by Bryant Venosdel, Student Reporter
A new organization for Native American students is coming to the campus of Northwestern Oklahoma State.
Students Dacoda McDowell-Wahpekeche, Bryan Francis and Savannah Francis are three of the students who are leading the organization after seeing a need for the club on campus.
“Every other college has this community of Native American people and Northwestern should have this too,” sophomore Bryan Francis said.
“There was a girl on the track team last year who was Native American and really didn’t feel real welcome, so we had to make a difference,” freshman McDowell-Wahpekeche said.
Native American Student Association, or NASA, is the name of the organization that will be coming to NWOSU. The organization is already active at the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University and the University of Central Oklahoma.
A club for Native Americans would benefit other Native Americans so they can get together and share their backgrounds with each other and their similar heritage. Native Americans are already attending NWOSU and the club will be a chance for them to socialize and network with one another.
“We have a good group of Native Americans on the track team and my suite mate is Native American and I actually didn’t know it,” McDowell-Wahpekeche said, “so if we can just branch out and find more people that would be great.”
Native American students and members of the administration here at NWOSU are both supporting this organization alike. Roughly 7-9 students have already committed to the organization.
“We have already talked with Mr. Mosburg who is behind it and we have talked with Dr. Aaron Mason and they both love it,” Bryan Francis said.
McDowell-Wahpekeche, Bryan Francis and Savannah Francis are all on NWOSU’s cross country team and that is where they have spread the word about NASA first.
“It was a culture shock,” freshman Savannah Francis said in reference to coming to NWOSU from previously being at Tahlequah, OK where there is a large Native American population. “But students have already shown interest. So far it has mainly been with the cross country team but we are still getting our name out there.”
NWOSU has over 25 clubs and organizations on campus and with an addition of NASA it will allow Native American students to be more active on campus and help Native Americans be able to come together.