A research analyst with the Hopi Tribe, Clifford Qotsaquahu, called the Tribal Leadership Education Summit valuable because he learned about initiatives other tribes have launched for economic development. He said as revenue streams and economic trends change, tribal councils can learn from one another to strengthen their economies.<\/p>\n Challenges in education were also discussed, including\u00a0preparing Native American students for college, increasing cultural sensitivity among new teachers and providing adequate housing for educators.<\/p>\n Serving Native American students and their communities is written into NAU\u2019s strategic goals.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re fortunate to have an extremely diverse student population and campus environment which fosters a culture of respect and acceptance,\u201d said NAU President Rita Cheng<\/strong>. \u201cThis atmosphere provides the opportunity to thrive and explore the importance of learning from one another.\u201d<\/p>\n More than 1,300 Native American students are enrolled at NAU, representing 120 tribes. Supporting\u00a0higher education\u00a0for additional Native American students in the future is expected to\u00a0benefit tribal communities and society as a whole.<\/p>\n The university has numerous collaborative service and outreach programs with Native American tribes.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s very important to go out to these Native American communities and develop collaborations and have it be more of a two-way street,\u201d said Chad Hamill<\/strong>, NAU\u2019s special assistant on Native American Affairs. \u201cThe typical model is that educational institutions will make recommendations to tribes about what is best for them. We are doing it in reverse\u2014we are asking tribes what their needs are and seeing how we can help, where we fit into that picture,\u201d Hamill said.<\/p>\n Some tribal leaders\u00a0said they look forward to future information-sharing sessions at NAU, where people can come together, learn from one another and improve their communities through education and economic development.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\"Tribal](\"http:\/\/stage.headlessnauedu-b6hgdzckfdgxgzhe.westus-01.azurewebsites.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Tribal-Leadership-Summit-Hopi.jpg\")
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