87-year-old Louise Fraser will be graduating from ITEP this year. (Photo: Submitted)

By paNOW staff

Life-long learner

At 87, ITEP graduate from Mistawasis Nêhiyawak is a lifelong learner

May 22, 2025 | 3:48 PM

You’re never too old to learn and no one exemplifies that like Louise Fraser, who made sure she graduated high school in Prince Albert decades ago and is now two days away from graduating university – again – at the age of 87. with an Indian Bachelor of Education degree at age 87.

Fraser – whose nēhiyaw (Cree) name wîhkaskwa iskwéw means “Sweetgrass Woman” – has a library technician diploma, a fashion design diploma, an undergraduate degree and a master’s in social work. She also has two Indigenous Languages certificates from the First Nation’s University of Canada and a Bachelor of Arts from USask. She is about to graduate from the Indian Teacher Education Program (ITEP) which is a four year program designed for First Nations students interested in obtaining a Bachelor of Education degree.

Fraser is pursuing her dream of preserving and teaching the Cree language to children and youth.

“The Cree language – Plains Cree “Y” dialect – was all I heard before I went to residential school,” said Fraser. “Cree was spoken in my home, and that was all I knew. When I went to residential school, I wasn’t allowed to speak my language anymore.”

At eight years old, Fraser was sent to a residential school in Manitoba but that changed four years later when she only had to go to day school. Still, the impact was already felt and it changed her how she saw herself.

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“They made me hate myself because I was an Indian,” she said. “During that time, I didn’t want anything to do with my people. I didn’t want to be living on the reserve, so I made sure I went to high school in Prince Albert.”

While she only had part of her Grade 12 diploma when she left high school to get married and begin raising a family, it didn’t stay that way.

She tried to get her nursing diploma but did not complete it. She has gotten a number of other credentials, however.

“My master’s degree was completed from Dalhousie University in 2007,” she said. “I did distance education online for three years. A highlight was attending my convocation in Halifax.”

Fraser is only a few years from celebrating a 50th wedding anniversary and is a grandmother and great-grandmother.

Outside of her family life, she has worked multiple jobs across the province and ran her own mental health therapy practice for 24 years.

Fraser applied to ITEP in 2023.

“I felt like I wasn’t finished with learning – learning about being a professional,” said Fraser.

The ITEP degree is something she shares with her granddaughter, Kelsey, who graduated from the program in 2018.

“My grandmother proves every day that she can do whatever she wants,” said Kelsey. “Regardless of any stereotypes, ageism or ableism, she’s broken down barriers. I was grateful that she was pursuing ITEP because my own experience was phenomenal. The community that ITEP has is both caring and knowledgeable.”

Arlene Bear, associate director of ITEP, met Louise before she enrolled and helped her determine what her prior credits were.

“What I noticed most about Louise is that she was very authentic and genuine,” said Bear. “She showed a lot of compassion.”

It turned out, she had a lot of other credits and only needed two years to finish her new degree.

Louise, pictured in the front row, second from the right, wearing a purple scarf, celebrated her 87th birthday with her ITEP classmates. (Photo: Submitted)

ITEP Instructor Mentor Lori-Ann Daniels, who is also from Mistawasis Nêhiyawak, said the 87-year-old Fraser was still unsure of herself on her first day of school.

“Louise was really scared and timid,” said Daniels. “But working with her taught me about patience, guidance and acknowledging wisdom. Observing other students in the classroom, some coming out of high school and much younger than her, [they] respected [her] and wanted to connect with her.”

Fraser was determined, however, and came out of her shell more and more as the program continued and she passed on her knowledge to the Kindergarten to Grade 12 students she was working with.

“I could tell she was still nervous during her first [in-school] lesson,” said Daniels. “I had to remind her that this was a learning process, to be patient and acknowledge the feedback.”

“The last time that I went to observe her lesson, the light in her eyes and the way she was comfortable speaking with the students was different. She had come a long way.”

Even when times were difficult, Fraser was determined to reach her goals.

“She said she had already done what she needed to do in life,” said Daniels. “At one point, she was ready to just throw in the towel. After we talked, she said, ‘You’re right. I have to push through. This has always been my lifelong dream.’”

Fraser and her ITEP classmates will celebrate their graduation from USask in two days on May 24 and she will then join her granddaughter as an alumni of the program.

“She believes in lifelong learning, and that’s something she’s passed down to myself and my family,” said Kelsey. “She thinks that this paper is going to make her a teacher – but she’s been a teacher all along. And she’s going to tell her story in her own way.”

**with files from the University of Saskatchewan.

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panews@pattisonmedia.com