USD to Lead Panels at Lakota Education Conference and Attend Lakota Nation Invitational
This conference brings together educators, community leaders and students for sessions centered around culturally responsive teaching, Native student success and the preservation of Lakota culture and language. The conference will be held at the Best Western Ramkota Hotel in Rapid City.
Alongside the conference, USD will attend the Lakota Nation Invitational, the largest Native basketball tournament in the Midwest and a premier gathering for Native students, families and communities. In addition to basketball, the event includes archery, Lakota language competitions, art contests, wrestling and more, creating a vibrant, multi-disciplinary celebration of culture, education and athletic experience. LNI will take place at The Monument—formerly the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center—a location separate from the conference.
USD Panel Presentations
The two panel discussions will take place on Friday, Dec. 19, highlighting Native student experiences and cross-campus partnerships that support their success.
Panel 1: A Network of Support for Native College Students: Cross Campus Partnerships at USD
Friday, Dec. 19 | 1–2:15 p.m.
Many higher educational institutions offer specific resources to help Native students be successful in college. Identity-specific support programs, which often include physical spaces, are important for Native students and tribal communities; however, it can be easy to become siloed. This panel discusses how to develop cross-campus partnerships and relationships through campus programming that supports Native students, educates the greater campus community about Native issues, culture and history, and celebrates Native alumni, students and faculty and staff at USD.
USD panelists include:
- Megan Red Shirt-Shaw, Ph.D., director of Native Student Services
- John Little, Ph.D., Director of Native Recruitment & Alumni Engagement
- Brooke Jackson, Coordinator of Native Student Services
- Jacqueline Wilber, Ed.D., Director of the Center for Student and Professional Services in the School of Education
- Michele Seaton-Bertsch, Assistant Advisor and Recruiter in the Department of Nursing
- Marcus Destin, Assistant Director of Student Activities & Multicultural Affairs
- Jarren Duffy, Associate Athletic Director for Fan Engagement
Panel 2: Student Voices at USD
Friday, Dec. 19 | 2:30–3:45 p.m.
This panel features current Native students from USD. Panelists will discuss their experiences, recommendations and successes in higher education. This panel will be moderated by Brooke Jackson, coordinator of Native Student Services at USD.
Following the panels, attendees are encouraged to return to LNI for Grand Entry—a powerful cultural tradition that brings together teams and communities in a shared celebration—at 5 p.m.
Lakota Nation Invitational USD Alumni Social
USD alumni, friends and supporters are invited to the fifth annual Lakota Nation Invitational USD Alumni Social on Thursday, Dec. 18. Attendees can connect with fellow alumni and representatives from USD Native Student Services and other campus departments. RSVPs are encouraged.
For more information or event details, contact Native Student Services.
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