Hometown: Regina, SK
Band: Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation, SK
Program: Health Information Management
When Sandra Unteriner walked into her first class at Saskatchewan Polytechnic, she'd been out of school for more than a decade and was nervous.
"I was scared to come back to school, but Sask Polytech made the whole experience comforting and not stressful," says Unteriner.
As of April 2016, the First Nations student became a graduate.
"My whole time at Sask Polytech was great. I liked the connection between the instructors and students and the great opportunities for students to achieve their goals," she says.
When it came to exams, Sandra struggled a bit. After discussing the issue with her program head and counsellors, they were able to determine what accommodations could be made to help her find success. She found financial assistance through a number of services for Indigenous students.
"All of these services helped me with my education as well as financial needs, and helped me become more confident," she says. "We all struggle in life but these struggles are only life's test to challenge us to become stronger individuals."
"My future has never been so clear — this program has opened so many doors for me," she says.