that creates paths for Indigenous high school students to become teachers. Without Build from Within, Ashley doesn't believe she would have entered post-secondary education. "I was coming close to graduation and wasn't really sure what I was going to go into next," she said. "Build from Within really caught my attention because it was aimed to increase Indigenous representation in schools. Growing up in the west end of Winnipeg, I didn't really experience any representation of that sort." As much as Ashley’s experience at UWinnipeg has opened doors for her future, it has also helped her reconnect with her roots. She has begun learning Anishinaabemowin, which has given her the opportu- nity to teach in a bilingual classroom. Ashley wants to use her education to nurture the next generation of students and pass down history, traditions, and language. And she hopes her journey — growing up footsteps from UWinnipeg's down- town campus and returning as an adult to pursue higher education — can serve as an inspiration in her future classrooms. "For the kids to be able to see someone like them in that space is really important," she said, "because it teaches them they can be in that space, too, one day." n
Ready to take your next step? Find out what comes next at: uwinnipeg.ca
Cameron Adams
SUPPLIED
WHEN EDUCATION CHANGES THE GAME,
RHÉANNE MARCOUX Alumna & Winnipeg Sea Bears President
Learn more at UWINNIPEG.CA
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