Infinite Reach Facilitators are motivated and enthusiastic upper year Métis post-secondary students that act as mentors at universities and colleges throughout Ontario for the upcoming academic year. These positions are volunteer based with the opportunity to receive honoraria for applicable work.
Facilitator Eligibility Criteria
- Citizen, or in progress application for citizenship, of the MNO or one of the Métis provincial governing members
- Applicants may have a citizenship application in progress with the MNO Registry (or other provincial governing member), in which case their acceptance to the program will require an approved assessment of the application by MNO Registry.
- Enrolled and attending a post-secondary institution in Ontario
- Have completed at least one year of studies
- Committed to fostering a community of Métis learners
Facilitator Responsibilities
Throughout the academic year mentors will be responsible for the following:
- Attending the Infinite Reach training session
- Completion of training modules
- Meeting with incoming students
- Being knowledgeable of funding opportunities for Métis students
- Being knowledgeable of community council and Métis Nation of Ontario events and programs
Connecting incoming students with the Indigenous Student Resource Centre - Organize information sessions and cultural events throughout the year
- Present and promote postsecondary opportunities to Métis secondary school students
- Connecting incoming students with students supports available both at their institution but also through the MNO:
- Academic Counselling
- Counselling Services
- Disability Services
- Health Services
- Housing
2022 - 2023 Infinite Reach Facilitators
CONTACT:
If you would like to connect with one of our Infinite Reach Facilitators, please email InfiniteReach@metisnation.org or find their email below.
Olivia Adams
Olivia Adams will be entering her final year of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at Lakehead University this fall. She wanted to become an Infinite Reach Facilitator with hopes to connect Métis students to their local MNO community council and the various resources, programs, and events available. Olivia hopes to provide education and understanding of Métis culture and history through traditional events such as beading, dot art, and finger weaving. She is very excited to continue her journey as an Infinite Reach Facilitator at Lakehead University for the 2023-2024 school year!
Olivia Beausoliel
Hello! My name is Olivia Beausoleil and I am entering into my third year at McMaster University studying Kinesiology. I wanted to become an Infinite Reach Facilitator as I have a passion for learning and sharing the Métis heritage. I am interested in sharing the culture within my school’s community to better educate other students. I look forward to building relationships with fellow Métis students, as I hope to build upon my creative skills and grow my own Métis knowledge.
Ashley Benoit – Email
My name is Ashley Benoit and I am currently studying Orthophonie (Speech and Language Pathology) at Laurentian University. I have loved being an Infinite Reach Facilitator and look forward to helping more students discover their roots!
Stephanie Chartrand
My name is Stephanie Chartrand, I am from the Chartrand family in St.Laurent Manitoba on my father’s side and the Desjarlais/Howse family lines on my mother’s side. I am currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Adult Education and Community Development at the University of Toronto – OISE. I have always been passionate about empowering others through education, which is why I am driven to become an Infinite Reach Facilitator. The program’s dedication to supporting Métis learners resonates deeply with me, and I aim to create inclusive and accessible learning environments that foster a sense of belonging and cultural pride.
Katelyn Cudmore – Email
My name is Katelyn Cudmore and I am attending Nipissing University. I just finished my Bachelor of physical and health education and now will be returning to complete teachers college. I wanted to become an Infinite Reach facilitator to assist first year incoming students feel comfortable at the school and also be able to get involved with the Indigenous centre. I have also worked with the Summer Youth program for 3 years so I am looking forward to educating others on Métis culture and history.
Emma Gelinas – Email
My name is Emma Gelinas. I’m a Métis student at Western University in Health Sciences. I want to be a resource for Métis students and someone they can talk to about anything for which they might need assistance in my capacity as an Infinite Reach facilitator. I’m eager to introduce Western University students to my Métis culture. I’m always up for a conversation and glad to help out however I can! Please don’t hesitate to reach me at
Paige Gendron
My name is Rosie Gendron and I am starting my 4th year at Brock University this September, working towards a degree in Philosophy. I wanted to become an Infinite Reach Facilitator because I care about Métis culture and want to share it with others. I hope to provide an open and kind space for others to learn about Métis culture.
Ryan Lafleur
Hello, my name is Ryan Lafleur! I am currently taking a physics program at the University of Ottawa, and am also youth representative on the Ottawa Region Métis Council. I wanted to become an Infinite Reach Facilitator so I can try to give Métis youth like me a space in my institution, and to encourage them to engage with the MNO. Hopefully I am able to carve out a spot for Métis youth at uOttawa, and it would be great to see more youth at community events.
