Dear UNT family,

I invite you to join UNT's Native American Student Association for the third annual Indigenous Peoples' Day celebration from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12, on the Union South Lawn. The event will include interactive educational displays, performances, food, prizes, and lots of opportunities to meet our Native American community.

We began this annual UNT holiday in 2019 to celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day. The day of the celebration, which honors the shared history and culture of Native Americans and indigenous peoples, is UNT's holiday.

Native American peoples have been a part of our university since its founding. Our second class in the fall of 1890 was made up of 131 students, including 28 Muscogee Creek students from the Indian Territory we now know as Oklahoma. Those students' presence was critical in achieving sufficient enrollment to continue offering classes. This fall, Native American students make up just over 1% of our student body and the UNT Native American Student Association includes students from more than 20 tribal nations since 2017.

Celebrating with our Native American students strengthens our commitment to support students from all backgrounds. Please join me in acknowledging the roots and histories of our Native American students, faculty, and staff, and in making UNT a more welcoming place for students from all cultures.

UNT Proud,

Neal Smatresk

President

@UNTPrez