Level 5: The Gauntlet of Tests (test anxiety)
2026-02-13 13:45 - 14:15 (America/Winnipeg) | Zoom, Brandon, MB, Canada
Tests and midterms can feel overwhelming, especially when anxiety strikes. In this session, you’ll learn strategies to prepare effectively, manage stress, and approach tests and exams with greater confidence. Complete the quest to become an Exam Slayer!

Open to all students. Register Now!
Level Up Your Learning
Ready to embark on an adventure? Level Up Your Learning is a gamified workshop series where each session is a new quest designed to help you unlock powerful skills for success at university. From mastering time management and organization, to collecting legendary notes, to battling test anxiety, each level brings you closer to academic victory!
You don’t need to attend previous sessions to join the next one, just jump in wherever you’d like. Attend a session and get rewarded! Students earn an automatic entry into a draw for a $100 campus bookstore gift card for each session they attend.

Loy Excellentia Initiative — Black History Month Celebration 2026
2026-02-14 13:00 - 16:00 | Brandon University, 270 18th Street, Brandon, MB, Canada
All Black-African Students are invited to attend an exciting event to mark the 2026 Black History Month celebrations in Brandon.
Organized by the Loy Excellentia Initiative, there will be music performances, free foods and drinks, fun activities, door prices/gifts and more. Let’s come together to celebrate our culture, community, and excellence! BU professor Dr. Balfour Spence will be keynote speaker at the event, speaking on “Unravelling Black History in Canada: Acknowledging the Past and Mentoring the Future.”
Register online at https://forms.gle/Pfqt57tFaa9SesE87
Registration ends on February 7 and more details will be shared upon registration. Make sure that you add contact@loyexcellentia.org to your email contact.
Watch some videos of past Black History Month Celebration on YouTube and photos on Instagram.
Black History Month at Brandon University
Each February, Brandon University recognizes Black History Month by celebrating the contributions, histories, and lived experiences of Black communities, while creating space for learning, dialogue, and connection. This event is part of BU’s 2026 Black History Month programming, organized in partnership with students, faculty, and campus and community partners.

University Closed — Louis Riel Day
2026-02-16 | Brandon University, 270 18th Street, Brandon, MB, Canada
Brandon University will be largely closed on Monday, Feb. 16 to observe Louis Riel Day. No classes are scheduled for Louis Riel Day.
Louis Riel was the driving force behind Manitoba joining Confederation and becoming Canada’s fifth province.
As the Métis leader of the Red River Resistance of 1869-70, he was instrumental in drafting the List of Rights that formed the basis of the Manitoba Act, passed by the Parliament of Canada in the spring of 1870, which brought the new province of Manitoba into Confederation.
Fearing prosecution, Riel fled to the United States. From exile, he was elected three times as a member of the House of Commons, but could never take his seat. Returning to Canada to help Métis leaders in 1884, he was defeated and captured at the Battle of Batoche. Despite popular appeals and a jury’s call for clemency, Riel was hanged for treason in 1885.
Louis Riel Day has been celebrated as a provincial holiday in Manitoba since 2008.
The University will re-open normal business hours on Tuesday, Feb. 17.
From Tuesday, Feb. 17 through Friday, Feb. 20, Brandon University will observe the Winter Study Break.

Winter study break
2026-02-17 - 2026-02-20 | Brandon University, 270 18th Street, Brandon, MB, Canada
Winter study break runs from Tuesday, Feb. 17 through Friday, Feb. 20 The university is open, and office support is available regular business hours. However, no classes are scheduled except for Education: BEd (AD); BEd (IP) Yr 5; Bmus/BEd Yr 5. Regular classes will resume on Monday, Feb. 23.

Beyond ConnectED Alumni Mixer
2026-02-19 16:30 - 18:00 | Clarion Hotel & Suites Brandon, 3130 Victoria Avenue, Brandon, MB, R7B 3Y3, Canada
Beyond ConnectED is an informal mixer hosted by the Alumni Associations of Brandon University and Assiniboine College. This come-and-go event provides a relaxed opportunity for students, alumni, and industry partners to continue conversations and build professional networks.

