First Graduates of St’át’imc Language Fluency Degree Celebrate Cultural Milestone at UBC Okanagan
UBC Okanagan graduates carry an Interior Salish language forward
The University Of British Columbia
Image: The University Of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia Okanagan celebrated its first graduates of the Bachelor of St’át’imc Language Fluency on Thursday, marking a significant step in the revitalization of the critically endangered St’át’imcets language. The program, a collaboration with local Indigenous communities, aims to equip graduates with skills for community-based language revitalization efforts.
- 01The inaugural cohort of four graduates includes Rena Patrick, Audrey Casper, Angelina Hopkins-Rose, and Deborah Doss-Cody.
- 02St’át’imcets, an Interior Salish language, has fewer than 50 fluent speakers left, primarily elderly.
- 03The Bachelor of St’át’imc Language Fluency is part of UBCO’s broader initiative to support Indigenous language education, following other programs in Nsyilxcn and NłeɁkepmx.
- 04Graduates plan to continue their work in language revitalization, with some pursuing further education in related fields.
- 05The program emphasizes community engagement and was largely delivered online, fostering strong connections among students.
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On Thursday, UBC Okanagan conferred its first Bachelor of St’át’imc Language Fluency degrees, celebrating a pivotal moment in the preservation of the St’át’imcets language, which is critically endangered with fewer than 50 fluent speakers remaining. The inaugural graduates—Rena Patrick, Audrey Casper, Angelina Hopkins-Rose, and Deborah Doss-Cody—completed a program that combined immersive learning with community engagement, in partnership with the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology and the Lillooet Tribal Council. The degree aims to equip graduates to lead efforts in language revitalization, a goal emphasized by Chief Justin Kane of the Lillooet Tribal Council. Graduates expressed their commitment to using the language in their communities, with plans to further their education in Indigenous language revitalization. UBCO’s program is among the few university-level Indigenous language immersion courses in Canada, reflecting a growing recognition of the importance of Indigenous languages in cultural identity and community cohesion.
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The graduation of these students represents a significant step towards revitalizing the St’át’imc language, which is crucial for cultural preservation.
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