Betty Mutwiri and Yvette Arcand honoured with Women of Distinction Awards
Members of the College of Education community were honoured at the 2024 Graham YWCA Women of Distinction Awards Gala on May 30 in Saskatoon.
Since 1982, the YWCA Women of Distinction Awards have been celebrating Saskatoon women and their community contributions.
Betty Mutwiri, PhD candidate in the Department of Educational Administration, was the recipient of the Community Building Award for her leadership and dedication to being a change catalyst for women's empowerment.
- Betty Mutwiri is passionate about empowering women, drawn from her upbringing in Kenya, where she witnessed the transformative power of women’s empowerment in communities. Over two decades, Betty has been a change catalyst, leading impactful leadership development programs in the public and non-profit sectors. Motivated by her dedication to building bridges, she initiated the book project ‘Courage, Change and Faith: Inspiring Stories of Black Women Leaders’ and co-authored the ‘ROOTED’ mentoring curriculum for Sisterhood Ministries. Betty’s contributions have garnered recognition, including the Leadership Saskatoon Alumni Award, Canada’s Top 100 Black Women to Watch, RBC Women of Influence, and the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Award, among others.
Yvette Arcand, director of the Indian Teacher Education Program (ITEP) in the College of Education, was recognized in the category of Education for her dedication to uplifting and supporting Indigenous students in their journey to becoming teachers.
- Yvette Arcand (BEd'97, PGD'08, MEd'13) is a proud First Nations woman from Beardy’s and Okemasis First Nation in Saskatchewan. Yvette’s parents and grandparents instilled in her that she use her voice to speak up for those who do not have one, ensure Indigenous student success, commit to creating safe spaces, and share Indigenous teachings and worldviews. Yvette is a proud alumnus of the Indian Teacher Education Program. Yvette worked for her First Nation as a classroom teacher before starting 24 years of work with ITEP as an Academic Program Advisor, Associate Director, Sessional Lecturer and most recently Director. This is where she has seen the importance of intertwining Western and Indigenous knowledge in classroom practice. She is a loving mother of three and grandmother of two.