Voluntary Withdrawal (VW) Deadline - Full-year (both-term) Courses
2026-02-23 | Brandon University, 270 18th Street, Brandon, MB, Canada
Voluntary Withdrawal (VW) deadline: full-year (both-term) courses.

Voluntary Withdrawal (VW) Deadline - Winter courses for Education: BEd (AD); BEd (IP) Yr 5; BMus/BEd Yr 5
2026-02-25 | Brandon University, 270 18th Street, Brandon, MB, Canada
Voluntary Withdrawal (VW) deadline: Winter courses for Education: BEd (AD); BEd (IP) Yr 5; BMus/BEd Yr 5.

Level 6: The Halls of Valor (self-advocacy skills)
2026-02-26 10:00 - 10:30 | Zoom, Brandon, MB, Canada
Speaking up and asking for help takes courage. In this level, you’ll practice strategies to communicate clearly, advocate for yourself, and connect with the right supports when you need them. Complete this quest to become a Self-Advocacy Champion!

Open to all students. Register Now!
Level Up Your Learning
Ready to embark on an adventure? Level Up Your Learning is a gamified workshop series where each session is a new quest designed to help you unlock powerful skills for success at university. From mastering time management and organization, to collecting legendary notes, to battling test anxiety, each level brings you closer to academic victory!
You don’t need to attend previous sessions to join the next one, just jump in wherever you’d like. Attend a session and get rewarded! Students earn an automatic entry into a draw for a $100 campus bookstore gift card for each session they attend.

OUT OF BOUNDS LECTURE: The Evolution of Female Indigenous Representation in Canadian Opera from 1879 to Present
2026-02-26 18:00 - 19:00 | Lorne Watson Recital Hall, QEII Music Building, Room 1-60, 270 18th Street, Brandon, MB, R7A 6A9, Canada
Camryn Dewar with Anica Warkentine
Fulbright Scholar Camryn Dewar’s lecture recital, titled “The Evolution of Female Indigenous Representation in Canadian Opera from 1879 to Present” is a bold initiative dedicated to reshaping the Canadian opera landscape by centering and amplifying Indigenous voices.
Through an innovative lecture-recital and public discussion/Q&A, the presentation uses opera as a vehicle for truth, reconciliation, and education. Through analysis and performances of excerpts from Canadian operas Canada’s Welcome (1879) by Arthur Clappé and Frederick Dixon, Missing (2017) by Marie Clements and Brian Current, and Indians on Vacation (2021) by Ian Cusson and Royce Vavrek, Camryn will illustrate in detail how the heritage of creative teams and the creative inspiration of Indigenous operas impacts Indigenous female representation for the better.
The performance will incorporate live operatic performances with piano accompaniment that exemplify the evolution of female Indigenous operatic characters through the ages, as well as a visual presentation with lyrics and background historical information. Over the course of an hour recital, by showcasing the positive evolution of Indigenous representation in classical music from the 19th century to today, the presentation discusses authentic storytelling, challenges stereotypes, and inspires new standards and best practices for artistic collaboration and cultural respect. Topics covered include: historical context of the operas, creator and cast backgrounds, Indigenous languages, source material, creative collaboration, performance practice, the shift from fetishization of Indigenous women to fair and authentic representation, the impact of these works on both Indigenous artists and audiences, and best practices in representation moving forward.
Camryn toured this presentation in a successful and highly-acclaimed 3-date tour across the state of New Jersey in early 2025. Through this lecture recital, Camryn will show in more detail how this evolution in Canadian opera seeks to empower, rather than silence, Indigenous people of past, present and future. This lecture recital aims not only to educate audiences, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of Indigenous culture and music, but also to spread awareness of the wealth of incredible Indigenous opera that exists but is rarely performed.
This lecture recital is not just a performance — it is a catalyst for change. Bringing this lecture recital to Canadian audiences means not only deeply educating, but also challenging long-standing traditions of racism in opera, and demonstrating the transformative power of authentic, Indigenous-led storytelling. This work directly addresses the urgent need for truthful representation in the arts, ensuring that Indigenous performers are not only seen and heard, but are shown that diverse stories belong on every stage, and that opera can be a space for genuine cultural dialogue and healing. This knowledge is essential, not only to ensure authentic roles and works for diverse performers, but to inspire and empower others to follow in the footsteps of creating music with authentic representation going forward.
“The first time I sang an Indigenous opera, I felt my entire soul pouring out of my body. I could feel my ancestors behind me as I figuratively cried out for justice, truth, and understanding. It is a feeling I will never forget. That experience showed me that my true purpose is serving as an educator about Indigenous peoples and music, and using the power of music to foster understanding and reconciliation. I look forward to audiences hearing operas that are real, raw, and that fully show the Indigenous female, and really, the human, experience.” — Camryn Dewar
All are welcome! No admission fee.

