The School of Education has announced that Stephanie J. Waterman, an associate professor at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto, will be the featured speaker at their 2025 Convocation Ceremony. The event is scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 10, at 4:30 p.m. in the John A. Lally Athletics Complex.
Waterman, who is from the Onondaga Turtle Clan, holds the distinction of being the first Onondagan student to earn a Ph.D. in Education from Syracuse University. In addition to her teaching responsibilities at OISE, she directs the student development and student services program stream. Her work, supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, focuses on Indigenous college student experiences and the supports provided to all college students, along with Indigenous methodologies and strategies.
She has collaborated with Heather J. Shotton, Natalie R. Youngbull, and Shelly C. Lowe on the book “Developments Beyond the Asterisk: New Scholarship and Frameworks for Understanding Native Students in Higher Education.” In a past interview, Waterman remarked, “We all learn in our own way and bring our own ‘story’ or ‘history’ to the institution.” She highlighted that both marginalized groups and settlers bring their histories to educational environments, underscoring the importance of acknowledging biases and perspectives in academic settings.
Waterman’s accolades include the Mike Charleston Award for Distinguished Contributions to Research in Indigenous Education, the Robert H. Shaffer Award for Outstanding Contribution to Higher Education, and the Council for Ethnic Participation Mildred García Award for Exemplary Scholarship.
Waterman’s academic credentials also include a master of arts degree in liberal studies from SUNY Empire State College and a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from Syracuse University’s College of Arts and Sciences.
