#2 Know Your Professor with Zhyryn

Welcome back to another edition of Know Your Professor With Zhyryn! Each week, we feature a professor from UPEI, giving students a chance to connect with the people behind the lectures. From academic paths and teaching philosophies to their lives beyond campus, this series is all about celebrating the stories that shape our faculty.

This week, we turn to the Faculty of Indigenous Knowledge, Education, Research, and Applied Studies (IKERAS), where I had the privilege of speaking with Professor Morgan Varis, a Sessional Instructor and member of the Indigenous Circle of UPEI.

Raised on Epekwitk (Prince Edward Island), Professor Morgan comes from Peguis First Nation Cree, MB, and Acadian ancestry (PEI–NB). Her academic journey began right here at UPEI, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 2012.

Inspired by questions of Indigenous identity and a passion for social justice, she later pursued graduate studies at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, earning a Master of Arts in Criminology.

Her return to PEI in 2018 marked a new chapter, both personally and professionally. She and her partner, a member of Abegweit First Nation, are now raising two Cree–Mi’kmaq children who enjoy attending Mawi’omi on their unceded territory of Mi’kmak’i. “I feel honoured to be raising my children in a way that keeps them connected to their culture and community,” she said. Together, her family spends much of their time crafting beadwork, dreamcatchers, and ribbon skirts, art forms that not only strengthen their bonds but also revitalize traditional artwork across the community.

Since 2022, Professor Morgan has taught at UPEI as part of IKERAS, where she shares her passion for Indigenous Studies with undergraduate students. For her, teaching is about more than sharing knowledge; it’s about cultivating responsibility and awareness. “To learn about Indigenous peoples is to learn how to be a responsible Canadian,” she explained. Through her classes, she emphasizes reconciliation, coexistence, and respect, inviting students to see education as a path toward a shared future built on understanding. When asked what she values most in teaching, Professor Morgan pointed to the growth she witnesses in her students.

Outside of class, her artistry remains a core passion. Whether beading earrings, making regalia, or leading workshops, she sees traditional crafts as ways to reconnect and regenerate love for Indigenous heritage.

Professor Morgan’s story reflects a balance of scholarship, community, family, and creativity. Through her teaching and her art, she continues to shape UPEI’s learning community while honoring her cultural roots.