Native SOAR

🌱SPEAKER’S SERIES - PART 2🌱

We were deeply encouraged by a powerful day of events, featuring our guests - Indigenous scholars and editors - Heather Stribling Shotton (Witchita & Affiliated Tribes, Kiowa, and Cheyenne), Natalie Rose Youngbull (Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma, Fort Peck Assiniboine & Sioux Tribes of Montana), Chris Nelson (K’awaika and Diné) and Shelly Lowe (Diné).

❤️Thank you for your commitment to Native and Indigenous research, scholarship, and practice! We appreciate how generous you all were with your time, expertise, and good medicine! We loved every minute and we look forward to how this edition of Indigenous scholarship will inspire another wave of emerging scholars and practitioners.

Special thank you to everyone who helped make this visit possible! Center for the Study of Higher Education at The University of Arizona, University of Arizona Indigenous Resilience Center, University of Arizona NILSA, Skoden UA, Native SOAR

✊🏽❤️

🫶🏽SPECIAL THANK YOU🫶🏽

This summer, our team had the privilege of working with Niko Sanchez to create BEAUTIFUL gifts for our guest speakers, community elders, and campus supporters. Niko serves as a Digital Design and Fabrication Specialist in CATalyst Studios at University of Arizona Libraries. This summer, Niko provided an entire week of training for our summer student workers! Together, they crafted silver earrings, bolo ties, and wooden boxes, featuring part of the Native SOAR logo, which was originally designed by Johnny Nelson (Badwinds).

Best of all, our students are enriched with a new skill set and a certification! Thank you so much, Niko! 🙌🏽

🌱 COMMUNITY GATHERING 🌱

We are committed to creating and cultivating spaces for support, refuge, healing, and love for our Native and Native-serving communities. In our first collaborative effort of the new year, we invited our friends and scholars, Drs. Jacelle Ramon-Sauberan (Tohono O’odham Nation), Tiffany Smith (Cherokee & Muscogee Nations), Amanda Tachine (Diné), and JD Lopez (Quechan) to share their experiences and impart their wisdom. Thank you all for inspiring us with your stories and your LOVE for Native students and communities!

We look forward to continuing our work to carve out spaces for our well-being! We can’t wait for PART TWO of our Indigenous Speaker’s Series on August 29th from 11AM-12:15PM at the Union Kiva at the Student Union!

📸 CREDIT: Marison Bilagody

Register!👇🏾

We are thrilled to announce a special retreat day for graduate women of color, generously funded by the Commission on the Status of Women and Native SOAR! Join us for a day of community building and social support as you navigate the next steps in your graduate journey.

📅 When: Friday, September 6, 2024
📍 Where: Tucson Botanical Gardens, 2150 N Alvernon Way, Tucson, AZ 85712
⏰ Time: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm

Our Goals for the Day:
Build community and social support
Learn how to craft successful fellowship applications
Create optional informal virtual writing groups to continue supporting your graduate work after the retreat
Agenda Highlights:
✨ Ice Breaker: Bring an object that represents your studies!
✨ Presentation: Learn about Writing Successful Fellowship Applications with Andrea Holm from the Writing Skills Improvement Center.
✨ Round Table Discussions: Connect with peers in similar programs of study.
✨ Presentation: Discover Holistic Energy Healing with Colimar Healing LLC.

Feel free to spread the word to anyone who might benefit from this opportunity! 🌟

👉 Register Here: https://uarizona.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6i2Yq2mcmwHmsei
Register Now
if you’re a graduate woman of color seeking community.

Dress casually and come ready to connect—lunch is on us! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out.

We can't wait to see you there! 💖

Join us for a special book talk with the editors of Developments Beyond the Asterisk: New Scholarship and Frameworks for Understanding Native Students in Higher Education. This session is Part 2 of our Indigenous Speaker’s Series and is open to Native (and Native-serving) staff, faculty, administrators & STUDENTS!

We hope to see you there!

Date: Thursday, August 29, 2024
Time: 11:00AM - 12:15PM
Location: Kiva Union, located in the Student Union Memorial Center (next to Einstein Bros Bagels).

