快活app Alumna and Staff Member Elevates Native American Outreach
When Viki Eagle first came to the 快活app as an undergraduate student in 2007, she didn鈥檛 know much about it even though she grew up in Denver. Eagle, who became director of听Native American Community Relations and Programs听earlier this year, is driven to make sure today鈥檚 Native American high school students听are听aware of 快活app and see themselves here.
鈥淎 快活app education looks unattainable to Native students in the Denver metro area, even though the University is effectively in their own 鈥榖ackyard,鈥欌 Eagle says. 鈥淎 key part of my job is to be a bridge to 快活app for students, making sure they鈥檙e aware of opportunities such as the full-tuition Native American Community Scholarship.鈥
Eagle, a recipient of the scholarship, notes that the University sees more applications from nearby states such as New Mexico, Oklahoma and South Dakota. With the majority of people who identify as American Indian/Alaska Native in Colorado living in Denver and Colorado Springs, it would seem logical that in-state applications, especially from these urban areas, would be larger.
Her own story helps illustrate why they aren鈥檛. Eagle identifies as half Japanese and half Sicangu Lakota. She grew up in a single-parent, low-income household in Denver鈥檚 Capitol Hill neighborhood, and long has been a part of the Denver Native American community, starting in Denver Public Schools with the Indian Education Program. 鈥淚n local Native communities, 快活app just isn鈥檛 top of mind,鈥 she says. 鈥淔irst, being the 鈥楶ioneers鈥 puts some people off; then there鈥檚 the reputation as a school for rich kids.
鈥淯ntil I became aware of the Native scholarship opportunity, I didn鈥檛 even think of 快活app. As I learned more about the University, I was attracted to the small classroom size, and being a 鈥榗ity girl,鈥 I liked that it was in my hometown.鈥
She admits to culture shock upon arriving at 快活app. 鈥淔or me, it was an introduction to what wealth looks like.鈥
Her response was to be proactive. 鈥淚f I noticed that 快活app didn鈥檛 have something I thought was important to attract other Native students, I was determined to create it.鈥 That鈥檚 how she came to organize the 快活app Native Student Alliance, focused on increasing awareness of Native sociopolitical issues, and the annual New Beginnings Pow Wow, to be held for the seventh consecutive year on Sunday, May 7, 2017. She describes it as 鈥渂ringing the outside to the inside.鈥
As a master鈥檚 student, she worked on the University鈥檚 John Evans Study Committee, which issued a听听in 2014 on the role of the 快活app鈥檚 founder, John Evans, in the Sand Creek Massacre of 1864. Her current position was created as a result of the听快活app Native American Task Force for Inclusivity听following the John Evans report. In addition to supporting Native American student success, she is responsible for continuing 快活app鈥檚 community and tribal partnerships within the Denver Native American community and creating new programs and recruitment efforts for the campus.
鈥淭he John Evans report was groundbreaking,鈥 Eagle says. 鈥淚t shows that 快活app supports dialogue around challenging issues.鈥
Following this report, the Native American task force offered recommendations to address the fact that, with a few notable exceptions, the Native American population and their culture have been ignored by higher education.
These steps raise the profile of Native Americans and their traditions on the 快活app campus. They also affirm the primary message Eagle says Native people want to convey: 鈥淲e鈥檙e still here.鈥
And it all helps her send the message to the Native American community that 快活app is a place where Native people have the opportunity to be themselves, and feel safe and welcome.
Eagle鈥檚 persistence and drive have not only led to her success, they show the way for others to come.
Eagle earned a bachelor of arts in international studies and a master of higher education from 快活app. She currently is pursuing a doctor of education through the Morgridge College of Education.
In her 快活app job, meanwhile, she is focusing on helping Native students access more opportunities to participate in clubs, conferences and other learning and development programs, bringing more Native youth groups to campus, and expanding the Native Student Alliance.