American Indian Graduate Student Research

Conference: New Directions in American Indian Research

American Indian music and dance were among the entertainment highlights of the conference.

The second New Directions in American Indian Research Conference, held on the UNC Chapel Hill campus on Oct. 7-8, 2005, brought greater visibility to research by and for Native Americans, with a focus on graduate student scholars. The two-day event brought in more than 150 attendees, including prominent national scholars.

Academic scholars and tribal leaders gathered to explore issues and research of great importance to Native American communities, including panel discussions on cultural identity, community health, education, and economics, and to enjoy cultural events together including traditional Native music and dance.

The Graduate School hosted the event with support from Robert Shelton, Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost, the American Studies program, The Center for Study of the American South, the Carolina First Minority Alumni Committee, the Diversity and Multicultural Affairs Office and Western Carolina University.

Theda Perdue, a history professor at UNC specializing in Native peoples in the southeastern United States, said the conference was important on many levels.

“A conference like this shows people all over the U.S. that Carolina is serious about fostering diversity and that American Indian students are important to our identity as a school,” Perdue said. “Recruitment is improved along with the enhanced perception of our University as an attractive place for American Indians to work and study.”

Research presentations and a chance to meet others in the field drew scholars from across the country.

The conference also introduced prospective students to Carolina. The Graduate School hosted a concurrent recruitment event for American Indians interested in graduate study. Prospective students from across North Carolina and the United States met with current Native students, visited potential graduate programs, learned about funding opportunities and the processes for student selection.

Sandra Hoeflich, Associate Dean in the Graduate School, noted that American Indian graduate students were the inspiration and energy behind both events.

“Graduate students across campus worked so hard to make these events successful, giving hundreds of volunteer hours.” Hoeflich said. “In fact, one key benefit of these events is the strong, cohesive community of American Indian graduate students that is built around the planning effort.”

Key student organizers included doctoral candidates Rose Stremlau, History, and Lindsey Smith (Chickasaw), English, and Master’s in Public Administration student Ashley Haynes (Cherokee).

The Graduate School plans to continue this biennial conference highlighting American Indian graduate student scholarship

- Daniel Johnson

© 2006, The Graduate School, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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