What we do

Our focus is to spread awareness about the experiences of students of colour to the campus as a means of ensuring all members of the Laurier community are well-informed and have a most fulfilling experience. We also provide support and empowerment to those in need with aspirations of moving towards a progressive society. We do this by facilitating discussion groups, forums, and workshops, social activities, networking sessions, awareness campaigns and the Beating the Odds Conference and other community initiatives.

·         IntellectuELLE & Black Think Tank are discussion groups that bring to attention prominent topics influencing the experiences of students of colour on campus and in the community at large.

·         Special Subject Workshops are hosted typically around significant occasions throughout the school year to highlight historic moments and address pressing topics. Guest speakers may host these workshops and collaborations are common with other groups with similar focuses.

·         Social activities are organized on a monthly basis as an entertaining and celebratory medium for our members to also be humbled by their privilege.

·         Networking Sessions (Professional Development sessions) are used to support members as they strive towards their respective career paths in relation to their areas of study. Our community contacts are spread across a number of fields and are often willing to assist students in attaining experience within their fields.

·         Awareness Campaigns are used to bring attention to current social issues that impact the student demographic through use of documentary screenings, guest speakers and information booths.

·         Beating the Odds Conference is an annual initiative facilitated for high school students to boost their aspirations for achieving higher education. As a means of combating statistics quoting students of African descent have a 70% drop-out rate, our members and community supporters work relentlessly to bring professionals and other university students to Laurier to facilitate workshops and create an atmosphere of empowerment and motivation.

·         Bursary Fund and Student for Student Advancement Mentoring, these two initiatives assist with the community engagement aspect of ABS as well to coincide with our aspirations for supporting our high school counterparts on the journey to higher education. Each year we raise funds that will be given to a student entering their first year of academic student in a post secondary institution. Students who apply must demonstrate their need and ambition by completing an application form and writing a short essay. These documents can be found under the Documents and Forms tabs. Student for Student Advancement Mentoring is a new initiative which involves pairing together high school and university students to help prepare students entering post-secondary institutions with financial aid applications, budgeting, organization and time-management skills and more.