University of Nebraska at Omaha
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Native American Studies Honoring Ceremony
Thursday, May 3, 2012, 7 PM
Milo Bail Student Center Ballroom
Each semester, the Native American Studies program honors graduates who complete their graduate or undergraduate curricula with a minor in our program. In true Native American spirit, each graduate is honored both in terms of his/her personal character and academic accomplishment. Each graduate also receives NAS ribbons to wear with his/her graduation gown at commencement.
Honorees are encouraged to bring family members and friends to the honoring ceremony at which food is always offered to all our guests. The ceremony opens and closes with a traditional native drum song. The following students, and the colleges from which they are completing their studies, are all graduating this semester.
The Native American Studies Program also honors someone from the community whose support and assistance is are valuable to all participants. This semester the community honoree will be Cassie Rhoads Carroll.
Name |
College of Graduation |
| Stephani Bennett | Arts and Sciences |
| Molly Brady | Community Affairs |
| Jamie Cooley | Arts and Sciences |
| Jessica Hill | Communication, Media, Fine Arts |
| Laura Hughes | Arts and Sciences |
| Anastasia Jackson | Education, Health |
| Shayna Leighton | Community Affairs |
| Alexandra Liekhus | Arts and Sciences |
| Shirley Nitsch | Community Affairs |
| Jason Sautter | Arts and Sciences |
| Katie Spellman | Arts and Sciences |
| Andrew Vuorela | Community Affairs |
| Charlene Wells | Education |
| Jared Westbrook | Community Affairs |
Killer Whale Drum – The drum is a central element in Native American culture. Its circular shape represents earth and life; the animal skin stretched over the frame provides the spirit of the animal; the beat of the drum connects the human spirit to that of earth as well as to the Great Spirit. The image on the drum pictured on this page is that of the Killer Whale, made by Sean Whonnock of the Kwakwaka’wakw Nation on the Northwest Coast of North America.