Sisters Delaney and Eliza Thomas mark Laurier convocation milestones together

June 3, 2024

Earning a university degree is never easy, but thanks to hard work, encouragement from family members and support from Laurier’s Indigenous Student Services team sisters Eliza and Delaney Thomas will proudly cross the convocation stage at Laurier’s Brantford campus in June.

Delaney will graduate with a master’s degree in Social Justice and Community Engagement, while Eliza will graduate with a double major undergraduate degree in Human Rights and Indigenous Studies.

“Education is something that’s definitely been encouraged in our family and when we found out we would be graduating at the same time it was really cool,” says Eliza. “It was also very cool to have time we could spend together during our studies. We would be doing different kinds of projects, but we would work together, sit together and have that support with each other.”

The Thomas sisters are the third generation of Laurier graduates in their family and proud Haudenosaunee from Six Nations of the Grand River Territory. Their father, Darren Thomas (PhD ’20), serves as the university’s associate vice-president of Indigenous Initiatives. Their grandfather, Ronald Thomas (BA ’76), also graduated from Laurier.

Eliza Thomas will graduate with a double major undergraduate degree in Human Rights and Indigenous Studies at Laurier's spring convocation.

Earning their degrees didn’t come without challenges, but Eliza and Delaney both say Laurier’s supportive community helped see them through.

“The term roller coaster definitely comes to mind,” says Eliza. “There were ups where things seemed to be going really well, when I felt challenged and able to meet those challenges. But then I think being an Indigenous student at university is difficult on its own, being a student during COVID was difficult and there are mental health challenges that go along with being a human being. All of that combined was challenging and I think that shouldn’t be put aside because I did do well and managed to finish.”

Eliza and Delaney both say Laurier’s Indigenous Student Services team served as a valuable resource throughout their studies. Delaney previously completed her undergraduate degree in Sociology, with minors in Indigenous Studies and Women and Gender Studies, at Laurier’s Waterloo campus.

“I definitely relied on Indigenous Student Services a lot,” says Delaney. “I found a really good community there that helped me through my undergrad. They were able to support me and help me grow. With my master’s, it was a little more independent and I really found a good community within my cohort. The supervisors I was working with lent a lot of support.”

Once established at Laurier, Eliza began offering support to fellow students, taking on the role of Indigenous peer support coach at the Brantford campus Indigenous Student Centre.

“Outside of school, my family deserves a big shout out for really supporting me,” says Eliza. “Within the Laurier community, the Indigenous Student Centre was always a place for me to go, as well as for other students to go, and hang out and be in a space that is safe. The Indigenous Student Centre team deserves a lot of credit for their commitment and contributions to our experience as Indigenous students.”

Delaney Thomas will graduate with a master’s degree in Social Justice and Community Engagement at Laurier's spring convocation.

For her master’s research, Delaney focused on Haudenosaunee matriarch family structures and how foundational female lineage can aid in community well-being. She also created guidelines informed by Haudenosaunee matriarchs for individuals to investigate how to become a strong matriarch, providing a framework. She hopes to take her research further as part of potential PhD studies in the future.

“It was very personal learning about how I should direct my life and how to really be a strong Haudenosaunee person,” says Delaney.

This coming fall, Eliza will begin studies in Laurier’s Social Justice and Community Engagement master’s program, the same program her sister just completed. She says “it’s nice to have a little inside scoop” from someone she knows so well.

“Being the youngest of three, I’ve always had my siblings as role models,” says Eliza, noting her brother Bradley attended the University of Guelph and Western University before beginning a career as an educator. “Having my sister in the same position and program that I am looking to complete was really inspiring.”

Indigenous Graduates Celebration

Laurier recognized the accomplishments of Indigenous graduating students during an Indigenous Graduates Celebration on May 2 at Gathering Place by the Grand at Six Nations of the Grand River Territory. The celebration included the presentation of Indigenous graduate stoles and a reception where students celebrated their academic accomplishments with loved ones. Both Delaney and Eliza attended.

“It’s a great opportunity for students who want to have their families there to celebrate to do that in a more intimate, special setting,” says Delaney. “Convocation is nice, but you can’t invite everyone. At this celebration, you can have your family and friends.”

Eliza says she felt a sense of community and accomplishment during the celebration.

“It was packed physically – there were a lot of people there – but it also felt packed emotionally,” says Eliza. “Eating with each other and telling stories feels like a holistic Indigenous way. It’s nice to have that informal time when you can share space with people.”

Delaney, Darren and and Eliza Thomas.

Delaney and Eliza’s father, Darren, was also a part of the celebration, both as a proud father and in his role as Laurier’s associate vice-president of Indigenous Initiatives. The sisters say their dad has served as a source of endless inspiration.

“He is absolutely one of my biggest role models,” says Delaney. “He has done so much for us and pursuing education really was a big thing growing up. His example was a way to showcase that education can be such a powerful thing to bring back to our communities.”

“Having the position he does at Laurier also makes him a role model,” adds Eliza. “He is making the change known, not sitting back and saying what should happen, but being involved in those processes.”

The sisters also say their academic success would not have been possible without their mom, Karen, who they credit for serving as an example of what it means to be a strong woman.

Lessons learned

With significant portions of their educational journeys concluding at spring convocation, Delaney and Eliza both offer advice for prospective Laurier students.

“One of the biggest things I’ve been promoting is to not focus on the timeline,” says Eliza, who took an extra year to complete her undergraduate studies. “I had the intention of finishing as fast as I could and it can be hard to stay in school longer than you think you should. But if you have the flexibility to take that extra time and focus on other things – your personal life and mental health – it equips you not just for academic studies, but for the future.”

Delaney notes that post-secondary education can seem intimidating – especially for Indigenous students – but a supportive community and utilizing university resources can make all the difference.

“Doing your best to find people who can help you get through that experience is really important,” says Delaney. “Leaning on supports for marginalized communities is so important. On top of that, focus on hanging out with your fellow students, making the best of it and having fun.”