Ethan Michalenko – Email
Hello, my name is Ethan Michalenko. I am a Métis student in my third year at McMaster University, currently working towards an Honours Bachelor of Health Sciences. This is my first year as an infinite reach facilitator, and I applied as I wanted to strengthen the Métis community at McMaster. As a Facilitator this year, I hope to be a source of information for incoming and current students that can help direct them to helpful resources and share with others at the university about Métis culture and heritage. I can be reached by email at . Please don’t hesitate to reach out!
Paul Michaud
Hello, My name is Paul Michaud, my Post-secondary institution is Confederation College in Thunder Bay. I studied in the Flight Management program. I wanted to become an Infinite Reach Facilitator because I enjoy connecting with others and helping people succeed in their endeavours.
Teagan Neufeld- Email
Teagan Neufeld is a post secondary student at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay Ontario. She is studying psychology and already has a BSc and MSc in neuroscience and biology. She began volunteering with the Métis Nation of Ontario as an Infinite Reach Facilitator in 2021 to learn more about her culture and become involved with community. She continues to be an Infinite Reach Facilitator because of how much joy and opportunities it creates.
Kelsey Piche – Email
My name is Kelsey Piche and I am going into my 4th year of Child and Youth Studies at Brock University. I wanted to become an Infinite Reach Facilitator to spread my cultural knowledge with upcoming students at Brock University. I hope to offer a helping hand to Brock students and assist in alleviating any stress and anxiety they may be dealing with starting their post-secondary journey.
Jayson Pomfret
My name is Jayson Pomfret I am an incoming 3rd year at Queen’s University studying Health Science. My desire as a Facilitator is to ease the burden of transfering from high shcool to university and share my experience within the Queen’s indigenous community to incoming students to allow them to take full advantage of the resources available.
Charlotte Romain
My name is Charlotte Romain and I am very excited to be returning as an Infinite Reach facilitator! I am a first year Cell and Systems Biology (neuroscience) Master’s student at the St. George campus of the University of Toronto. I really enjoy connecting with other Métis students, supporting other Métis students in their post-secondary journey, sharing our culture, and learning from our community. I look forward to continuing to develop our Métis post-secondary community, and learning and sharing our culture with everyone!
Melanie Ross
My name is Melanie Ross. I am a part-time 4th year History student with a Minor in Cultural Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, ON. I became an Infinite Reach Facilitator to cultivate a deeper connection with Métis history and culture and to bring that to campus. I also hope to connect with incoming students to help make their transition to university life a little easier by being a mentor and providing support.
Morgan Switzer
Hello! My name is Morgan Switzer, and I am a Métis/Ojibwe student going into my second year at the University of Guelph for Justice and Legal studies. I am very passionate about Indigenous rights and intend to pursue a legal career in hopes of making a positive change for Indigenous Peoples. Through this opportunity I hope to learn more about my culture, build new, and meaningful connections within the community, and hopefully teach others about Métis culture!
Morgan Turcotte- Email
My name is Morgan, I am attending Algonquin College for a Diploma in Community and Justice Services. I wanted to be an Infinite Reach Facilitator this year as during my final two years of my undergraduate degree at Trent University, I came to understand the importance of this program and the impact it made on Métis students, myself and the wider Indigenous community on campus. I hope to be able to aid Métis students in finding their community and identity!
Courtney Vessair- Email
Bonjou, Jmapèl Courtney pi jvi a Simcoe County. I am a mature student at Georgian College in Barrie. I decided to retrain during the pandemic with the help of the MNO and have nearly completed my bookkeeping certification. I wanted to be a part of the Infinite Reach to give back to a community that continues to share so much with me.
Celine Wick- Email
My name is Céline Wick & I’m going into my second year of a PhD in Health Sciences at Lakehead University. I also hold an HBA in Political Science & a MA in Social Justice Studies. I am an active member of my university community and always look for ways to be more involved. This is my second year as an Infinite Reach Facilitator and have enjoyed all the new friendships I’ve made! Maarsii.
Bennett Woods
My name is Bennett Woods, and I am a third year student at the University of Guelph where I am enrolled in an honours Bachelor of Science Degree in Biomedical Sciences. I wanted to become an Infinite Reach Facilitator because I wanted to connect to more indigenous students at my university, as well as share what I have learned about Métis traditional culture.