April 26, 2023 — CSUCI's first Native American Student Retreat was held on Santa Rosa Island on Earth Day, April 22.
Native American students and allies bonded and reflected together during the retreat.
Senior Biology major Jamie Ferns organized the event with the help of Sal Ambriz, President's Chumash Advisory Council Member; Russ Bradley, Santa Rosa Island Research Station Director; Tiffany Elliot, Learning Community Coordinator; and Natalie Johnson, Coordinator of Underrepresented Student Initiatives. The partnership stretched from the grassroots student unity movement led by Ferns to the Office of the President to the research station.
“This historic moment in CSUCI's history shows how far we've come and what true partnership and inclusion looks like in modern academia,” Ferns said.
The advisory council, research station, Native/Indigenous American Faculty and Staff Association and Native/Indigenous American Student Association have more planned to harmonize ally-ship, conservation, Chumash inclusion, and science, technology, engineering and math.
Contact Ferns at jamie.ferns239@csuci.edu if you are interested in joining the student or staff organizations. Send an email to PCAC@csuci.edu for information on Chumash collaborations.