Native Americans Together Insuring Our Nations Sovereignty (N.A.T.I.O.N.S.) has been giving back and helping Native American students for its past 11 years on campus.

The main goal each year is to put together a scholarship for high school seniors, undergraduate and graduate students who participate in any Native American activities.

“The most rewarding part of this organization is that we work to give back to NIU,” said N.A.T.I.O.N.S. faculty adviser Rita Reynolds. “The unity of the people in N.A.T.I.O.N.S. makes my job well worth it.”

Each year, N.A.T.I.O.N.S conducts a pow wow on campus. The pow wow is planned throughout the year and includes Native American speakers, artists and dancers. The event is free to all participants, and is one of the largest events on campus to date.

Julie Cartum, the current vice president of N.A.T.I.O.N.S., has helped organize the pow wow for the past two years.

“The best part of the pow wow is the sense of community that it brings to campus,” Cartum said.

Reynolds said the organization has between 40 to 50 student members.

“I hope the involvement and participation in N.A.T.I.O.N.S. will increase the enrollment of Native American students. The pow wow gives many Native Americans a chance to visit NIU and I hope even more of them will see our campus with the conference here,” she said.

Each summer, N.A.T.I.O.N.S. holds a conference at NIU’s Lorado Taft campus in Oregon, Ill. This year the organization will be hosting the conference from March 28 to 30 for the first time in the Holmes Student Center.

“I’m very excited to bring this event to NIU,” she said. “So many people had to miss this opportunity due to the distance, but now it’s so available.”

The event will host such speakers as Paul Domain, the editor of the largest Native American magazine, Indian Country Today, John Anderson, former tribal President of the Ojibwas and NIU Provost Ivan Legg.

N.A.T.I.O.N.S. president Sam Bandy is excited about the opportunities students will have by the conference being at NIU.

“With the conference being in Oregon, so many people had to miss it,” he said. “But now, it’s so accessible and so convenient. Hopefully that way, more people will be able to enjoy the conference.”

The event is free for all students who sign up for at least six events. For all other spectators and visitors, the cost is $110 for entry to the conference.

For information, call 753-0722.