UNCW’s Watson College of Education welcomed 11 Elders from the Waccamaw Siouan Tribe to campus in February where they participated in the UNCW/3C Challenging the Paradigm conference along with more than 100 higher education leaders from across the state.
“Partnerships that Lead to Purposeful Pathways and Successful Education journeys” was the theme of the 2024 Challenging the Paradigm conference. The Elders, respected individuals who provide wisdom and leadership for their Tribe, led a 90-minute talking circle providing conference attendees the unique opportunity to learn first-hand about their rich cultural history, why building stronger relationships with indigenous tribes is a critical factor in creating pathways for Native Americans, and proper protocols to follow when working to create mutually beneficial relationships with indigenous communities.
While on campus, the Elders also attended a dinner with UNCW Chancellor Aswani Voleti, Provost Jamie Winebrake, WCE Interim Dean Carol McNulty, Chief Diversity Officer Donyell Roseboro, other campus and community college leaders and members of the UNCW/3C Advisory Council.
Denise Henning, who is Cherokee/Mississippi Choctaw, a professor of practice in WCE’s Department of Educational Leadership and director of the UNCW/3C Collaborative partnered with UNCW’s Office of Institutional Diversity & Inclusion to coordinate the Elders participation in the Challenging the Paradigm conference.
“This was a historic first for UNCW, and an important step towards building strong relationships and connection with the tribe on whose traditional territory we reside,” Henning said. “The Elders, most with a background in education and teaching, brought perspectives on their personal lived experiences growing up and going to school as Indigenous people. They also shared how important it is for the future as tribal people to have educational opportunities that recognize and respect their history here in North Carolina.”
Conference participants said the Elders talking circle was eye-opening and impactful.
“We took away so much more from this conference than we expected to,” said Maggie Brown, Vice President of Instruction and Student Support at Carteret Community College. “It was unique to have an opportunity to spend a long length of time with a population that’s minoritized. Hearing multiple voices – rather than a single conference speaker – gave us an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the rules and customs within this indigenous community. Minoritized populations exist in every community college geography and region in the state and we don’t reach them well. The UNCW/3C network is about action, and I believe the opportunity to learn first-hand from the Waccamaw Siouan Elders at this conference will help us to be more aware and more inclusive of members of their community as we move forward.”
Other conference highlights included presentations by Christopher English and O. H. Perry Pepper IV. Dr. English is President of Southeastern Community College and Mr. Pepper is Regional Academic Director for Pueblo Community College Southwest Campus in Durango, Colorado. The speakers each brought inspirational messages and stories about the importance of creating purposeful pathways for the educational journey of students and meeting them where they are on all levels.
Dr. Henning and Marilyn Sheerer, professor in WCE’s Department of Educational Leadership, planned and coordinated the UNCW/3C Challenging the Paradigm conference, in partnership with members of the UNCW/3C Council.
The UNCW/3C Collaborative is a university-community college partnership initiative created in 2019 to present new and innovative information and best practices with North Carolina’s community colleges. For more information on the UNCW/3C Collaborative, visit the UNCW/3C website.
This article has the following tags: Watson College of Education Engagement