Careers in Mental Health and Wellness Interest Group: open to all students
2026-02-27 12:30 - 13:30 | Brandon University, 270 18th Street, Brandon, MB, Canada
This is an event for any BU student interested in careers in mental health. Please come learn about different careers. Bring your questions!

Clarinet Festival 2026
2026-02-28 - 2026-03-01 | QEII Music Building, 270-18th Street, Brandon, Manitoba, R7A 6A9, Canada
Please join us for the 16th anniversary of the Brandon University Clarinet Festival on February 28th and March 1st, 2026. This year we are featuring an incredible line-up of guest artists, including Jonathan Russell, Alex Whitehead, and Colin Mehmel. The festival features BU faculty Leanne Zacharias and Callie Siverson and BU alumni Danielle Guina and Lisa Rumpel. Guest conductor Cheryl Ferguson will lead the festival clarinet choir. The BU Clarinet Choir and festival host Cathy Wood will also be performing.
Great PD opportunity for musicians of all ages! The festival events include:

Workshops, vendors, and concerts
Festival Clarinet Choir for all participants (all levels)
Prize draws!

Registration Link: ($30 for students/seniors; $50 for adults): https://forms.gle/1T9U4pg8m8fiWbnk7
Festival Schedule
Saturday, February 28th
9:15am
Registration Opens, Music Lobby
Vendor Room Opens, Room 143
10:00-10:30am
Welcome; Coffee and Q&A with Jonathan Russell
Room 157
10:40-11:30am
I AM BETTER THAN MOZART (…at playing clarinet): An Empowering Composition Workshop for Clarinetists
Jonathan Russell
Room 157
11:40-12:40pm
Conducting Workshop: Cheryl Ferguson
Room 120
12:40-1:40pm
Lunch Break
1:45-2:15pm
Q&A with Alex Whitehead
Room 157
1:40-2:20pm
Group Lessons for Clarinet Choir Simplified Parts
Rooms 202, 004
2:30-3:20pm
Improving Embouchure Through Movement Feldenkrais Workshop: Colin Mehmel
Room 120 or 157
3:30-4:00pm
Guest Artist Concert: Alex Whitehead and Lisa Rumpel
Lorne Watson Recital Hall
4:30-6:00pm
Mass Festival Choir Rehearsal with Cheryl Ferguson
Room 120
6:00-7:30pm
Dinner Break
7:30pm
Guest Artist Concert: Jonathan Russell and Lisa Rumpel
Lorne Watson Recital Hall
Sunday, March 1st
9:15am
Registration Open, Music Lobby
Vendor Room Opens, Room 143
9:30-10:45am
Masterclass with Alex Whitehead
Lorne Watson Recital Hall or 157
11:00-12:00pm
Guest Artist Concert: Trio Improbable
Colin Mehmel, Callie Siverson, and Danielle Guina
Lorne Watson Recital Hall
12:00-1:00pm
Mass Festival Choir Rehearsal with Cheryl Ferguson
Room 120
1:00-2:00pm
Lunch Break
2:00-3:00pm
Host Concert: Cathy Wood and Leanne Zacharias
Lorne Watson Recital Hall
3:30-5:00pm
Final Concert: BU Clarinet Choir and Festival Clarinet Choir
Group Photo and Prize Draws
Room 120
More information is available in the Google Folder: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1nFi7f5GAXDi5x55tjuhYz3ZQBUyWv6PR?usp=share_link

