Susan Aglukark named scholar in residence at University of Alberta

The University of Alberta is enlisting some celebrity help to recruit students from Nunavut and the Northwest Territories.The university has given renowned Canadian Inuit singer and songwriter Susan Aglukark a distinguished scholar in residence position.

She will be a mentor to aboriginal artists on campus, and will help build a joint native studies, recreation, sport and community health degree program.

Aglukark will also serve as a consultant to the Canadian Circumpolar Institute and plans to lobby both provincial and federal governments to increase funding to aboriginal students.

In a release, she says she’s always had an interest in encouraging First Nation’s people to pursue post-secondary education.

She will be housed in the Faculty of Native studies for three days each month starting July 1.

-with a report from CP