Queen’s student Tanner Big Canoe was a recipient of the RBC Indigenous Youth Scholarship.
Big Canoe, CompSci ’24, was one of 18 students across Canada to receive the $10,000 award intended to reduce barriers to post-secondary education for Indigenous students. Raised in Lindsay, Ontario, Big Canoe is a member of the Chippewas of Georgina Island community.
“I didn’t grow up on the reserve, but [my family was] back and forth quite a bit, because I still have a ton of family who live there,” Big Canoe said in an interview with The Journal. “The community of Georgina Island are so good about making you feel welcomed and ing you through your whole life—whether or not you’re living on the reserve.”
Bearing the last name Big Canoe, he reflected on being “the Indigenous kid.” He got involved with Pinnguaq during high school, a company focused on bringing Indigenous communities equal access to technology and virtual creative spaces.
“Working at Pinnguag is a huge way of me trying to reconnect and give back to the community that’s always ing me,” Big Canoe said. Big Canoe set his sights on Queen’s after attending Science Quest camps at the University in elementary school. With a ion for software and program design, Big Canoe knew Queen’s computing was for him.“I had a bit of a soft spot for Queen’s from when I was younger, and when I grew up and got in, it was a pretty easy choice,” he said.
As the captain of the Queen’s golf team, and member of Queen’s Hyperloop team, Big Canoe is involved in the community beyond his academic pursuits. Big Canoe began his university experience online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Giving back is important to Big Canoe, who attributed his success to the he’s received from those around him. Big Canoe encouraged other students to do good, believing it will all come back around.
“I’ve had people who were good to me, and then in return I tried to be as kind as I can. It’s worked well for me, and I think maybe it’s a bit of a secret to life to just be good to people,” Big Canoe said.
Corrections
A previous version incorrectly stated Big Canoe as the captain of the Queen’s Golf Team. Incorrect information appeared in the June 26 issue of The Queen’s Journal.
The Journal regrets the error
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