Native American students build relationships from across the state at annual conference

STILLWATER-Native American students from across the state gathered at the Oklahoma State University campus in Stillwater this past weekend to learn new ideas, get motivated, educated and network at the 3rd Annual Oklahoma Native American Students in Higher Education Conference.

Students from the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University, Northeastern State University, Bacone College, Oklahoma City University, Oklahoma State Universtiy- Oklahoma City campus, Southwestern State University,Northern Oklahoma College, Pawnee Nation College and College of the Muscogee Nation, both tribal colleges, were in attendance. The main purpose of the ONASHE Conference is to bring Native American Students in higher educations together.
Joe Thomas, a junior from the University of Oklahoma found the importance of the conference in meeting other Native American students outside his own university important. “I think that’s very important to learn about other cultures and traditions then just inside OU,” Thomas said. Other students felt the same way. Sonny Hawk, a student at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah and Amy Bergseth, a graduate student bot felt the conference was important to meet new people.
Robin Williams, Senior Academic Counselor for Native American students at the Inclusion Center for Academic Excellence at OSU and founder of the ONASHE Conference said “It’s important for Native American Students in Oklahoma to find a place where they can come together, meet each other, find a support network, but also learn about leadership and culture within higher education.” Williams continued, “Also a a cultural component is added…so hopefully that helps students who maybe aren’t familiar with some of the cultural aspects…also helps them learn more about other tribes too.” This year the cultural component included a traditional hand game, a guessing game among Plains tribes and a planned stickball game, a mixture of lacross and basketball among Southeastern tribes, but was canceled due to weather.
The students came together and built relationships with one another from across the state. From this conference they learned that they’re the same in achieving their goal of achieving a higher education. The ONASHE Conference continues to build the future of tribal students in support and encouragement for the future of Native American Students in higher education.