Past AILRC Events
Spring Feast - March 25, 2025
O'Connor is an American Indian studies consultant who spoke about supporting American Indian education.
Sovereignty & Stories - April 1, 2025
Speaker: Allison Waukau, Menominee/Navajo
This event featured keynote speaker Allison Waukau, Menominee/Navajo, who serves as the tribal liaison and Native relations coordinator for the Metropolitan Council. Waukau is the president of the American Indian Library Association and founder of the "Books are Good Medicine" podcast. She talked about her podcast, told the story about how she became a librarian and discussed the role she plays in making sure Native history is included in education.
UMD American Indian Advisory Board Fall Meeting
Three times a year the UMD American Indian Advisory Board (AIAB) holds community building meetings at the reservations of the three northern Minnesota Chippewa tribes of Grand Portage, Bois Forte, and Fond du Lac. A recent meeting in Grand Portage featured a meet and greet for UMD’s incoming Chancellor Charles Nies.
Jody O’Connor, director of the American Indian Learning Resource Center, is co-chair of the AIAB. The elected board works to ensure UMD is responsive to the needs of UMD's Native students. It includes two students and representation from the three tribes, including Grand Portage Tribal Chairman Bobby Deschampe, Fond du lac Tribal Chairman Bruce Savage and Bois Forte Tribal Chairwoman Cathy Chavers.
Fall Feast 2024
The 2024 Fall Feast was held on September 25 and featured students from the Tribal Administration and Governance master's program, Jaylen Strong and Nicole Smith, who presented "Education is not a one size fits all concept."
Spring Feast 2024
Spring Feast 2024 was held on March 19 and it featured author Sandy White Hawk. She spoke about the Supreme Court's decision to not overturn the Indian Child Welfare Act, her book "A Child of the Indian Race," and her experience as a Sicangu Lakota adoptee from the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota.
For more information check out the Fox News article.
Fall Feast 2023
For more information check out the Fall Feast preview article.
Spring Feast 2023
The American Indian Learning Resource Center's Spring Feast event was held on March 29, 2023. As reported by WDIO, "The celebration hosted two guest speakers. UMD alumnus Dennis Olson, the Commissioner of the Minnesota Office of Higher Education and Rachel Evangelisto, the 86th Miss Minnesota and alumna of the University of Minnesota Morris."