BRANDON, Manitoba — September 13, 2026 — Six days after bringing students and community members together for its Summer Picnic, the Loy Excellentia Initiative returned to Brandon University on Saturday, September 12, for its first full day in-person professional development workshop to date—creating a day where practical learning, student voices, professional guidance and human connection came together.
Held under the theme “Beyond the Classroom: Belonging, Empowerment, and Student Success,” the Black Students Professional Development Workshop brought together post-secondary students, recent graduates, professionals, educators and community leaders for a full day of learning, dialogue and connection.
The free workshop explored financial literacy, academic success, career development, health and well-being, entrepreneurship, networking, healthy relationships, student belonging and preparing for life beyond post-secondary education.
The event marked an important milestone in Loy Excellentia’s growing student-support programming. While the Initiative has previously offered webinars and other online learning opportunities, Saturday’s event was its first large-scale, in-person professional development workshop of this kind, bringing multiple professionals and community leaders together with students in one space.
Success Beyond the Classroom
Opening the workshop, Dr. Aloysius C. Anyichie, Founder of the Loy Excellentia Initiative and Founder and Director of the CREAMS Research Lab — Culture, Regulation of Learning, Engagement, Academic Motivation, and Success — at Brandon University, reflected on why student success cannot be measured only by what happens inside a classroom.
Students need knowledge and academic skills, but they also need relationships, practical life skills, mentors, professional networks, confidence and communities in which they feel that they belong. That philosophy shaped the day.
For students who are new to Canada, success can also involve learning to navigate systems and resources that may initially be unfamiliar—from banking and credit to academic expectations, employment, health supports and professional networks. Anyichie explained that one purpose of the workshop was to help international students, particularly those of African, Black and Caribbean backgrounds, gain practical knowledge that can help them navigate life, education and future careers in Canada.
Students were not simply an audience listening to presentations. They asked questions, shared experiences, responded to one another and connected what they were learning to decisions they face in their everyday lives.
Designed With Students, Not Simply for Students
The programme itself grew out of listening to students. Rather than deciding independently what students needed, the Loy Excellentia Initiative drew on feedback gathered through previous programmes and conversations with students, including its Black History Month activities, as well as a survey conducted in preparation for the workshop. Students were invited to identify areas in which they wanted greater knowledge, guidance and support.
Their responses helped shape the day’s focus—from financial literacy and academic success to career development, health and well-being, networking, entrepreneurship and belonging.
“We wanted this to be more than a programme we designed for students,” Anyichie said. “We wanted students’ experiences and the things they told us they needed help with to inform what we offered. If we want to support students meaningfully, we first have to listen to them.”
That student-informed approach continued during the workshop itself. Participants asked questions throughout the sessions, shared experiences with facilitators and later contributed their perspectives through the Student Voices activity and post-workshop feedback.
Practical Conversations About Money and the Future
The morning began with Barb Cameron, Associate Financial Advisor and Mutual Fund Investment Specialist with The Co-operators, who led a session on building a strong financial foundation.
Cameron, who emphasized the importance of budgeting, remained at the workshop for much of the morning, continuing to interact with students beyond her formal presentation.
The financial conversation continued with Angela Hainsworth, Brodie Gobin and Jordan Nunes of RBC, who engaged participants on saving, credit, financial planning and preparing for future goals.
Students were highly engaged, asking and answering questions about budgeting, maintaining a healthy credit history and making responsible financial choices. At one point, a practical discussion developed around whether—and when—buying a new vehicle is a sound financial decision.
It was precisely the kind of conversation the workshop was designed to create: taking financial concepts off the presentation screen and connecting them to decisions students are already making or will soon face.
Academic Success, Careers, Well-Being and Creating Opportunities
As the day progressed, the conversations expanded to other dimensions of student success.
Karen Skinner, Writing Skills Specialist at Brandon University, and Marian Ramage, Acting Reference and Information Literacy Instruction Librarian, led an Academic Success Toolkit focused on writing, research, academic resources and strategies students can use throughout their studies.
Gedeisha Williams of Westman Immigrant Services explored the transition from post-secondary education to employment and helped students think about preparing for life and work after graduation.
A Brandon University team comprising Candice Waddell-Henowitch and Andrea Thomson engaged participants in conversations around student well-being, healthy relationships, mental and sexual health, consent, safety and available supports.
Later, Emelio Brown, CEO of IntriTech Marketing and President of the Brandon Chamber of Commerce, challenged students to think about creating opportunities for themselves through entrepreneurship, initiative, networking and community engagement.
Together, the sessions reflected a central message of the workshop: student success is multidimensional. Academic achievement matters, but so do financial confidence, health, relationships, career preparation, initiative, networks and a sense of belonging.
Brandon Leaders Stop By to Encourage Students
The workshop also welcomed leaders from Brandon University and the wider Brandon community.
Dr. Alysha Farrell, Dean of Education at Brandon University, visited during the programme, interacted with participants and offered encouragement to the students.
Greg Gatien, Acting Provost and Vice-President (Academic) at Brandon University, also stopped by to greet participants and show his support for the initiative.
The workshop was further honoured by a visit from His Worship Mayor Jeff Fawcett, Mayor of the City of Brandon.
Speaking with participants, Mayor Fawcett highlighted the diversity that increasingly characterizes Brandon and encouraged students as members of the wider community. His presence reinforced an important message running throughout the day: students’ experiences of belonging extend beyond their campuses into the community in which they study, work and build relationships.
The visits brought university, municipal, professional and student voices into the same space around a shared concern—helping students thrive.
Student Voices: Learning From Those Living the Experience
One of the most interactive parts of the workshop came when the microphone shifted toward students and recent graduates.
The Student Voices session, facilitated by Stella Akomolafe, created space for participants to talk about their own post-secondary experiences, challenges, opportunities and aspirations.
Samuel Kayode, Vice-President Operations of the Brandon University Students’ Union (BUSU), drew on his experience as a final-year student and student leader, while Mary Okorie, a recent graduate now working as a registered nurse, brought the perspective of someone who has recently navigated the transition from university into professional life.
Rather than delivering another formal presentation, they responded to students’ questions, shared experiences and joined an open conversation with participants.
Students also worked collaboratively around four flipcharts, discussing and recording their perspectives on issues affecting their experiences, belonging and success. The activity reflected the same principle that informed the design of the workshop: students should not simply be recipients of programmes created for them; they should have opportunities to identify what matters to them, contribute their perspectives and help shape future responses.
That opportunity resonated with participants. One student, who permitted Loy Excellentia to share their feedback anonymously, identified Student Voices as the most valuable part of the workshop because “it led to actually putting my thoughts about few things into writing and working with a group of people.”
Another participant, Makena, identified Student Voices and the Academic Success Toolkit among the sessions she found most useful and pointed to “diversity and the willingness to make new friends” as important to developing belonging.
Sometimes Impact Begins With One Conversation
For Anyichie, however, one of the most meaningful moments of the workshop happened quietly, away from the microphone and presentations.
Throughout the day, he moved around the room speaking individually with participants—learning their names, programmes of study, year of study and something about their journeys.
During one of those conversations, he noticed a first-year student sitting quietly by herself at a table. She had arrived in Canada only a few days earlier and appeared hesitant to approach others.
Anyichie encouraged her to use the workshop as an opportunity to introduce herself to at least one new person.
Later, during another informal networking period, she caught his attention.
This time she was standing beside someone else and having a conversation. She wanted him to see that she had taken his advice.
And there was a beautiful smile on her face.
For Anyichie, that small moment captured much of what LEI hopes to accomplish.
“Seeing the smiles on the faces of these students gives me a deep sense of fulfilment,” Anyichie said. “When a student begins to connect with someone, feels comfortable enough to participate, or realizes that there is a community around them, I feel that the purpose of the Loy Excellentia Initiative is gradually being realized. Moments like these encourage us that we are moving in the right direction and making a meaningful difference in students’ lives.”
The experience was particularly meaningful because connection and belonging appeared repeatedly in participants’ feedback after the workshop.
Augustine Chukwunta, a Brandon University graduate student who also served as a member of the workshop organizing committee, described the experience as:
“Empowered, a place of belonging and expression of ideas.”
Reflecting on what helps students develop a sense of belonging, Chukwunta pointed to the importance of being around people who share similar values, challenges and experiences.
Iyioluwa Abikoye described the workshop as a fun and relaxed opportunity to learn more about her future as a Brandon University student and to begin developing a strong foundation in areas such as financial literacy.
Her practical takeaway from the day was succinct:
“MAKE CONNECTIONS!”
Other participant responses similarly emphasized genuine relationships, networking, community, mentorship, academic skills and opportunities.
Together, those voices suggest that what students valued was not only the information they received, but also the opportunity to connect—with knowledge, with professionals and with one another.
From a Summer Picnic to Professional Development: Building Community in Different Ways
Saturday’s workshop came just six days after the Loy Excellentia Summer Picnic on September 6, which brought students together in a much more informal environment for food, conversation, games and community.
Although different in format, the two events were connected by a common purpose.
The picnic provided a relaxed environment where students could meet one another and build friendships. The professional development workshop created another kind of space—one where students could meet professionals, ask practical questions, strengthen skills, share their experiences and expand their networks.
Together, the events reflect LEI’s growing approach to student development: belonging and community alongside mentorship, empowerment and preparation for success.
Partnership, Research and Community Impact
The workshop was organized by the Loy Excellentia Initiative, with a research component led through the CREAMS Research Lab at Brandon University.
The event was supported through a Brandon University Research Committee (BURC) Research Event Grant and provided an opportunity not only to support students but also to listen to their experiences and learn from what they identified as important to their success and sense of belonging.
The success of the workshop was also made possible by people working behind the scenes.
Loy Excellentia extends its sincere appreciation to the members of the organizing committee, including Collins Chiliaka, Augustine Chukwunta, the LEI team and volunteers who contributed their time and energy to planning, preparing and supporting the event.
The Initiative is equally grateful to all facilitators and participating organizations, Brandon University, the CREAMS Research Lab team, community leaders who visited the workshop and, most importantly, the students and recent graduates who brought their questions, experiences and voices into the room.
n appreciation of their contribution to the workshop and commitment to student development, each facilitator was presented with a certificate of appreciation and an Loy Excellentia’s folder by Dr. Anyichie on behalf of the Loy Excellentia Initiative.
Dr. Aloy Anyichie with financial literacy facilitators Angela Hainsworth, Jordan Nunes and Brodie Gobin of RBC, and Barb Cameron of The Co-operators, following the presentation of certificates of appreciation at the Beyond the Classroom workshop at Brandon University.
The workshop was also covered by the Brandon Sun, which spoke with organizers, facilitators and students about the experience and its impact on learning, connection and belonging.
The Work Continues
For the Loy Excellentia Initiative, September 12 was not an endpoint. Just as student input helped shape this workshop, what participants said during the event and in their post-workshop feedback will help shape what comes next.
LEI hopes to continue creating opportunities throughout the year for students to connect with peers, mentors and professionals, raise concerns, access practical guidance and strengthen their academic, professional and community networks. Future programming will continue to be informed by what students identify as important to their experiences and success.
Loy Excellentia is also preparing a special Post-Workshop Impact Edition that will document the experience more fully through professional photographs, participant voices, session highlights, reflections, feedback and future directions.
The goal is bigger than organizing successful events.
It is about helping create a community where students can find people who know their names, professionals they can learn from, peers they can walk alongside, opportunities they can pursue and spaces where they know they belong.
Sometimes that happens through a professional presentation.
Sometimes it happens through a student sharing an experience with another student.
And sometimes it begins when a young person who arrived in a new country only days earlier finds the courage to say hello to someone new—and smiles because she realizes she is no longer sitting alone.
About the Loy Excellentia Initiative
The Loy Excellentia Initiative is a community-focused initiative committed to supporting students through mentorship, empowerment, professional development and opportunities for meaningful connection. Through workshops, mentorship, community events and collaborative partnerships, Loy Excellentia seeks to help students develop academically, professionally and personally while strengthening their sense of belonging and community.
Mentorship • Empowerment • Excellence