Perseverance has big reward

Matthew Whitehead is proof that it’s never too late to get an education.

Whitehead, a 48-year-old Mikisew Cree from Fort Chipewyan, is mere months away from receiving his Master’s degree in Environment and Management from Royal Roads University in Victoria, B.C.

That’s a rather impressive accomplishment for Whitehead, who dropped out of school with a Grade 7 education.

At the age of 19 Whitehead left his community when his father relocated to Fort Smith, in the Northwest Territories.

Shortly after that, Whitehead started thinking about going back to school.

“At the time I realized with my education I was destined to live a life of manual labour with poor menial jobs,” he said. “To advance my prospects for meaningful employment I had to upgrade my education.”

Whitehead did just that. He took adult upgrading classes and received the equivalent of his Grade 12 diploma in 1986.

Two years later he had earned an Environmental Sciences diploma from Fort Smith’s Thebacha College (now called Aurora College).

Whitehead went on to work five years as a national park warden in two different locations.

But he wasn’t finished with his academic career yet. Fast forward to 2006 and Whitehead found himself receiving a BA from Concordia University College in Edmonton.

A couple of years later he opted to take a blended program at Royal Roads University. Besides taking online classes and having to write a thesis, those in the blended program must also complete three annual residencies, each one lasting three weeks.

Whitehead has used parts of his vacation dates in order to complete the residency requirements in each of the past three years.

Whitehead is hoping his academic accomplishments inspire others.

“Just because you’re working doesn’t mean you can’t go back to school,” he said.

Though he lives in Fort McMurray now, Whitehead has returned home - sort of. He works as a traditional knowledge co-ordinator for his Mikisew Cree First Nation.
He’s been working at this job since 2008. In March of that year Whitehead attended the Demand Justice for Fort Chipewyan rally held at the Alberta legislature. The rally was staged to voice the displeasure of Fort Chipewyan residents, who felt their health was being compromised with various developments.

“I thought I’d like to go and help them,” Whitehead said of the reason for returning to work in his home community. “And it allows me to contribute to my First Nation.”

Whitehead said working towards a Master’s degree through a blended program has allowed him to enjoy the best of both worlds.

“It’s allowed me to work and to go to school at the same time,” he said.

Whitehead is expected to receive his Master’s degree at Royal Roads University’s convocation in October.

But there’s a chance he’s not finished with his academic career. He’s exploring the possibility of trying to get a Ph.D.

“I’m thinking about it,” he said. “It remains to be seen.”