Our Stories

UCN's students, faculty and staff have incredible stories to tell. You'll find some of them here.

Celeste Shines Profile Picture

UCN Shines, meet Celeste Atchison

UCN has been recognized as one of Manitoba’s top 25 employers for the second consecutive year! Our employees achieve remarkable things, which contributes to this recognition. To celebrate, we will continue to interview outstanding UCN employees about their roles and what makes UCN one of the best places to work in Manitoba.   Introducing: Celeste Atchison Years…

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UCN Linkages Thompson 2025 Recap

On February 25-27, 2025, UCN hosted Linkages Thompson: Reimagine the North. In partnership with Manitoba Chambers of Commerce, Province of Manitoba, and CEDF Look North, UCN Linkages is dedicated to tackling the challenges and opportunities shaping our region’s future. This recurring event facilitates productive and honest conversations about the North, in the North. Key People…

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Driving the Future: UCN Students Embrace Electric Vehicles in Northern Manitoba

When Kelly Campbell decided to take the Automotive Technician program at University College of the North (UCN), it wasn’t because she was a lifelong car enthusiast. “I think that every person should know about vehicles,” she said with a laugh. “Are we going to have someone there to change a tire? What if you’re just…

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Celebrating Dedication and Excellence at UCN

University College of the North recognizes the hard work and commitment of our staff and faculty who have reached significant milestones in their years of service. Together we celebrate the positive impact they have made on our institution and northern communities. Congratulations to all our awardees! 5 Years of Service Zulfqar Awan Chelsea Bensen Marie…

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Mitch Leclaire Profile Photo

UCN Shines, meet Michel Leclaire

Introducing: Michel Leclaire Years with UCN: 7 years Job title: Natural Resources Management Technology Instructor Location: The Pas Michel has tracked caribou from helicopters, fished in the farthest reaches of the Arctic, and consulted on significant government projects. However, his favourite and most fulfilling job is teaching Natural Resource Management Technology at the University College…

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UCN Linkages Dinner, group of people at tables

UCN Linkages The Pas 2024 Recap

On October 8 – 9, 2024, UCN Linkages The Pas inspired conversations about northern economic and community development and the transformative technologies shaping our future. The conference brought together forward-thinking participants, businesses, and government officials. This year’s theme was ‘Innovation + Renewal,’. Shawn Kanungo, a globally recognized innovation strategist, kicked off day one with an…

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Muses From The North

Muses

Muses from the North is an on-line journal for students of the University College of the North.

We publish biannually from UCN campuses in The Pas and Thompson, located in Treaty No. 5 territory. As a UCN students’ journal, MFTN provides a platform for our students to express their musings about our amazing northern tradition and culture in texts, words, images and pictures.  Our northern muses are not only from The Pas and Thompson, but also from a network of 12 regional centres, from Swan River to Churchill. Like the dwellers in the north, MFTN favors Northern tradition, culture and stories from our northern communities. Reach us through mftn@ucn.ca.

the quint

Interdisciplinary, the quint (a double-blind, peer-reviewed journal) disseminates new knowledge in the areas of literature, history, the arts, popular culture, education, the social sciences, and aboriginal studies.

The journal also publishes interviews, artwork, creative writing, and reviews. All issues of the quint are archived in National Library and Archives Canada (Ottawa, Ontario).

News Releases

University College of the North Recognized again as one of Manitoba’s Top 25 Places to Work

University College of the North (UCN) is proud to announce that it has been recognized for a third consecutive year as one of Manitoba’s Top Employers. This annual competition is organized by the editors of Canada’s Top 100 Employers. “Being named one of Manitoba’s Top Employers for 2026 is a tremendous honour,” said Doug Lauvstad,…

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University College of the North Launches Roots Youth Leadership Workshop 

The University College of the North (UCN) is proud to announce the launch of Roots, a two-day youth leadership workshop for young people aged 13 to 15 from communities across northern Manitoba, taking place May 22–24, 2026.   Roots will bring together youth to explore leadership through the pillars of wellness, culture, and action in a supportive, hands-on learning environment. Roots will focus on developing essential leadership…

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University College of the North Faculty Delivers Financial Literacy Training to Northern Manitoba Blizzard Junior A Club Hockey Players

On Wednesday, January 14, University College of the North (UCN) connected local athletics with higher education. Business faculty members Janice Seto and Ganna (Anna) Dudina lead a first-of-its-kind financial literacy presentation designed specifically for the hockey players of the Northern Manitoba Blizzard Jr A Club. The initiative stems from a direct request from the organization, winners…

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University College of the North Muses of the North 12th Issue Released 

The University College of the North (UCN) is pleased to announce the release of the 12th issue of Muses from the North (MFTN).   MFTN is published biannually from UCN campuses in The Pas and Thompson. As a UCN students’ journal, MFTN provides a platform for UCN students to express their musings about the amazing northern tradition and culture in…

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University College of the North Joins Amii’s AI Workforce Readiness Program

The University College of the North (UCN) is pleased to announce it has joined the AI Workforce Readiness (AIWR) program. A national initiative led by the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii).  Supported by Google.org, the AIWR program brings together 29 Canadian polytechnics, colleges, and universities, collectively representing over 500,000 students. This initiative aims to close…

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Former Astronaut and Exhibition is Coming to UCN The Pas Campus 

The University College of the North, in partnership with The Pas Guest List, will display former astronaut, Dr. Roberta Bondar’s travelling exhibit, “Patterns & Parallels: The Great Imperative to Survive”.   Bondar’s exhibition is made up of selected high-resolution images from the project, Space for Birds. By integrating three perspectives of migratory bird corridors—space, aerial and surface—this global,…

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UCN’s Linkages Conference Welcomes PrairiesCan Partnership 

October 21, 2025 (The Pas/Thompson, MB) – The University College of the North (UCN) is pleased to announce a partnership with Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan).  PrairiesCan is investing $50,000 in support of Linkages, UCN’s premier economic development conference.  Created and hosted by UCN, Linkages brings together industry leaders, economic development organizations, government representatives, academia, and community partners to engage…

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University College of the North Launches Innovative Graduation Support Program.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 1, 2025 (The Pas/Thompson, MB) – University College of the North (UCN) is launching a groundbreaking educational support initiative to improve high school graduation rates and post-secondary access for Indigenous learners facing complex barriers in Treaty 5 lands in Northern Manitoba. For many, barriers to education are rooted in the lasting…

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University College of the North Receives $5 Million in Funding from Mastercard Foundation to Advance Indigenous Education

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 9, 2025 (The Pas/Thompson, MB) – University College of the North (UCN) is honoured to announce $5 million in funding from the Mastercard Foundation. This funding is part of a landmark $235 million commitment by the Foundation to 30 post-secondary organizations advancing education for Indigenous youth across Canada. The national announcement…

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UCN Expands Primary Care Paramedic Training with $459,000 in Funding

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 22, 2025 (The Pas/Thompson, MB) – University College of the North (UCN) is expanding its Primary Care Paramedic (PCP) program with $459,000 in funding from Manitoba Advanced Education. This increases the total number of available seats to 32 with 16 in The Pas and 16 in Thompson. This investment will support…

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