Southeastern hosts program for Native American students
Press Release Date: 07-16-2009
Southeastern professor David Barnes presents a program to students.
DURANT, Okla. – Southeastern Oklahoma State University hosted 37 Native American high school students and five tribal sponsors July 1 on the Durant campus.
The students are from public schools within the Choctaw and Muskogee Creek Nations and each student is active in the Johnson O'Malley (JOM) programs at their respective schools and tribes. JOM is a program operated through the local tribe and within the public schools. It assists all Native American students by providing school supplies, tutoring, educational field trips and personal development.
Chris Wesberry, SE's Academic Advisor/Director, Academic Advising and Outreach Center/ Native American Excellence in Education, was in charge of the program.
The event featured lunch in the cafeteria, followed by welcoming comments and information from Tim Boatmun, Elizabeth Stidham and Wesberry.
There was a campus tour and an Educational Experience with David Barnes, Associate Professor/Fine Arts.
For many of these students, this was their first time on our campus. They were more than willing to step up and take part in the crazy things at the beginning of the day, and they also paid attention and participated beyond expectations in the class room at the end of the day. Any time Southeastern has the opportunity to showcase its campus and get key people in front of the students, it greatly increases the chances of getting them here as college students.
Wesberry said, "It was a great opportunity for SE and we want to thank Rebecca Clapp and Becky Noah of the Choctaw Nation and Virginia Thomas of the Muskogee Creek Nation for allowing their students to spend time on the Southeastern campus."