The Executive Director of the Tsilhqot’in National Government was recently honored by her former University.
Jenny Philbrick was given the Outstanding Alumni Award from the Mount Royal University in Calgary.
“I was shocked,” Philbrick said when she found out she had won, “Never in my life did I assume that I would ever achieve or be nominated for an award like this. I am really grateful and really humble.”
After graduating Philbrick stayed at Mount Royal, not continuing on with her studies, but being a mentor.
“I worked in the Indigenous Centre, and we worked with Indigenous students,” Philbrick said, “We did whatever we could, we tried to find resources to keep them in school. I have a lot of connections with those students still so seeing the graduate is pretty exciting. I also sat on the Indigenization committees
that looked at Indigenizing the whole University and since then their numbers have increased.”
Philbrick also recently completed her executive MBA in Indigenous business and leadership from Simon Fraser University.
“My education is not ending. I’m also taking Chilcotin classes on the side, and an Emergency Service Introduction course. I love education and always promoting education to any youth, not just Indigenous youth.”