Community Iftaar
2026-03-02 17:00 - 20:00 | Healthy Living Centre, 2010 Louise Avenue, Brandon, MB, R7B 0L4, Canada
Brandon University is proud to host an event organized by the Muslim community of Brandon through the Brandon Islamic Centre.
You are cordially invited to attend a Community Iftarr (breaking the fast of Ramadan) on Monday, March 2, at 5:30 p.m. (doors open at 5 p.m.).
The month of Ramadan requires fasting throughout the day, and Iftaar is the meal taken at the end of the day, following the call to prayer (around sunset). Iftarr is often done as a community, with people gathering to break their fast together.
This Community Iftaar will be held at the BU Healthy Living Centre, in the main gymnasium to accommodate the large gathering. Special guests will include Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew.
You are asked to kindly RSVP so that appropriate amounts of food can be prepared: info@bicmanitoba.ca

Classes End - Winter Courses for Education: BEd (AD); BEd (IP) Yr 5; BMus/BEd Yr 5
2026-03-05 | Brandon University, 270 18th Street, Brandon, MB, Canada
Classes end: Winter courses for Education: BEd (AD); BEd (IP) Yr 5; BMus/BEd Yr 5.

10-Minute Play Festival
2026-03-05 17:00 - 20:00 | Evans Theatre, McKenzie Building, 270-18th Street, Brandon, MB, R7A 6A9, Canada
Fourteen creative arts students in this term’s Directing class are each putting on a 10-minute play during an evening of rapid-fire drama at the Evans Theatre.

Ten of the 14 plays were written by members of the class. All 14 will be shown for one night only on Thursday, March 5, starting at 5 p.m.

The event is free for everyone.

School of Music Exams (Applied Music for BMus/BEd Yr 4 and Yr 5)
2026-03-06 | Brandon University, 270 18th Street, Brandon, MB, Canada
School of Music examinations: Applied Music for BMus/BEd Yr 4 and Yr 5.

Level 7: The Dungeon of Deadlines (task initiation)
2026-03-06 13:45 - 14:15 | Zoom, Brandon, MB, Canada
Big assignments can feel overwhelming if you try to tackle them all at once. In this level, you’ll learn how to break projects into smaller steps so you can make steady progress and beat procrastination. Complete the quest to become a Task Titan!

Open to all students. Register Now!
Level Up Your Learning
Ready to embark on an adventure? Level Up Your Learning is a gamified workshop series where each session is a new quest designed to help you unlock powerful skills for success at university. From mastering time management and organization, to collecting legendary notes, to battling test anxiety, each level brings you closer to academic victory!
You don’t need to attend previous sessions to join the next one, just jump in wherever you’d like. Attend a session and get rewarded! Students earn an automatic entry into a draw for a $100 campus bookstore gift card for each session they attend.

BU Jazz Festival
2026-03-12 | Brandon University, 270 18th Street, Brandon, MB, Canada
BU Jazz Festival March 12-14, 2026. Please visit this link for details: https://bujazzfest.ca/

BU Jazz Festival
2026-03-13, 2026-03-14 | Brandon University, 270 18th Street, Brandon, MB, Canada
BU Jazz Festival, March 12-14, 2026. Please visit this link for details: https://bujazzfest.ca/

Level 8: The Hourglass Trials (time-management & procrastination)
2026-03-13 13:45 - 14:15 | Zoom, Brandon, MB, Canada
Time can feel like it’s always slipping away. In this level, you’ll explore time-management strategies like time blocking and focus techniques to defeat procrastination and take control of your schedule. Complete this quest and become a Time Tactician.

