UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Indigenous Peoples' Student Association at Penn State, as well as several University units, are holding events in honor of National Native American Heritage Month, commemorated during the month of November. Native American Heritage Month, also known as American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month, celebrates the rich and diverse cultures, traditions and histories of Native people and recognizes the significant contributions of the first Americans.
Penn State is committed to building a community of belonging for all. Events and programs are open to all regardless of sex, gender, sexual orientation, race or any other protected class.
Penn State as an institution officially recognizes Indigenous history and Native American heritage through its acknowledgement of land: The Pennsylvania State University campuses are located on the original homelands of the Erie, Haudenosaunee (Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, Mohawk, and Tuscarora), Lenape (Delaware Nation, Delaware Tribe, Stockbridge-Munsee), Monongahela, Shawnee (Absentee, Eastern, and Oklahoma), Susquehannock, and Wahzhazhe (Osage) Nations. As a land grant institution, we acknowledge and honor the traditional caretakers of these lands and strive to understand and model their responsible stewardship. We also acknowledge the longer history of these lands and our place in that history.
The Penn State Indigenous Peoples' Student Association and the Indigenous Faculty and Staff Alliance are communities of Indigenous students, allies, faculty and staff at Penn State, dedicated to promoting the academic success of Indigenous students on campus through the advancement of Indigenous awareness, recruitment, retention and social activities.