Native American Heritage Celebration

Native American Heritage Celebration is the celebration of the history, culture, traditions and contributions of Native Americans. The celebration is recognized nationally every November, but is a celebration that lasts throughout the year. Below is our 2022-2023 academic calendar of events!

Indigenous People's Day

Elliot Fair, BS in Natural Resources Management

Monday, October 10, 2022

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Kirkhof Center: Pere Marquette 2204

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Senior student and citizen of the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of the Pottawatomi Indians, Elliot Fair will be presenting on the issues that are impacting our natural resources in celebration of Indigenous Peoples' Day. Indigenous Peoples' Day, while celebrated in October here as a replacement for Columbus Day, worldwide Indigenous folks celebrate International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples on August 9th. In 2018, NASA students pressed Student Senate to adopt as policy, that the second Monday of October be known as Indigenous Peoples' Day, so in celebration of that event, would like to welcome the Co-President of NASA to the podium to celebrate the 4th anniversary of our student organization's hard work!

Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian, Bryan Newland

Thursday, October 27^th: 6PM-7PM

Eberhard Center: Conference Room, 2^nd Floor

Parking: Fulton Lot

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Join us for an evening spent discussing important issues facing our Indigenous students in higher education. This is an historical time in Native American country as this is our first time ever having an Indigenous identifying person over seeing the Department of the Interior, Deb Haaland who is a member of the Pueblo of Laguna and a 35th generation New Mexican. Appointed to his position by Deb, Bryan Newland comes from the Bay Mills Indian Community in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and will be sharing with us some important updates and issues facing our Indigenous youth in education. Refreshments will be served prior to the event and is open to everyone.

A Conversation with Billy Mills

Thursday, November 17, 2022

6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

Eberhard Center, Paul A. Johnson Hall, Pew Campus

301 Fulton St W. Grand Rapids, MI

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Oglala Sioux, three-time NCAA All-American Cross Country Runner with a historic gold medal from the 1964 Tokyo Olympics in the 10,000 meter race.

Facilitated by Lin Bardwell & Levi Rickert

Jessica Rickert: First Native American Female Dentist

Wednesday, February 8, 2023

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Pere Marquette room, Kirkhof Center, Allendale Campus

Jessica A. Rickert, DDS, graduated from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry in 1975, the first American Indian female dentist in the world. The title of her presentation is Changing Perceptions …Exceeding Expectation.