2013 Stanford Native Graduation Ceremony | Saturday June 15th, 2013
Ours is a history of working to improve the quality of life for American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and Indigenous Pacific Islanders. Our community reaches out to new students and their families to help them adjust to life at Stanford—to help them realize goals and prepare for the future.
Our roots at Stanford date back earlier than the institution itself. Built on land originally inhabited by the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe, Stanford University opened its doors in 1891. Three years later, John Milton Oskison was the first Native American to graduate from Stanford. Fueled by the spirit of social and political change during the 1960s, a group of Native students worked with the university administration to increase educational opportunities for Natives at Stanford. Since then, our numbers have increased, and students have continued to take an active role in increasing opportunities for our community at Stanford. Today, there are more than 325 undergraduate and graduate students representing more than 50 tribes studying at Stanford.
Ours is a community of similarities and differences. Over the years, the Native American community at Stanford has brought together people from a wide range of affiliations and hundred different tribal backgrounds—all with different talents and experiences. Once here, students explore different interests, become involved in a range of activities and participate in the community in many important ways. In our diversity we find strength as each individual brings a new gift, talent or perspective to the group. Though we may be very different in terms of background, viewpoint or level of involvement, each of us make up a part of the whole that is our community.
We invite you to join with us—students, staff, faculty, alumni, families and friends—and share your unique abilities as we strive to make a difference throughout Native America.