⭐️INTERNSHIP⭐️

This summer, Native SOAR had the privilege to host Karina Cannon (Tohono O’odham Community College) as a summer intern! Karina participated in A Student’s Journey (ASJ), a year-long program that connects TOCC students with resources to combat academic transfer barriers to 4-year universities. Karina is currently pursuing an Associate’s degree in Social Work, and will graduate next spring! She plans on transferring to a 4-year university. During her time with Native SOAR, Karina observed how student support services help Native students pursuing higher education. Karina, we are so proud of you! 👏

🌱NINLHE🌿

Thank you, National Institute for Native Leadership in Higher Education () & APCS (), for providing a beautiful “non-conference conference,” with authentic community building, transformative workshops, and inspiring speakers! Our hearts are FULL! 💕

🌵COMMUNITY GATHERING🌵

Please join us for a Community Gathering on Thursday, August 15th.

9:00AM – Blessing

9:30AM-11:00AM – Featured Panel: Drs. Jacelle Ramon-Sauberan, Amanda Tachine, & Tiffany Smith

11:30AM – Networking Lunch

1:00PM-2:15PM – Featured Speaker: Dr. Amanda Tachine

Location: ENR2 Building, Room S107

Please feel free to join us for part or all of our scheduled programming.

We welcome all to join us as we strengthen support for our Native/Indigenous and Native-serving communities.
We look forward to seeing you there!

This event is limited to 80 participants, so please register as soon as possible. Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScOj4Er0LS7ZY7aImuTKoOHGvgtFCMgmYJD0pyerycSz-Uw-w/viewform?fbzx=7093662746518992545

•Office of Indian Education Stakeholder Summit•

We loved being in community with Native and Native-serving leaders who share our heart for our youth 💕 Our experience included critical conversation, LAUGHTER, cultural practices, WELLNESS activities, and LOVE - love for our people, love for our futures in Education and love for one another.

Thank you to the Arizona Department of Education Office of Indian TEAM for the intentional construction of this community gathering. Our time was well spent and we are grateful for your continued support!

Our Land, Our Education, Our Health (OLEH)

Last week, Native SOAR was invited to meet the AMAZING students participating in OLEH! We love how this powerful summer program promotes college and workforce readiness, while focusing on environmental health science and its impact on our land, education, and overall well-being.

❤️Thank you, OLEH, for supporting leaders who are going to make a difference for all of us! ❤️

Grateful for the opportunity to join Native educators, administrators, and advocates from all over Arizona! 🌵❤️

Our Office of Indian Education welcomes Indigenous education stakeholders from across Arizona this week. Looking forward to a great Stakeholder Summit.

*️⃣iPAD DISTRIBUTION*️⃣

Lakeisha and Langhysie (Hopi & Tohono O’odham) received their incentives (Apple iPad, Pencil & case) after joining our SP24 Friday online mentoring sessions! Lakeisha will be a senior this fall and has plans to pursue a career in medicine (Pediatrics and/or Nursing). This summer, Lakeisha participated in the UA’s Med-Start program! Langhysie promoted from 6th grade and is interested in Mathematics and Education.

💕Thank you both for participating in our program! We hope you continue to find joy and success in school and in life! 💕

🌟RISING STARS🌟

Rising Stars is a program under Family and Community Medicine that was developed to provide H-STEM learning opportunities for Indigenous youth who are in middle to high school.

This week, 11 AWESOME middle/high school students and their chaperones visited our campus to participate in summer programming with a focus on Water, Diabetes, and Engineering.

Thank you, , for hosting campus partners to share more about the connection to Higher Education and pursuing H-STEM careers!

☀️SUMMER CONNECTIONS☀️

Last weekend, we had the opportunity to join Dr. Jacelle Ramon-Sauberan and fellow students from Tohono O'odham Community College for the harvest of the bahidaj (saguaro fruit). Special thank you to Jacelle, Tanisha Tucker, and Maria Francisco - we are grateful for the invitation and deeply appreciate the sharing of Tohono O’odham knowledge. 🌵❤️

*️⃣iPAD DISTRIBUTION*️⃣

Sofie (Diné) recently graduated from Tolleson Union High School and plans to attend Estrella Mountain Community College this fall! Sofie participated in our Spring ‘24 ONLINE mentoring program with our awesome Wednesday crew - Jasmine, Deizha, Eliana, Mason, Téa, TyRianne, Kaitlyn, & Deshawna.

