Canada's Best Diversity Employers (2025) - Flipbook - Page 44
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SPONSOR CONTENT
CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS (2025)
University of Manitoba creates a culture of belonging
Agada works with members of
the LGBTQ+ community, people
with disabilities and others to
provide support and break
down barriers while creating a
safe space for people to be their
authentic selves. His office is part
of a comprehensive complex of
initiatives put in place following
the president’s task force on
equity, diversity and inclusion in
2020.
You can be
yourself and
feel supported,
especially when
you’re chasing your
academic and career
goals.”
Employees at the University of Manitoba work together to build an organization that is diverse and inclusive.
F
or Israel Agada, diversity
isn’t something written
down in a policy manual.
It’s a daily, boots on
the ground, all-hands-on-deck
enterprise. That’s why he’s
passionate about his job as project
coordinator in the Rady Faculty of
Health Sciences’ office of equity,
access and participation at the
University of Manitoba.
“I don’t care if you’re white or
blue or green, let’s just make sure
we’re focused on the goal and the
mission to help people who are
challenged, because social justice
starts with us,” says Agada.
“We are all working together
collaboratively and we should
appreciate the fact that we are
all humans.”
The University of Manitoba is a
top Canadian research institution
with over 5,000 full-time –
and another 5,000 part-time
– employees. It has two main campuses, Fort Garry and Bannatyne,
in Winnipeg, and satellite
campuses across Manitoba. It has
produced 100 Rhodes Scholars,
more than any other western
Canadian university.
With 6,675 of its 31,334 students
being international, coming from
some 121 countries, as well as
another 9.6 per cent identifying
as Indigenous, the university puts
diversity, equity and accessibility
at the core of its education and
research mission. Its employees
come from a wide variety of backgrounds, embracing and helping
create a culture of acceptance.
Having arrived at the university
from Nigeria, Agada has seen the
progress as he earned his master’s
degree in language education and
then transitioned into his current
position.
“The University of Manitoba
has really grown and appreciates
diversity. They work to see that
it’s reflected in the university
environment,” says Agada.
“You can be yourself and feel
supported, especially when you’re
chasing your academic and career
goals. At the end of the day, I
feel like I am contributing to
humanity.”
— Israel Agada
Project Coordinator, Office
of Equity, Access and
Participation
While the culture of diversity
enjoys support from senior
leadership, what makes it really
come alive is the buy-in from the
entire university community, says
Tina Chen, vice-provost, equity.
“It’s an exciting moment for the
university to not just have diversity
as a project on the side, but one
that’s fundamentally placed in the
very core of the institution,” says
Chen.
“It’s wonderful to see the
bringing together of students, staff
and faculty and to support them in
their learning. We also empower
them to have self-reflective
participation in the process.”
Employee resource groups
provide training, workshops,