Open to all students. Register Now!
Level Up Your Learning
Ready to embark on an adventure? Level Up Your Learning is a gamified workshop series where each session is a new quest designed to help you unlock powerful skills for success at university. From mastering time management and organization, to collecting legendary notes, to battling test anxiety, each level brings you closer to academic victory!
You don’t need to attend previous sessions to join the next one, just jump in wherever you’d like. Attend a session and get rewarded! Students earn an automatic entry into a draw for a $100 campus bookstore gift card for each session they attend.

Long Night Against Procrastination
2026-03-18 19:00 - 2026-03-19 02:00 | John E. Robbins Library
Long Night Against Procrastination, the Library’s flagship event, and in partnership with Indigenous Peoples Centre, will take place Wednesday March 18, 7:00 pm-2:00 am. Food, drinks, and different activities are provided free of charge.
Details are available on our web page: Long Night Against Procrastination | Brandon University

Citizen-soldiers in a changing world: A conversation with your Army Reserve Brigade Commander
2026-03-19 18:30 - 20:00 | Gathering Space, John E. Robbins Library, Canada
Colonel Evelyn Kotzer, Commander of 38 Canadian Brigade Group
Canada faces an uncertain future in a rapidly changing world. Great power rivalry is intensifying, while the once-vaunted rules-based international order continues to erode in the face of ruptures. With our security and interests under increasing threat, and growing doubts that some of our traditional allies will always act in our best interests, Canada’s own strength may soon be tested.
Answering this call has, and continues to, fall in no small part to the Army Reserve. These citizen-soldiers put aside civilian careers to serve when the nation calls, from the militias of pre-Confederation to today’s hardening of NATO’s eastern flank.
Join us for a fireside discussion with Colonel Evelyn Kotzer, Commander of 38 Canadian Brigade Group and its part-time citizen soldiers of Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Northwestern Ontario, on how the Army Reserve is preparing to meet these challenges.
Refreshments will be provided.

Application Deadline for May 2026 Convocation
2026-03-20 | Brandon University, 270 18th Street, Brandon, MB, Canada
Application deadline: May 2026 Convocation.

Level 9: The Forge of Focus (focus and motivation strategies)
2026-03-20 13:45 - 14:15 | Zoom, Brandon, MB, Canada
Distractions can derail even the best plans. In this level, you’ll learn simple habits and strategies to build focus, stay motivated, and keep your momentum strong throughout the rest of the semester. Complete the quest to become a Focus Guardian.

Open to all students. Register Now!
Level Up Your Learning
Ready to embark on an adventure? Level Up Your Learning is a gamified workshop series where each session is a new quest designed to help you unlock powerful skills for success at university. From mastering time management and organization, to collecting legendary notes, to battling test anxiety, each level brings you closer to academic victory!
You don’t need to attend previous sessions to join the next one, just jump in wherever you’d like. Attend a session and get rewarded! Students earn an automatic entry into a draw for a $100 campus bookstore gift card for each session they attend.

Stand Against Intimate Partner Violence
2026-03-20 16:00 | Kavanagh Courtyard, 270 18th Street, Brandon, Manitoba, R7A 6A9, Canada
A brief stand in solidarity against violence will take place in the Kavanagh Courtyard.
We ask those who wish to attend to gather at 4 p.m., with a moment of silence to follow shortly thereafter. This event will be open to all students, faculty and staff as well as to the wider community. Those in attendance, or anyone who wishes to show their support from afar, are invited to wear purple, the colour associated with awareness of intimate partner violence.
Parking at campus lots will be free on Friday afternoon.
Please be aware that there may be photographers or media on site.

