The SDSU chapter of the American Indian Sciences and Education Society (AISES) brought together its counterparts in South Dakota and neighboring states for the annual regional conference, which takes place every spring. This year's gathering took place March 18-20.
The keynote speaker was Joseph C. Robertson, PhD, Founder and Chief Data Scientist of Mato Ohitika Analytics, LLC. With strong ties to AISES and SDSU, Robertson described the growth of the chapter since 2012, and he shared about his specialization and dissertation on Native data sovereignty. The host chapter also led participants on interactive tours of campus labs over the weekend conference, which bore the theme "We Are Tomorrow" this year.
Marisa Hare (Flandreau/Yankton/Oglala/Arikara), College of Education and Human Sciences is a longtime AISES member and former chapter president. She sees AISES getting stronger over the years, "When I first got here in 2014 I didn't know a lot about AISES and I wasn't interested in STEM. Nowadays AISES does outreach with high schools like Flandreau Indian School, they facilitate experiments with high school science classes."
The mission of AISES is to promote indigenous presence and leadership in STEM through support of Native American students pursuing degrees in the fields of Science, Math, Engineering and Technology from the pre-college years into the professional life.
One highlight of the recent regional conference was a session called "After Graduation". Hare, a senior, said this informal session featured panelists from varied paths to higher education and was reflective of the opportunities and detours that Native American students may encounter on the path to success. "It was cool to see how their lives have differed and what options there are for me, too."
Beverley Warne, NANEC Mentor, Honored by SD State Legislature
In a joint chamber commemoration, Oglala Lakota elder Beverly Warne was honored at the Statehouse on March 7. The proclamation highlighted Warne’s outstanding service as a nurse educator and mentor in South Dakota and Arizona.
Warne contributed to the founding of SDSU’s own Native American Nursing Education Center (NANEC) and is a mentor there. She also directed the American Indian Students United for Nursing program and the Indian Health Service Scholarship program at Arizona State University, instructing and mentoring, her unique perspective and special experience has impacted the life and career of countless medical professionals. As a civic actor she leads the Rapid City Community Conversations group, an initiative combating racism through transformative conversations and relationship building.
The proclamation was introduced by Representative Peri Pourier and Senator Red Dawn Foster, both Oglala Lakota and representing District 27.
Beverly Warne will be making a special visit to the SDSU Brookings campus April 11-13, where she will be Elder-in-Residence at the American Indian Student Center and spending time with students and Wokini Initiative partners, sharing her wisdom, ideas and encouragement.
AISES Meetings: Every Tuesday, 7:00 PM, AISC Lounge
AISA Meetings: Every Tuesday, 5:00 PM, AISC Lounge
Wahanpi Wednesday: March 23, April 13 & 27, May 4, AISC
AISC Popcorn Fridays: Every Friday, All Day, AISC Lounge
Wokini Scholars Meeting, April 19, 7:00 PM, AISC Classroom
Philosophy of the Lakota Bow & Arrow with Joseph Marshall, 5:00 - 7:00 PM, AISC Classroom
March 30 - 31
April 20 - 21
J.White Exhibition, February 25 - April 4, Brookings Arts Council
Jerry Fogg Exhibition Native Soul Art: 11 Degrees of Tatanka, November 24, 2021 - April 14, 2022, South Dakota Art Museum
AISA Annual Wacipi, April 9 - 10, 2022, Frost Arena
Grand entry: April 9 at 1pm and 7pm, April 10 at 1pm
Admission is free
Free community meal Saturday evening
Contact selena.olvera@sdstate.edu for more information
Elder-in-Residence - Beverly Warne, April 11 - 13, AISC
Joseph Marshall Keynote & Workshop Presentation, April 21, Woster Celebration Hall
Native Graduate Honoring Ceremony, May 6, AISC
Book of the Month
This year's Siouxland Libraries One Book is the award-winning first novel of David Heska Wanbli Weiden (Rosebud Sioux Tribe). The crime-fiction thriller follows Virgil Wounded House, a hired vigilante, as he traces the the flow lethal drugs coming onto the Rosebud Reservation as his work becomes distressingly personal. Siouxland Libraries One Book programming throughout the month of April the 2022 include an author talk with Weiden at the Orpheum Theatre on the 21st. For more information visit the Siouxland Libraries website.
Dakota Word of the Month
wétu | to be spring
Lakota Word of the Month
yuónihaŋ | to honor (somebody)
Taŋyáŋ Yahí: Welcome, Valeria Wicker!
The Wokini Initiative and SDSU welcome Valeria Wicker, who started in March as the Program Coordinator in the Office of Wokini and Tribal Relations.
Valeria’s work focuses on promoting capacity, knowledge and understanding among SDSU faculty and staff in Oceti Sakowin history and culture.
NANEC Hosting Tim Bad Heart Bull for Lunch and Learn
Join the Native American Nursing Education Center for our upcoming Soup & Learn speaker--Tom Bad Heart Bull, MPA, Vietnam Veteran. Mr. Bad Heart Bull will be presenting “Cultural Understanding in Health Care.” He will also focus on PTSD and will provide the group with information that will enhance the understanding of health care issues affecting Native American Veterans.
He will offer the students and facility explanations of Lakota Cultural practices they may encounter in the hospital setting as well in Hospice. Mr. Bad Heart Bull is locally known as a language and cultural bearer and respected for his knowledge of the cultural practices. His presentation will be this Friday, March 25th. Lunch starts at 11:30am MT and the presentation begins at noon MT.
Please RSVP to Barbara Ogaard for a food count. The presentation will be offered in hybrid format in-person at SDSU NANEC (1220 Mt. Rushmore Rd. Ste. 2) or via Zoom.
