University plans special event for Native American students.

Byline: Mark Brown The Register-Guard

CORRECTIONS(Ran Feb. 29, 2008):Thomas Ball is an assistant vice provost in the Institutional Equity and Diversity department at the University of Oregon. His title was incorrect in a story on Page C1 Wednesday.

Native American students interested in attending the University of Oregon will have a day of their own to explore educational opportunities on campus.

Oregon Native Education Day, open to all Native American community members and students of any age, takes place Thursday at the university's Many Nations Longhouse to help guide participants in goal-setting and education planning with an emphasis on Native American values.

The free, one-day event "specifically focuses on bringing one of the smallest represented ethnic groups to campus to provide them with an opportunity to get acquainted with the university setting in a way they might not be able to achieve through their schools," said Aaron Reyna, a university senior and member of the Native American Student Union.

"I think it also helps to make connections so that when (Native American students) transition to campus, they already have a support system in place."

Native and non-native faculty and community members will lead workshops on admissions, financial aid and career exploration and also provide information about Northwest Indian languages and cultural history.

A panel from the Native American Student Union will answer attendees' questions.

Faculty will introduce prospective students to some of the Native American programs on campus, including the Northwest Indian Language Institute and the Sapsik'wala Project, a master's degree scholarship program in the university's College of Education.

In partnership with the nine federally recognized tribes of Oregon, the Sapsik'wala Project works to train teaching students to provide top-notch educations to Native American youth.

Although the number of Native American students enrolled at the university has been edging up in recent years, from 185 in 2005 to 197 in 2007, the group is still one of the smallest minorities on campus.

Thomas Ball, a Klamath Tribe member and the university's senior vice president, said many Native American students come to the university from small rural schools, charter schools and the Chemewa Indian School in Salem. Students at those schools are surrounded by other Native Americans, Ball said, and arriving at the university can lead to homesickness and culture shock.

For Frank Summers, a Klamath Tribe member who recently graduated with a master's degree from the university and now works on campus as an admissions counselor, the education day, which is sponsored by the office of admissions, is an important first step in attracting native students to UO.

"There is a challenge for us to recruit Native American students to come to the university and give them the support they need to stay in school after they enroll," Summers said. "There are high dropout rates among native students, so we are always trying to find ways to give them the support they need."

The university has made a commitment to work with the federally recognized tribes in Oregon, Summers said, and to help students from those tribes attain quality educations.

The education day is meant to "inspire them and tell them it's a great chance to come to campus and to become passionate about college," Summers said.

"For students who might be struggling a little in high school, it might be the tipping point to pursue college in general, or at least a better life."

NATIVE EDUCATION DAY

Native American students can explore educational opportunities at the University of Oregon.

When: Thursday, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Where: The Many Nations Longhouse, 1630 Columbia St.

More resources: Native American Student Union, 346-3723