Events and Highlights

Native American Outreach staff partner with a variety of campus offices and student clubs to support educational events and cultural celebrations throughout the year.

Annual Native American Outreach Events

These events take place annually at Whitman College. In addition, representatives of the college's Native American Outreach office participate in regional community events such as powwows, parades, and tribal celebrations.

May 5: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Day
June 9: CTUIR Treaty Day
Third Week of August: Šináata Scholars Celebration
New Student Orientation: Home in Pášx̣apa
Fall Whitman Reunion Weekend: Annual Native Alumni Event
Sept. 30: National Day of Remembrance for Indian Boarding Schools Victims and Survivors
Second Monday in October: Indigenous Peoples’ Day
November: Native American Heritage Month
November (exact date TBD): Salmon Film Festival
November 15: Rock Your Mocs Day
December 20: Native American New Year
May: Pášx̣apa Powwow

2023–2024 Native American Outreach Highlights

Indigenous Peoples' Day: In 2023, activities include educational programming for the campus community and a potluck hosted by the Indigenous Peoples Education and Culture Club.
Native American Heritage Month. In 2023, events included a performance of “According to Coyote,” a one-person play with Kellen Trenal Lewis (Nez Perce, “Reservation Dogs” actor).
November 18, 2023 was the inaugural Pášx̣apa Powwow. Led by elders from CTUIR, over 300 people attended this event in Sherwood Athletic Center.
April 12 & 13, 2024 was the inaugural Salmon Film Festival, with a combination of film screenings, tribal speakers, cultural performances, traditional salmon bake, and ceremonies.

Native American Outreach Highlights

2022-2023

In April 2022, local tribal members set up a Southern Plateau Long Tent in the center of the Whitman College campus, creating numerous educational opportunities for the Whitman community and general public.
The Šináata Scholarship was established in 2022, with the first two recipients joining the Whitman Class of 2026.
Amber Ebarb (Gin Du Tlaa) ’03 gave the 2023 Commencement address. Ebarb is an enrolled citizen of the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska.
The first ever Native Alumni Meet & Greet Event was held on campus with 2023 Commencement speaker Amber Ebarb, Šináata Scholarship students and families, and Whitman Native Alumni.
The Whitman faculty approved significant revisions to the Race and Ethnic Studies major, including renaming it Indigeneity, Race & Ethnic Studies (IRES).
The student-run Indigenous People’s Education and Culture Club (IPECC) is quite active, working closely with college administrators to create campus space and support for Native students.
Libby Miller’s work leading Whitman’s effort around the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act was highlighted in the Whitman Magazine.