Red Deer Polytechnic has celebrated the grand opening of the Pónokaisissáhta Indigenous Student Centre. This centre provides Indigenous students with access to advising, cultural programming, and student spaces. Outside the centre, there is a fire pit and teepee. The building’s exterior is also decorated with murals depicting traditional cultural symbols designed by Crystal Lee Clark, an artist with Métis, Nehiyawak and Denesuline ancestry. Siksika Nation Elder Johnathon Red Gun gifted the centre the name Pónokaisissáhta, which means “Elk River” in Blackfoot. “By having our student centre, it allows us as an institution, myself as a Dean, and our staff members to address the unique needs of the Indigenous student population here at Red Deer Polytechnic,” said RDP Dean of Indigenous Initiatives Lloyd Desjarlais.
