MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

We would like to take the opportunity to welcome you to the National Institute for Native Leadership in Higher Education website.

I believe that education is essential for Native Peoples' survival; but education has also been used in an attempt to destroy our cultures, and therefore we must create an educational system that provides Native Peoples with the tools necessary for our communities to thrive in today's world while maintaining our traditional community values. To this end, NINLHE works with higher education professionals to create an atmosphere and opportunities on college and university campuses nationwide and in Canada that will encourage Native American students to thrive in their cultural and academic pursuits.

We know from past experience that many, if not most, higher education professionals who work directly with Native American students do not come from backgrounds with general student services training; nor do training programs currently exist in higher education that deals with issues specifically related to Native student services. NINLHE was created to help fill that void and to provide Native-specific training and support for higher education personnel who work with Native students. NINLHE seeks nothing less than to change institutions of higher learning in the United States and Canada into places that are supportive of Native student needs, values, cultures, and dreams.

We hope you will find what we offer, exciting and useful, and we look forward to having you join us in the near future for a NINLHE-sponsored activity.

Warm Regards,

Michael Hanitchak
Governing Council Chair
Director, Native American Program
Dartmouth College