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Welcome
Northern Arizona University (NAU) seeks to become the premier institution dedicated to serving Native American and Indigenous Peoples. In pursuit of this transformative mission, the Office of Native American and Indigenous Advancement (ONAIA) was established to implement holistic and systemic change.
ONAIA advances Native American & Indigenous self-determination by:
- Fostering a culture that supports Native American and Indigenous students, staff, and faculty
- Building respectful, reciprocal partnerships with Native American Nations and Indigenous communities
- Collaborating closely with Tribal colleges/universities
- Creating pathways that connect Indigenous-serving institutions around the world
ONAIA helps to ensure that Indigenous Knowledges, leadership, and ways of being are woven into the fabric of NAU. Through this work, ONAIA affirms their role as partners in Native American and Indigenous empowerment—locally, nationally, and globally.
ONAIA Programs
The Office of Native American and Indigenous Advancement (ONAIA) houses different programs and strong partnerships that strive to support NAU’s goal to become the leading university serving Native Americans.
Center for Native American and Indigenous Futures (CNAIF) Accordion Closed
The Center for Native American and Indigenous Futures (CNAIF) at Northern Arizona University is a state-of-the-art facility that serves as the central hub for Native American and Indigenous initiatives across campus. CNAIF provides a welcoming environment for students, faculty, staff, Arizona tribes, and local organizations, offering resources that foster academic and personal success. Through its Elders Program, the Center honors diverse Tribal and Indigenous traditions by providing mentorship, cultural teachings, and programming that strengthen community engagement. CNAIF also offers reservable event and meeting spaces for approved activities.
Additional information about CNAIF programs, services, and room reservations is available on the CNAIF website.
NAU Tribal Consultation Accordion Closed
NAU’s Tribal Consultation guides the NAU campus community in Arizona’s Tribal Consultation processes and providing training in respectful engagement with Tribal Nations.
Northern Arizona University respects and acknowledges the culture, traditions, beliefs, governance processes, tribal laws, codes, regulations, and protocols of the sovereign tribes and is committed to fulfilling this important obligation. This commitment is upheld in Arizona Board of Regents (“ABOR”) Policy 1-118, which requires good faith consultation with federally recognized Native American tribes regarding proposed research, initiatives, agreements, programs, policies, or other activities that may have foreseeable implications for tribes or their individual members. The ONAIA VP is NAUs Tribal Liaison, and is responsible for ensuring compliance with the Tribal Consultation policy.
For more information, visit the NAU Tribal Consolation webpage.
Seven Generations Indigenous Knowledge Center (7Gen Center) Accordion Closed
The Seven Generations Indigenous Knowledge Center (7Gen Center) strengthens Northern Arizona University’s status as a national leader in integrating Indigenous Knowledges into higher education. The 7Gen Center enriches NAU’s academic community by collaborating with Indigenous Knowledge Holders, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Indigenous artists, and leaders to braid Indigenous and Western ways of knowing through land-based, experiential learning, while serving as a local hub for Indigenized research, pedagogy, and cultural knowledge promotion. Visit the 7Gen Center website to learn more.
Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) Accordion Closed
ITEP strengthens Tribal capacity and sovereignty in environmental and natural resource management through culturally relevant education, research, partnerships and policy-based services. ITEP has served over 95% of all 574 Tribal Nations for 30+ years, ITEP leads internationally in Indigenous environmental training and capacity-building. Visit the ITEP website to learn more.
Institute for Native Serving Educators (INE) Accordion Closed
INE partners with Native Nations, Indigenous-serving schools, and nearby public districts to strengthen education across Indian Country. We design customized professional development based on each community’s goals, guided by research and best practices in culturally responsive education. Visit INE’s website to learn more.
Native American Advisory Board (NAAB) Accordion Closed
In 1994, the Arizona Board of Regents created the Native American Advisory Board (NAAB) to advise the NAU President on Native American issues, enhance the visibility and standing of ongoing programs and serve as a catalyst and coordinating body for new initiatives that relate to Native Americans and Indigenous Peoples.
Native American and Indigenous Alumni Chapter (NAIAC) Accordion Closed
NAIAC connects alumni to the nationwide Lumberjack network through social and professional events, fostering lifelong connections and ongoing engagement with NAU. It empowers members to lead, mentor, and give back.
Honoring Roots
Supporting and Encouraging Indigenous Students
The Office of Native American and Indigenous Advancement in conjunction with NAU Marketing, worked together to create logos and graphics that represent ONAIAs Core Values of Relationships, Responsibility, Respect, and Resilience. These logos and graphics are a collective representation of values that are upheld within many different Indigenous communities.
- The Relationships graphic was inspired by the staple imagery of the four cardinal directions that are considered sacred in Native American cultures. The feathers represent the trust, honor, wisdom, and strength that is necessary in establishing and cultivating relationships.
- The Responsibility value is a sun that illustrates responsibility by showing the effect that it has by reaching out with its rays. It also signifies the beginning of a new day as it rises from the east. Both of these express dependability and accountability which are essential parts of responsibility.
- The Respect value is represented by a water graphic that uses a droplet shape often utilized in Native American jewelry and other inspired circular designs. Water is used here to visually express the importance of respect and the value of community approval and honor.
- The Resilience value is represented as a corn stalk that is found in many Native American images. Corn is a resilient crop which ties directly to the concept of resilience. It also symbolizes the growth students experience through support in their education.
