Harvard Native American Program: About

My name is Carmen Lopez (Ed.M. class of 2000) and it is my great honor to return to the HUNAP community as the Executive Director. On behalf of the Harvard University Native American Program (HUNAP), I extend a warm welcome to all!

While HUNAP has existed in various forms since its inception in 1970 as a program to train Native American leaders in the field of education, only recently has it been designated as one of Harvard's twelve Interfaculty Initiatives. Consistent with the Harvard University charter of 1650 calling for the "education of English and Indian youth," HUNAP has developed partnerships with established faculties at Harvard to build viable programs of research, teaching, and outreach on issues affecting the lives of indigenous peoples. While these scholarly activities are central to the mission of the program and of a great university, HUNAP maintains a strong emphasis on student support and development.

We invite you to browse the features of our program and share our excitement as Harvard University reinvigorates its commitment to American Indian issues, students, leaders, and nations.

Harvard University's founding Charter of 1650 pledges Harvard to "the education of English and Indian youth." With the designation of its vibrant Native American Program as one of the University's twelve Interfaculty Initiatives, Harvard now rededicates itself to its founding pledge. The Harvard University Native American Program brings together resources, faculty, and students from across the University in a shared commitment to research, teaching, and outreach, advancing the well-being of indigenous peoples through self-determination, academic achievement, and community service.

With its designation as an Interfaculty Initiative, HUNAP has rapidly set about expanding its activities. Generous financial support from the University, committed individuals, and concerned non-profit foundations has enabled HUNAP to build key institutional infrastructure that is needed to move Native American issues into the teaching, research, outreach, and student recruiting that are at the core of an excellent university. From its new and firm institutional base, HUNAP is now investing in a wide array of areas. These include the following:

Scholars Program: The HUNAP Scholars Program provides fellowship support for Pre-Doctoral Fellows, and a visiting Senior Fellow. With dedicated office and meeting space, the pre-doctoral "1665 Fellows" (named after the graduation date of Harvard's first Native student Caleb Cheeshahteaumuck, 1665) have the opportunity to discuss their research in a collegial atmosphere, and to participate in a weekly seminar chaired by the Senior Fellow.

Student Enrichment: Student support continues to be a major function of HUNAP. To enhance the academic experience and to ensure the success of Native American students, we aim to create a supportive environment by offering educational, social and cultural programs. HUNAP provides a Student Office and Library; we gather as a community for dinners, town meetings, and social events; we host the Annual HUNAP Pow Wow and invite elders from our home communities to visit with us.
Through the office of the Assistant Director for Student Development and Recruitment, HUNAP collaborates with Harvard's various recruitment and admissions offices to increase the number of Native Americans applying to and enrolling at the University.

Teaching and Curriculum: HUNAP supports three courses focused on Native American issues: Nation Building I and II; and the 1665 Graduate Research Seminar. These courses draw on the expertise of members of the HUNAP Faculty Advisory Board, as well as the Visiting Senior Fellow.

Outreach: HUNAP supports a growing number of outreach efforts that address vital needs of Native American and First Nations communities. The Nation Building II course enables students from all parts of the University to engage in field-based research on problems identified by tribes and other Native organizations – with resulting projects contributing directly to the requesting organizations' decision-making capacities.
Through Honoring Contributions in the Governance of American Indian Nations, a nationally prominent program of HUNAP's Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development, tribal organizations are recognized for innovative and exemplary contributions to Indian Country. The Harvard Project plays the critical role of researching and disseminating lessons drawn from Honoring Nations honorees.

Research: HUNAP continues to expand its research efforts, reaching across issues and across the University to contribute research of use to scholars, educators, policy makers, and Native leaders. Examples of current research efforts being conducted under the auspices of HUNAP include the widely utilized work of the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development, which consistently finds that the effective exercise of sovereignty, combined with capable and culturally-grounded institutions of self-government, are indispensable keys to successful, long-term development of Native communities.

Executive Education: Native leaders, decision makers, educators, and managers have largely been ignored by the wide array of executive education programs available from universities throughout North America. With HUNAP's integrating focus on nation building, the Program is uniquely situated – and in much demand – as a provider of high quality executive education for Indian Country. HUNAP has already developed and provided programs on matters ranging from dispute resolution and constitutional reform to health policy and business development.