Marlene Brant Castellano: one of the first indigenous profs

Through the power of her example and effort, Dr. Marlene Brant Castellano has increased the presence of Aboriginal curriculum, knowledge, and students on campuses in the United States and Canada. AS A PERSON OF Mohawk heritage She was on one the first aboriginal professors in a Canadian university. She joined the Faculty of Native Studies at Trent University in 1973 and pursued advanced study in Educational Theory at the University of Toronto. She served several terms as chair of the Department of Native Studies at Trent and in 1992 took leave to serve as Co-Director of Research for the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples. Her expertise in First Nations family and mental health, social services, Aboriginal women’s perspectives, and indigenous knowledge is sought by universities, professional bodies, and community organizations in Canada and around the world. She is a professor emeritus of Trent University and has received received A National Aboriginal Achievement Award in Education for her dedication to the development of Aboriginal curriculum and filling Canadian campuses with an Aboriginal presence. In 2005 Professor Castellan was named an officer of the Order of Canada.