Lewis & Clark Native Alumni Association

Mission

The Lewis & Clark Native Alumni Association (LCNAA) is a community of Lewis & Clark alumni who self-identify as Native American and Indigenous. We also welcome alumni that are allies who seek to serve and support Indian Country.

Help found the Native Alumni Association Scholarship Endowment:

The NAA is raising funds to create an endowed scholarship for undergraduate students with financial need, with a preference for students who have a demonstrated interest in Native American history, culture, or communities. This scholarship will provide a permanent source of support for Native students, a group that is underrepresented on campus.

Lewis & Clark President Robin Holmes-Sullivan has generously offered to match the funds we raise, which gives us an incredible opportunity to make a difference. Our goal is to raise $25,000 by the end of the calendar year to ensure we can meet this match and get this fund started.

You can click here to read a special message about the scholarship from NAA Co-Chair Karen Graves Pyrch ’86.

Learn More and Give to the NAA Scholarship Endowment

Membership

In order to cultivate a strong community, the LCNAA welcomes alumni from Lewis & Clark College, the Northwestern School of Law and the Graduate School of Education. The LCNAA seeks to create a supportive environment for current and former students and to serve as a resource to the Native Student Union (NSU), Native American Law Student Association (NALSA) and other Native students on campus.

Objectives

We aim to create a robust network of Native alumni and allies that embodies Lewis & Clark’s cornerstones of excellence, equity, community, and service. We aspire to:

• Collaborate with the NSU to support the academic and life success of Native students at Lewis & Clark.
• Support the success of Native alumni in their careers, community and global experiences.
• Encourage the engagement of Native alumni in the Lewis & Clark community.
• Support Lewis & Clark in honoring and uplifting Native voices and people.
• Serve as a resource to the College to address issues that may impact the interests and concerns of Native students.
• Serve as a resource to facilitate networking for current Native students and alumni.
• Support NSU in the development of events.

We encourage and welcome all alumni and students of Lewis & Clark to join our community. 

Meetings and Events

• Quarterly Zoom based Alumni meetings.
• Support coordination of annual events:
  
  • New Student welcome to Native Students (September)
  • NSU’s Native American Heritage Month (November)
  • Spring Networking with Alumni event (January-May)
  • Native Graduation/Honor Day (May) 

You can email the Lewis & Clark Native Alumni Association at LCNativealumni@lclark.edu.

Please let us know how you would like to be involved by filling out the LCNAA Interest Form here.

Learn more about the Native American Advisory Committee
The Lewis & Clark Native American Advisory Committee is tasked with advising President Holmes-Sullivan on Native/Indigenous matters.

Learn more about the Native Student Union (NSU) or email them at nsu@lclark.edu. You can follow the NSU on Instagram @lc_nsu.

Learn more about the Lewis & Clark Native American Law Students Association here or email them at nalsa@lclark.edu.

Meet Native Members of the Lewis & Clark Community

Meet former Board of Alumni member Mary Bodine-Watts CAS ’09, L ’13, Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs

Meet Board of Alumni member Alyce Sadongei ’81, Kiowa/Tohono O’odham

Meet the 2024 Rena Ratte Award winner- Azucena Morales Santos ’24

Meet an alumnus- David Harrelson ’07, Grand Ronde 

LCNAA Dinner at Homecoming and Family Weekend 2024. See more pictures from the weekend here. 

Events

Save the Date for Homecoming and Family Weekend, October 23-26, 2025
Event details to follow.

Find all of the Alumni and Parent Engagement events here.

News

L&C is deeply honored to have Dr. Luhui Whitebear As the 2025-26 Native Artist/Scholar in Residence at Lewis & Clark

As the 2025-26 Native Artist/Scholar in Residence at Lewis & Clark, Dr. Luhui Whitebear (Coastal Band of the Chumash Nation) will engage in a series of lectures, workshops and events for faculty, students and the campus community throughout the academic year.

Scholarship Inspires Student to “Fan the Flames of Tribal Sovereignty”

Lewis & