From the moment you arrive at Confederation College, you are welcomed by Anishinaabe stories and Indigenous artwork woven throughout the campus. Found in entrances, classrooms, gathering spaces, student residences, and outdoor areas, these pieces create opportunities for learning, reflection, connection, and belonging for students, employees, visitors, and the broader campus community.
This transformation has been made possible through the efforts of Indigenous artists, community partners, donors, Facilities Services, and the Negahneewin office. Together, these partners have helped bring Indigenous culture, knowledge, and storytelling into the built environment in ways that support Confederation College’s ongoing commitment to reconciliation through its Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plan.
“Facilities projects have the potential to be more than maintenance or renewal initiatives—they can become opportunities to share Indigenous stories, knowledge, and culture through the spaces we create,” says Robin Gould, Director of Facilities Services at Confederation College. “Working alongside the Negahneewin team, Indigenous artists, and the broader campus community, we are creating environments that foster learning, connection, and belonging while helping our own team grow in understanding and appreciation of Indigenous perspectives.”
Across campus, each piece offers its own story while contributing to a larger shared expression of place, identity, and reconciliation.
At the main campus building, visitors are welcomed by the newly installed Negahneewin logo, which depicts a canoe being paddled toward the sun and represents the College helping lead the way in reconciliation. The 40-foot metal sign was manufactured over the past year by Confederation College students, bringing student skill and learning directly into the campus environment.
Inside the main foyer, an 18-panel mural by Ryan Pooman offers a breathtaking interpretation of the Anishinaabe Creation Story. Above the entry doors, a canoe installation was constructed and artistically finished by Indigenous students under the guidance of artist and STEM pilot program leader Alicha Brink, combining traditional skills with applied STEM learning. Ryan Pooman’s newest mural on campus, Home, is located in the Sibley residence entrance. The piece was created to help students feel at home, away from home, as they begin their educational journey.
In a recently completed Indigenous classroom, Christian Chapman’s canvas mural, Knowledge Garden, has helped transform the space. The work reflects the importance of storytelling, cultural knowledge, and the continued sharing of teachings within learning environments.
The Indigenous Student Centre, APIWIN, meaning “a place to sit” in Anishinaabemowin, features Jackie Traverse’s mural and floral entry pattern, Mama’s Pride. The piece shares the story of the courage it takes for Indigenous students to pursue post-secondary education. Within the space, Jackie also created the full-wall mural Morning Star, with the support of students and staff. The mural reminds us to give thanks for a new day, the rising sun, and the light that shines on us all.
Indigenous visual storytelling is also reflected in the floral designs of Shannon and Ryan Gustafson, which appear throughout campus on clothing, promotional materials, and publications. Confederation College is honoured to work with local Indigenous artists whose traditional Anishinaabe imagery continues to enrich the campus experience.
In the summer of 2025, an exterior art installation was completed in collaboration with Tourism Thunder Bay. Artist Elliott Doxtater-Wynn created a vibrant piece representing the spirits of water and Earth, Nipinidoo and Nshkagamikwe Kwe, surrounding people coming together through education, knowledge, and peace. Positioned at the west entrance to the College’s main building, the artwork reinforces the connection between people, place, and Indigenous ways of knowing while welcoming everyone who arrives on campus.
Confederation College continues to enhance its outdoor spaces in ways that promote health, well-being, recreation, and cultural learning. One example is the campus nine-hole disc golf course, which features tee pads with artwork by former Confederation College student Kayla Esquega depicting the Seven Grandfather Teachings.
These installations complement other campus initiatives, including Anwebiiwining, Confederation College’s award-winning outdoor classroom. Together, they demonstrate how campus planning, landscape design, public art, and facilities renewal can work together to create spaces that reflect institutional values and support reconciliation in tangible ways. Since being featured in a previous OCAPPA spotlight, Anwebiiwining has received the 2026 Small-Scale Public Landscape National Design Award of Excellence from the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects. https://www.csla-aapc.ca/awards-atlas/anwebiiwining
As Confederation College continues its reconciliation journey, the Facilities Services team is committed to advancing this work through campus revitalization projects. This means intentionally seeking opportunities to create spaces that reflect and celebrate Indigenous knowledge, culture, and history through storytelling, traditional teachings, art, native plantings, and culturally informed design.
Each new piece of Indigenous artwork, landscape feature, or reimagined space is an opportunity to contribute to reconciliation in a meaningful and tangible way. Beyond
supporting teaching and learning, these spaces encourage dialogue, share Indigenous knowledge, celebrate Indigenous culture, and help create a stronger sense of belonging for students, employees, and visitors.
This work also provides valuable opportunities for the Facilities team to learn and grow. By collaborating with Indigenous partners, Knowledge Keepers, Elders, artists, and community members throughout the planning and design process, staff gain a deeper understanding of Indigenous histories, cultures, perspectives, and connections to the land. These experiences strengthen awareness, inform decision-making, and help the team approach everyday work with greater respect and cultural understanding.
As the campus continues to evolve, Confederation College is committed to ensuring the physical environment reflects the values of respect, inclusion, and recognition that are central to its reconciliation journey. In doing so, the College is creating spaces that welcome and inspire others while fostering continuous learning and meaningful engagement within the Facilities team and across the broader campus community.