TCU’s seventh annual Native American and Indigenous Peoples Day Symposium will take place Monday, Oct. 2. This year’s theme is “TCU and Native American and Indigenous Relationships: Exploring the Past, Embracing the Present, Impacting the Future.”
“This is an extremely relevant topic, especially in TCU’s 150th year,” said Scott Langston, interim Native American Nations and Communities liaison. “This Symposium will help set the tone and direction for the future of TCU’s Native American and Indigenous Peoples Initiative. Your participation and input will help shape this future.”
The day will consist of several events geared toward several audiences, all with a distinct purpose.
Sessions open to the TCU and general community include a panel discussion on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women’s initiatives and a keynote featuring conversation between senior TCU and Native American and Indigenous leaders. For only the second time in TCU's history, a Native American head-of-state will visit the campus. TCU is honored to host the president of the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes, on whose homeland TCU is located, and have her participate in the keynote session. In addition, several Native American organizations will be on-hand before and after the keynote session to speak with community members and students about their work.
Langston encourages faculty to promote attendance at the event. For faculty offering extra credit, ID swipe machines will be on hand to verify attendance.
More intimate events include a bead-making class introducing beginners to the brick work style and other methods, such as the peyote stitch, and class meetings with Carl Kurtz ’14, citizen of Potawatomi Nation, taught in a tipi on the Campus Commons. Sign up is required for these events.
Small group working sessions will take place to dig deep into creating space for Native American and Indigenous students and exploring related perceptions and experiences at TCU. While not open for general attendance, findings and recommendations will be distributed.
The original artwork promoting the symposium represents each of the elements being
highlighted this year.
“The middle (image) shows a Native graduate wearing TCU regalia to indicate the impacting
future aspect,” said designer Deante’ Moore, an enrolled member of the Gila River
Indian community. “As Native Americans have a low percentage of college graduation,
it is important to increase the representation of Native students and to also contribute
to graduates that will give back to their communities.”
Learn more about the 2023 Native American and Indigenous Peoples Day Symposium.
In recent years, TCU has embarked on several initiatives to inform and engage around NAIP relations. Efforts include the development of the NAIP Initiatives webpage, designed to educate viewers on campus history, strengthen ties with Indigenous communities and provide information, such as TCU’s land acknowledgment statement and other tools. Most recently, TCU announced the Four Directions Scholars Program, aimed at developing leaders for tribal nations.