Dan and Mary Lou Smoke's Teaching and Media Careers
Teaching
Dan and Mary Lou Smoke’s work as educators has been extensive. They frequently work with post-secondary institutions and school boards to share their knowledge of topics such as spirituality and Indigenous issues in journalism, and to provide guidance to Indigenous students as Elders. The following list highlights some of the ways in which they have made contributions as teachers, councillors and advisors.
Western University, London, ON
Adjunct Faculty: Dan and Mary Lou have served as adjunct faculty with Western University's Indigenous Studies program since 2013.
Course Instructors: Since 2006, the Smokes have taught a course on the representation of Indigenous issues in media. The course is titled "The Representation of Indigenous Issues in the Mainstream and Alternative News Media," and it is jointly offered through the Faculty of Information & Media Studies and the Indigenous Studies department at Western.
Adjunct Assistant Professors: In 2018, the Smokes were appointed to a five-year term with the Schulich Interfaculty Program in Public Health at Western's Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry.
Brescia University College, London, ON
Course Instructors: In 2009 the Smokes began teaching a course titled "An Introduction to Indigenous Spirituality" at Brescia University College, a women's university affiliated with Western.
University of Guelph, Guelph, ON
Visiting Elders and Advisory Circle members: Dan and Mary Lou serve on an advisory circle at Guelph which is made up of Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Holders, and helps with development of the school's Aboriginal Initiatives Strategy.
Cultural Counsellors: The Smokes have provided support to many students through the Aboriginal Resource Centre at Guelph.
Various universities
Visiting Elders/Advisors: Dan and Mary Lou have served as visiting elders or advisors at numerous institutions over the years, including the University of Guelph, University of Waterloo and University of Toronto.