October 16, 2018 - 8:15pm
Kaitlyn Lafontaine dreams of using her education as a tool for change.
“I really want to use my education to give back to my community and make a difference,” says Lafontaine, a member of the Métis Nation. “School has taught me I am someone who can make those changes.”
It’s important to Lafontaine to make a positive impact for Indigenous people in Canada. The First Nations Studies and Criminology alum is studying Aboriginal law in the University of British Columbia’s Peter A. Allard School of Law.
It’s more good news for the former VIU Mariners student-athlete, whose final year at VIU was full of wins. In November, Lafontaine, a guard for the Mariners women’s basketball team, received the 2017 Premier’s Award for Aboriginal Youth Excellence in Sport – Interior Region. The win served as a nomination for the Provincial Awards, which Lafontaine also won last March – just one of 12 winners across BC.
“I was very proud to represent my family, my nation and my communities both at school and back home,” she says.
The awards recognize athletes who have achieved excellence in sport, leadership and cultural awareness, and have dedicated themselves to pursuing higher education.
“Seeing Kaitlyn recognized as a winner of the prestigious Premier’s Award for Aboriginal Youth Excellence in Sport is thrilling,” says Stephanie White, VIU’s Director of High Performance Sport, Recreation and Physical Literacy. “I have had the pleasure of working with Kaitlyn on various projects within the Mariners department and I am always impressed with the passion and expertise Kaitlyn shares. She is an example of the exceptional scholar-athletes we have in the Mariners family.”
*This article originally appeared in the Fall 2018 edition of VIU Magazine. Check out more stories on the VIU Magazine webpage.
Tags: Alumni | VIU Magazine