🎉Sofie, thank you for joining us! We hope the Apple iPad, Pencil, and case come in handy during your first year of COLLEGE!! 🎉

☀️SUMMER CONNECTIONS☀️

Native SOAR + New Start = a GOOD day

✅ FREE Lunch
✅ Info about a GREAT Gen Ed •HED 397C•
✅ More resources

Thank you, New Start for joining us for our first Lunch & Learn!

*️⃣iPAD DISTRIBUTION*️⃣

JuliAnn is “from Walpi, which is located on the Hopi reservation.” She is in the 6th grade and enjoys going to school and playing sports. Her favorite subjects are Math and Science. She is interested in building projects, reading, and creating art. Upon high school graduation, JuliAnn plans to attend college to become an Architect.

❤️JuliAnn, thank you for joining our Spring 2024 Online Wednesday Mentoring sessions. We hope the Apple iPad, Pencil, and case support your personal and academic goals! ❤️

*️⃣iPAD DISTRIBUTION*️⃣

Luis (Pascua Yaqui) graduated from Desert View High School SUSD and will be joining us this fall at The University of Arizona! Luis participated in our mentoring program and received his incentive package (Apple iPad, Pencil, and case) this week during the New Start Summer Program.

Luis - we hope you continue to seek opportunities to support your academic and career goals!

SUNNYSIDE CATS Campus Visit

This week, we had the privilege of welcoming future Wildcats (from Sunnyside Unified School District) to our campus! 🐻⬇️

In collaboration with Undergraduate Admissions, Sunnyside CATS (Connecting for Access and Transition Success) hosted students & their families for an awesome day of programming.

At the end of the visit, Native American Student Affairs (), along with campus partners, hosted a mixer at our cultural resource center! Shoutout for providing popovers!

Thank you, Daniel Gastelum, Admissions, & SUSD for working with our Native-serving partners (, , , College of Veterinary Medicine, College of Medicine, & Native American Initiatives) to bring the very BEST to our new students!

We can’t wait to see you this fall! ❤️💙

📸 credit:

🌟COLLABORATIVE OUTREACH🌟

Big thank you to Jade Corella, former Native SOAR mentor and recent UA graduate, for inviting Native SOAR & Native American Student Affairs to join you at the Wildcat Showdown!

We ❤️ your heart for our community!

The University of Arizona UA American Indian Alumni Club

✨AN ENCOURAGING UPDATE✨

Since publication of the Grist.org report, Misplaced Trust Stolen Indigenous land is the foundation of the land-grant university system. Climate change is its legacy, “The University of Arizona’s Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid has reviewed Alina Sierra’s circumstances and forgiven her debt. Her remaining Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, loan has been paid by a private donor.” Alina, a former Native SOAR student mentor and UA Wildcat, is currently enrolled at Tohono O'odham Community College, where tuition is “actually free. She hopes to one day complete her four-year degree.”

Please take a moment to read her story and its powerful connection to the nation’s land grant history in a recently published PBS NewsHour report, “Investigation reveals how universities profit off land taken from Indigenous people” by Stephanie Sy & Lena I. Jackson.

Links for all 3 reports:

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/show/investigation-reveals-how-universities-profit-off-land-taken-from-indigenous-people

https://grist.org/project/equity/land-grant-universities-indigenous-lands-fossil-fuels/

https://www.hcn.org/issues/52-4/indigenous-affairs-education-land-grab-universities/

📸 credit: All photos are stills from the PBS NewsHour series, Rethinking College by Stephanie Sy.

Challenger Middle School Outreach

This week, our summer team dropped by to get to know students participating in CMS summer programming (Math, Literacy, and Enrichment). We hope these amazing students join us this fall for our 10 week mentoring program!

Native Fresh Start at Desert View High School

Our summer outreach crew enjoyed spending time with students participating in DVHS’s Freshman Experience. We look forward to seeing everyone again at registration and open house!

☀️SUMMER OUTREACH☀️

We’re excited to partner with Sunnyside CATS and SUSD Native American Education Program to meet incoming students during Challenger Middle School SUSD’s Math, Literacy/ELD, and summer enrichment programs! This collaboration would not be possible without the AMAZING returning MENTORS from SP23, F23, and SP24! Thank you all for making our course and program even better! 💕