Indigenous Elder in Residence Program

The HRC's new Indigenous Elder-in-Residence Program, launching in Spring 2026 as part of our "On Native Ground" initiative, will bring nationally-renowned Indigenous elders to campus each spring semester to foster cultural, academic, social, and spiritual support for our students and broader campus community. Complementing our fall Karenne Wood Native Writer/Artist-in- Residence program, the week-long residency will center Indigenous knowledge and life experiences through meetings with students, faculty, and staff, classroom visits, and a concluding public event moderated by a Virginia Native community member. The program creates vital connections between VCU and Indigenous communities locally and nationally, offering mentorship opportunities for students—particularly through collaboration with our Native Student organization—while facilitating important conversations about Indigenous traditions, language revitalization, health and wellbeing, and the ongoing impacts of colonization. By creating a space where youth, adults, and elders can learn from and with one another, this initiative expands traditional boundaries of learning and strengthens our commitment to building meaningful relationships with Indigenous communities as VCU continues to expand curricular, research, and community-engaged Indigenous work.