POST-PONED TO FALL 2026 ... Brandon Chamber Players presents Sonic Dreaming Concert
2026-03-21 19:30 | Lorne Watson Recital Hall, QEII Music Building, Room 1-60, 270 18th Street, Brandon, MB, R7A 6A9, Canada
This concert has been post-poned to Fall 2026.
Truth and Reconciliation requires more of us than ceremonies, placards, and mission statements. Honest work in this area starts in the mind, pushing us to examine biases and privileges so that we can act earnestly to include, celebrate, and amplify marginalized voices. It also requires us to examine the systems in which we operate, including the ways we create art and music. Sonic Dreaming, first established in 2022 by Tahltan performance artist, Peter Morin, and Canadian trombonist, Nora Wilson, is a methodology that prioritizes genuine connection to the land to facilitate creation. It is a means for reflection that leads to art that includes the land as a collaborator. It encourages artists and musicians to imagine the possibilities of a life lived free of colonialism. Sonic Dreaming teaches us to recognize how the people, animals, plants, and waters who share territory intertwine with our own lives in a beautiful and ever-evolving tapestry of this land.
This concert will help our collaborating musicians find greater connection with our territory, resulting in a beautiful set of new music presented to our BCP audience. Sonic Dreaming is storytelling from beginning to end. Musicians will spend time on the land together, listening to and learning the stories shared by their fellow collaborators. This dialogue leads to joint creations celebrating the themes experienced on the land. The compositional process is left entirely to the creators as long as all collaborators, including the land, are active members from beginning to end.
Nora Wilson, trombone and voice; Peter Morin, drum and voice; Koda Maxon, electronics and voice; Edith Skeard, woodwinds; Mitch Renaud, electronics; Jeff Morton, electronics
For more details including tickets pricing, please visit Brandon Chamber Players at: https://brandonchamberplayers.ca/

Daelyn Fefchak, soprano
2026-03-22 19:00 | Lorne Watson Recital Hall, QEII Music Building, Room 1-60, 270 18th Street, Brandon, MB, R7A 6A9, Canada
STUDENT RECITAL
Works consisting of Mozart, Clara Schumannm Rossini, Alfven, Tiefenbach and more! From love songs to a song about cornstarch, there’s something for everyone!
No admission charge. All are welcome!

Voluntary Withdrawal (VW) Deadline - Winter courses
2026-03-23 | Brandon University, 270 18th Street, Brandon, MB, Canada
Voluntary Withdrawal (VW) deadline: Winter courses (except Education: BEd (AD); BEd (IP) Yr 5; BMus/BEd Yr 5).

BU Queer Lunch and Learn: LGBTQ Health Awareness Week
2026-03-24 12:40 - 13:30 | Gathering Space, John E. Robbins Library, Canada
Join BU Queer for our next Lunch and Learn in recognition of National LGBTQ Health Awareness Week. This informal lunchtime event brings together community experts to share knowledge, resources, and perspectives on 2SLGBTQIA+ health, wellbeing, and inclusive care.
Guest speakers include Dr. Kelby Treloar from the Gender Affirming Care Clinic, Rachel Wu from the Sexuality Education Resource Centre, and Nicole Christine from Smitten Adult Boutique. Together, they will explore topics related to gender-affirming healthcare, sexual health education, and community supports, followed by opportunities for discussion and questions.
All students, staff, faculty, and community members are welcome to attend. Light refreshments will be provided.

Introductory Spanish 2 Runway & Design Challenge
2026-03-25 08:30 - 09:20 | Clark Hall, Room 004, 1270 18th Street, Brandon, MB, Canada
Spring is approaching, and with it an opportunity to celebrate student creativity.
You are invited to attend the Runway & Design Challenge (First Edition 2026), organized by students in Introductory Spanish 2 under the supervision of Dr. Angelica Silva.
Where: CHO 004 (Clark Hall)
When: Wednesday, March 25
Time: 8:30 AM – 9:20 AM
This event highlights student work around the theme: “Pensando en una moda más sostenible” (Thinking about more sustainable fashion)
We hope you will join us to support our students and experience this showcase of language, design, and sustainability.
