Natosapi (Old Sun) Community College is proud to honour Dr. Lorelee Waterchief, who received an Honorary Doctorate on November 13 in Auckland, New Zealand, from the World Indigenous Nations University (WINU). This prestigious recognition celebrates her lifelong dedication to Indigenous education, community leadership, student advocacy, and the advancement of culturally grounded post-secondary programming. We are deeply honoured to have Dr. Lorelee as one of our senior leadership advisors, guiding our Adult Education and Post-Secondary Programs with integrity, compassion, and wisdom.

Dr. Lorelee Waterchief, Aihmonisaki (Otter Woman), is a proud member of the Siksika Nation and belongs to the Iiksisa’koyiiks (Meat Eater Clan). She has faithfully served Old Sun Community College since July 23, 1991, offering over three decades of leadership, mentorship, and student support. Like many staff at First Nations colleges, Lorelee carries multiple roles, supporting students, advising on academic programs, strengthening community partnerships, and contributing to the administrative and cultural foundation of OSCC. Family is central to who she is. She is a loving mother of two adult children and grandmother to five grandchildren, raised alongside ten siblings by the late Margaret and Raymond Waterchief. Her values of love, respect, and teamwork guide her work, reflected in her favorite saying: “Teamwork makes the dream work.”

Dr. Lorelee holds a Social Service Careers Diploma from Mount Royal College, a Bachelor of Social Work, and a Master of Social Work with a specialization in Communities, Organizations, Management & Policy (COMP International) from the University of Calgary. She also acknowledges the many Elders and Traditional Knowledge Keepers she has learned from as her “Ph.D. instructors,” honouring the importance of lifelong learning and traditional knowledge in all educational journeys.

As OSCC’s Career/Guidance Counsellor, Dr. Lorelee provides essential support to learners at every level. She works closely with the Siksika Nation Post Secondary Student Support Program (SNPSSSP), which supports Siksika students studying across Canada and internationally. Since 1991, she has proudly witnessed the annual graduation of 30–35 Siksika students with certificates, diplomas, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees, an extraordinary increase from the limited number of graduates seen in the early 1990s.

Her leadership was instrumental in the creation of the Indigenous Social Work Degree Program at OSCC. In 1992, the late Amelia Clark (Crowfoot), former OSCC President, entrusted her with helping develop a social work program rooted in Indigenous knowledge systems, histories, and community needs. At a time when mainstream programs lacked Indigenous curriculum and Ways of Knowing, Lorelee worked through the Blackfoot Confederacy and the First Nations Adult and Higher Education Consortium (FNAHEC), playing a central role in the Social Work Task Force (SWTF). This collective effort led to the development of OSCC’s own Indigenous Social Work Degree Program, grounded in research, community engagement, and the guidance of Elders and Traditional Knowledge Keepers. The first cohort of this degree program will graduate in 2027, a milestone achievement for the college and the Nation.

Beyond her administrative and program development roles, Dr. Lorelee mentors emerging leaders within OSCC, helping to build internal capacity and strengthen Indigenous leadership across the institution. She has also taught as a sessional instructor at Maskwachees Cultural College, the University of Calgary, and Old Sun Community College. She currently teaches Siksika Studies 252: History of Residential Schools in Canada, offering students insight into resilience, truth, healing, and cultural revitalization.

Dr. Lorelee also serves as the official tour guide of the OSCC building. With her deep connection to the space, once a residential school and now a place of healing, she provides visitors with meaningful, powerful reflections on the past and the ongoing journey of reclaiming Indigenous educational spaces.

Old Sun Community College itself carries a complex history, originating as the Old Sun Boarding School in 1886. By 1908, it was already described by federal officials as “unsanitary” and “unsuitable,” eventually closing in 1971. That same year, Siksika Nation reclaimed the building, transforming it into OSCC, a place of healing, learning, and cultural empowerment. Today, OSCC has existed longer as a community college than it did as a residential school, and plans for continued renovations and a new campus are underway. Leaders like Dr. Lorelee Waterchief have played an essential role in this transformation, helping shape OSCC into a safe, supportive, and culturally grounded institution for all learners.

Dr. Lorelee Waterchief’s lifelong commitment to education, cultural revitalization, and student empowerment continues to shape the heart and future of Old Sun Community College. Her leadership, wisdom, and compassion guide our programs, our learners, and our institution toward a stronger, more culturally grounded tomorrow. OSCC is honoured to walk this journey with her and celebrates the lasting legacy she continues to build within our community.