Orano Canada renews support for Indigenous USask students in STEM

The University of Saskatchewan (USask) and Orano Canada Inc. are renewing and expanding their partnership in support of Indigenous students pursuing studies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Orano is providing a $100,000 donation over two years to Indigenous Student Achievement Pathways (ISAP) in the USask College of Arts and Science, which coordinates STEM-focused learning opportunities through the Trish Monture Centre for Student Success. This contribution builds on a $60,000 donation to ISAP from Orano in 2022.

ISAP and STEM Access Initiatives team lead Dr. Sandy Bonny (PhD) is celebrating the donation, sharing that over the past three years Orano’s commitment has enabled her team to implement practical solutions to reduce barriers for Indigenous STEM students.

“Our goal,” Bonny said, “is to respond to the opportunity gaps that so many Indigenous learners face with STEM preparation for university, and really to broaden the scope of opportunities they will have, after graduation, to participate in and shape Saskatchewan’s STEM career landscape.”

An opt-in program available to first- and second-year students in Arts and Science, ISAP welcomes First Nations, Inuit and Métis students with cohort-based academic and social programming developed in consultation with Indigenous students, faculty and community partners.

Orano’s renewed contribution will provide instructional costs for small cohort STEM courses, including Math 102 (Pre-Calculus)—a critical pre-requisite for Bachelor of Science and Engineering programs at USask—Math 110 (Calculus), and Geology 121 (Introductory Earth Processes). It will also allow the ISAP team to sustain digital literacy initiatives, and to grow Indigenous student leadership capacity through ISAP’s peer mentor program and community-engaged projects.

“At Orano, we believe that investing in education is investing in the future of local communities,” said Orano Canada President & CEO Jim Corman. “Our continued support for ISAP reflects our long-standing commitment to building meaningful partnerships with Indigenous communities and helping students succeed in STEM fields. We’re proud to contribute to a program that is not only closing opportunity gaps but also empowering the next generation of leaders in Saskatchewan’s science and technology sectors.”

Learning based on strong relationships between students, peers and instructors is at the heart of ISAP’s approach. The program’s first-year learning communities connect Indigenous students with similar academic goals in shared courses and tutorials, led by a dedicated and culturally responsive community of instructors.

For Métis pre-engineering student Cody Martin, ISAP provided foundational support when he decided to switch career paths after nearly 20 years.

In January 2024, Martin’s path was changing after working in trades, owning his own construction company and building a family with his wife.

“To come back to school, it was a very intimidating idea,” he said.

Many requirements in his USask program called for math skills—something Martin was uncertain about, not having studied math since high school.

He sat down with Kevin Sawatzky, ISAP’s developmental math coach, and was quickly reassured.

“He said, ‘You don’t need to worry about learning it. I can teach anybody how to do this,’” Martin recalled. “He said, ‘My job is to figure out how to teach you when I learn enough about you. I can relate it to something that you understand.’”

In classes with more than 300 students, it can feel like there isn’t time to connect with professors, Martin said. ISAP’s small-cohort Math 102 class and STEM tutorials, co-led by graduate students and experienced instructional staff like Sawatzky and Bonny, allow for more engagement.

“I’m very grateful that I had the opportunity to participate in something that was supportive,” Martin said.

ISAP has played a critical role in closing the retention gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students in the College of Arts and Science. The program’s STEM pathway, supported by Orano since 2022, has seen remarkable outcomes. During the 2024-25 academic year, ISAP served 184 students; with 45 per cent expressing an interest in STEM degrees and careers. The Orano-funded Math 102 course offered in Fall 2024 saw a student success rate of 85 per cent, nearly four times the success recorded for students before the small-cohort course was implemented.

The renewed agreement also includes opportunities for Orano employees to engage directly with students through mentorship talks, classroom visits, and community events. Orano’s support will be recognized through campus communications, events, and digital platforms throughout the duration of the agreement.

Orano Canada is a leader in the exploration, mining and production of Canadian uranium. The company’s head office is based in Saskatoon, and their milling and mining operations are located in northern Saskatchewan. Orano Canada employs over 400 people across the province, with a strong focus on local northern and Indigenous employment.

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