Native American Heritage Month
What a year it has been since our previous highlight on USC’s Native American Student Assembly (NASA)! Here, at USC, we work hard to make sure our students can find communities and have safe spaces for them to be themselves. Open to all at USC, NASA provides an intimate space for students to authentically be themselves and to be supported in their endeavors. They are supported by USC staff and faculty like me: Dylan Goodwill (Diné, Hunkpapa Lakota & Sisseton Wahpeton Dakota).
In 2022, NASA fully moved into our first ever lounge in the Student Union. Today, you can find the Native American and Pasifika Student Lounge (NAPL) alongside other cultural centers like La CASA, the Center for Black Cultural and Student Affairs (CBSCA), and more in the Student Union. The lounge has become a home away from home and a place where students host events, talk with supportive staff members, study, or just relax!
Our NASA student leaders work hard to create events and spaces for students to be heard at USC. NASA meets every two weeks and hosts amazing events. Currently, they are actively coordinating a Kickoff event with the university to celebrate Native American Heritage Month set for November 14th, 2025. Our banner, which is at the top of this blog, is on digital display throughout the university. It is the artwork made by our most recent NASA alum, Cat Boderick ‘25 (Seneca & Cayuga).
In addition to this upcoming celebration, USC has done a lot to celebrate the school’s rich culture since 2022. USC dedicated one of its most landmark buildings to Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow, the first Native American USC graduate. NASA students were heavily involved in the building dedication, and it was a beautiful sight to see so many from across the university come to support this important milestone. It was a monumental moment to see so many Native Trojans in their traditional regalia during the dedication ceremony, and to hear Crow honor songs echo across campus as the banner fell to reveal the new building name, the Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow Center for International and Public Affairs.
Overall, NASA hopes to gain more students so they can continue to grow and thrive. We are very excited for what the future may hold! Know anyone that wants to get involved? Let them know about NASA at USC!
To receive further information on upcoming events, be sure to follow the Native American Student Assembly on all social media platforms (@uscnasa).
Written by: Dylan Goodwill, Senior Assistant Director & NASA Advisor – Office of Undergraduate Admission