The Transition Year Program (TYP) at Dalhousie University is entering a new chapter with the appointment of Rachelle McKay as its new director.
In a message shared this week, McKay introduced herself to students, alumni and the broader community, describing her background as Anishinaabe and a band member of Little Saskatchewan First Nation with deep ties to Mi’kma’ki and Mi’kmaw communities.
She has been a university instructor since 2019, first in the Department of Social Justice and Community Studies at Saint Mary’s University before joining Dalhousie University’s Indigenous Studies program. McKay also noted a personal connection to TYP through her brother, Mitch McKay, who graduated from the program in 2007.
McKay said one of her first priorities has been preparing for the arrival of a new group of students this fall.
Working alongside Amber Bernard and in collaboration with the Black Student Advising Centre and Dalhousie Recruitment, a newly formed admissions committee selected 26 students who will begin the Transition Year Program in September.
The team is also introducing a new two-day orientation, scheduled for September 3 and 4, designed to help students feel prepared and supported as they begin their university journey.
As part of the orientation, McKay is inviting Transition Year Program alumni to participate in a graduate panel discussion on the morning of September 4.
Alumni interested in sharing their experiences are encouraged to contact McKay directly at Rachelle.McKay@dal.ca.
About the Transition Year Program
Dalhousie’s Transition Year Program has helped open the door to post-secondary education for generations of African Nova Scotian and Mi’kmaw students, as well as other students who have faced barriers to attending university.
The program provides students with an opportunity to strengthen their academic skills while easing the transition into university life through dedicated academic and personal supports.
Over the decades, many graduates have gone on to careers in education, law, healthcare, public service, business and community leadership, making TYP one of Nova Scotia’s longest-running access programs.
BlackNovaScotia.ca congratulates Rachelle McKay on her appointment and wishes both her and this year’s incoming class every success as they begin the new academic year.
CLICK HERE to learn more about the Transition Year Program via Dal.ca
