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Mission Statement
The Native UW Tacoma Scholars program uses a cohort-model to support incoming first year and transfer students as they start their time at UWT. The program is focused on community building, cultural connection, and academic support.
Native UW Scholars Program (NUW Scholars)
Make life long connections with other Native and Indigenous students
The Native University of Washington (NUW) Scholars is a cohort-based bridge program for incoming transfer and first year Native students to the University of Washington to help foster a community of Indigenous Huskies.
Core Elements:
- Hosts weeklong orientation with presentations, workshops, community building, and field trips
- Creates peer mentoring opportunities for Native students
- Offers year-long (credit optional), weekly gathering space for students to build community throughout the year
- Sets students up for success as they navigate their first year at UW
Funding Supports:
- Food for meetings
- Housing during orientation week
- Speaker honorarium
- Transportation and travel expenses
Email your questions to:
seccle@uw.edu
|
devongnw@uw.edu
YEAR-LONG PROGRAMMING
September 14th-18th
Native UW Tacoma offers the Summer Bridge Program. This is a week-long introduction to the UWT community in which incoming Native freshman and transfer students will meet everyday from 10 AM through 4 PM for a variety of academic and cultural activities including campus tours, library tutorials, weaving workshops and more.
Participants will receive $1000 at the end of the week for their participation.
Email your questions to:
Co-curated by Dr. Danica Sterud Miller (UW Tacoma, American Indian Studies, Puyallup Tribe) and Todd Clark (Washington State Historical Society tribal liaison), with contributions from over 100 Native people representing more than 60 Tribes, guided by a Native Advisory Committee of elders. "This Is Native Land" is a permanent exhibition at the Washington State History Museum in Tacoma (1911 Pacific Avenue), which opened October 18th, 2025 after four years of development.
This exhibit tells Washington State's history through the lived experiences and voices of Native people, centering Tribal sovereignty and the message that Indigenous peoples are still here, have persevered, and will always be here. One highlight is a mural by Puyallup artist Anthony Duenas honoring Fishing Wars participants. The fight for treaty rights in Puget Sound, from the 1974 Boldt Decision to the 1990 Puyallup Land Claims Settlement are exhibited, while also focusing on Native present and future.
Cultural Paint and Sip is offered as a routine program throughout the year, bringing students together for an evening of tea, storytelling, art, and optional tutorial instruction. Each session invites students to slow down, connect with peers, and engage with Native art forms and traditions in a relaxed, welcoming setting. Past sessions have featured formline art and demonstrations of Indigenous plant medicine, offering students the chance to learn directly from cultural knowledge holders. Paint and Sip is a space for creativity, connection, and cultural learning within the Native UW Scholars community.
CAIIS is a premier research center for teaching, research, and service in the field of American Indian and Indigenous Studies at the University of Washington.
With funding from the Mellon Foundation, CAIIS offers several programs to support the recruitment, retention, and success of Native and Indigenous students, staff and faculty. These programs build community in both culturally relevant and intellectually powerful ways to meet the unique challenges for success at UW.
There are several funding opportunities throughout the year to support research, teaching, and career development for UW faculty, staff, and students. Commonly supported opportunities include: travel, conference registration, equipment, and publication costs
