Mt. SAC Hosts Native Graduation

May 21, 2025 - 02:04 PM

Indigenous students who are graduating, transferring or completing certificates will be honored and celebrated Saturday during Native Graduation hosted by the First Peoples Native Center.

This year, 27 students are participating, more than double from last year, according to First Peoples Native Center Director Dr. Primavera Reza-Nakonechny.

She attributed the growth to institutional support, increased awareness of the FPNC, and improved relationships with local tribes. Reza-Nakonechny said many students are referred to Mt. SAC and choose to attend because of the FPNC and the support it offers.  

“More students are coming forward to be in community and are embraced at the center with acceptance and love. They have a place here,” she said. “We are doing great work and we are going to continue.”

The celebration, in keeping with cultural traditions, will open with a sage blessing by Mt. SAC Anthropology Professor Dr. Frances Borella, who is also a tribal elder in the community. “Sage in the Native American Indigenous community is healing and has powerful meaning behind it,” Reza-Nakonechny said.  “The sage was gathered at Dr. Borella’s farm in Riverside and our NAISA (Native American Inter-Tribal Student Alliance) students bundled it.”

The blessing will be followed by a community dance performance by a danza Azteca group.

Graduating students will each be blanketed, symbolizing being wrapped in community in recognition of their accomplishments. Each blanket features a pattern and colors special to the Native American artist who designed it, Reza-Nakonechny explained.  

Through the efforts of Native students, faculty, and administrators, the FPNC was created in order to raise awareness of the contributions and continued presence of Native American and Indigenous peoples of the region. The FPNC works to serve our diverse Native and Indigenous student populations by preparing them to become lifelong learners, providing access to support services to increase retention and successful transition rates, creating traditional and culturally relevant programming, and guide students to career paths that will enable them to enrich their lives and the lives of their communities.