Individual Advocacy
Individual Advocacy
WELCOME TO YOUR INDIVIDUAL ADVOCACY SUPPORT HUB
Our goal is to ensure all MacEwan students have access to support when experiencing academic or non-academic issues. We offer a confidential service where you can receive ongoing support, policy information, and advocacy efforts made with your rights in mind.
Mackenzie Sorenson (she/her)
Student Advocate & Policy Support Specialist
If you are facing an academic or non-academic issue at MacEwan, Mackenzie is the person you want to talk to. In her role, she strives to be a strong source of support and information for students. Mackenzie is well-versed in MacEwan’s policies and procedures and is trained in trauma-informed practices, effective communication, and conflict resolution. To ensure she supports students to the best of her ability, Mackenzie has engaged in Sexual Violence Response Training with the intent to become a Sexual Violence Support Guide at MacEwan. Mackenzie can empathize with the stress and overwhelm that often comes with being a university student and uses previous experience to ensure MacEwan students have equitable access to a fair process. In her spare time, you can often find Mackenzie paddle-boarding, training for various races, or binge-watching the latest true-crime documentary.
MacEwan students now have the option of receiving either ‘Consultation Support’ or ‘Representation Support’ from a SAMU Student Advocacy Centre Representative.
Some of the ways a Centre Representative can provide consultation support is by:
- Walking students through MacEwan’s policies and procedures
- Accompanying students to their meetings with MacEwan as a silent support person
- Giving overarching edits on letters and emails students write to the university
- Having debriefs with students after they have a meeting with the university
If the student is receiving representation support, the Centre Representative will be more involved. Some of the ways a Centre Representative can provide representation support is by:
- Walking students through MacEwan’s policies and procedures
- Accompanying students to all of their meetings with MacEwan as a support person*
- Giving overarching edits on all letters and emails students write to the university
- Requiring debriefs with students after they have a meeting with the university
* If a student’s accessibility is a concern, a Centre Representative can also speak on the student’s behalf during meetings with MacEwan staff/faculty and email MacEwan staff/faculty on the student’s behalf. The type of support a student receives must be mutually agreed upon by both the student and the SAMU Student Advocacy Centre Representative.
MacEwan POLICY INFORMATION
SAMU created resources for some important MacEwan Policies and Procedures
WE WANT YOUR FEEDBACK
Let us know how SAMU’s Student Advocacy Centre is doing and/or tell us about how you think we can improve this service.