Native American Student Association |
In 1989, Native American students at the UW-Eau
Claire organized the Native American Student Association (NASA).
In the fall of 1998, the student members updated and revised their organization's
by-laws and voted to change the official title of the student group
to the American Indian Student Association (AISA). References
to both AISA and NASA will occur, but both sets of initials refer to
the same student organization. |
| The student association provides a forum for all
American Indian students and friends to share their ideas and to express
their personal, academic and professional support for each other while
assisting in the promotion of awareness and understanding for Native cultures
and indigenous issues across the campus and throughout the local
and regional communities. |
| During each academic school year, the student association
holds bi-monthly meetings and social gatherings. The students also
function as an informal speaker's bureau by presenting to classes other
than their own. The students are active in the development and implementation
of several, significant cultural events on the UW-Eau Claire campus throughout
each school year. |
| AISA organizes and participates in these annual activities,
which include the International Folk Fair at UWEC each fall. Hundreds
of guests visit the American Indian room, which is designed and hosted
by the students. Typically, the room contains numerous activities
and displays about the historical and contemporary lifeways of American
Indian people. Indian frybread, soups and other cultural and traditional
foods are also available. |
| Native American Awareness Week and a traditional
"Honoring Education" Powwow are held
during the spring of each year. During Awareness Week, the students
orchestrate a full week of different activities and programs, including
panels and keynote speakers from across the continent. The week
provides an outlet to discuss important topics of interest to all people. |
| Awareness Week culminates with the "Honoring
Education" Powwow. Friends, dancers and drums from a five-state
area travel to join the students and the community for this annual celebration.
With an overwhelming amount of support from the University, the American
Indian Studies Program, the
American Ethnic Coordinating Office, the University Extension Office,
the UWEC Foundation, and many other sponsors, AISA is successful in planning
and promoting these events. |
| American Indian graduates from the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire are recognized with plaques, located in Schofield Hall. Graduates with a major in American Indian Studies are recognized on a plaque, located near the American Indian Studies Office in Hibbard Humanities Hall |
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