A group of aboriginal high school students from Hamilton will get up-close-and-
personal with McMaster today as part of a University effort to help them get to know
the school better.

Organized by the Indigenous Studies Program, the Registrar's Office and the McMaster
Community Poverty Initiative, more than 20 students will tour the David Braley Athletic
Centre, campus radio station CFMU, a health sciences suture clinic and the University's
planetarium to get a better understanding of the many things happening on campus.
They will also get one-on-one mentoring from students in Sandra Preston's social work
class.

According to the Chaplaincy Centre's Carol Wood, who works with the Poverty Initiative,
the trip is meant to show the students what university is all about.

“Many students don't have anyone to talk to about post-secondary education, so this is
a great opportunity for them to get some guidance,” she said. “It's also important to
show them that there are plenty of resources available to them on campus should they
choose to come here.”

After touring campus the students will spend the afternoon at an elder's conference,
hosted by the Indigenous Studies Program. The conference, which will focus on
aboriginal traditions, features a number of guest speakers and is open to the public. It
is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Hamilton Hall Room 305.