Staff Spotlight: Crystal Bunn

My name is Crystal Bunn, and I’m the Indigenous Services Officer for Assiniboine; I work across all of the college campuses. I am Dakota and come from the Birdtail Sioux Dakota Nation and currently reside in Sioux Valley Dakota Nation. I am a partner, a mother, a grandmother and friend.

My role at the college is to organize events and activities through Assiniboine’s Cultural Centre, and I’m also a support and resource for students and staff. I’ve been in this role for 14 years now, not necessarily with the same title but in the similar role of working to support students. I love coming to work every day; I get to work closely with so many different departments and people.

The best part of my job is working with our students and having conversations with them to make sure everything is going well academically and personally. It’s very fulfilling to help them succeed with this chapter of their lives. I’ve lived in both the city and on-reserve before moving back to Brandon for my education and employment, both environments are so different. My lived experience has given me an insight into how different and challenging it can be for a student.

Some of my favourite memories throughout the years is when I have the opportunity to connect our Elders and students. The Elders program at the college, organized through the Cultural Centre, links Elders from Indigenous communities to Assiniboine students; for some, it provides students with mentorship and that sense of home feeling they might be missing while away from their communities during studies. Being part of building those relationships and getting to see each side light up with joy when they get together at events never gets old.

I think my experience and background have given me the ability and perspective to really make a difference with our students. I’m able to help students adjust to their new surroundings and make them feel comfortable during a scary time when it comes to moving away from their community in pursuit of education. I know how hard it can be from my own personal experiences, so being able to now relate and use those memories to help make a difference for someone feels incredible. I was an Assiniboine student prior to being employed here, which makes things even that much more relatable. I started at the college’s Centre for Adult Learning (previously the Adult Collegiate), and then after completing that, I took the Community Development program. I was a single parent attending school in Brandon with a lot of new experiences that were sometimes positive and sometimes negative but learned a lot about who I was and has helped me become the person I am today, always growing, both personally and professionally. I love to learn, listen, laugh and live a good, simple and happy life.

The journey can be difficult—but it’s so worth it in the end.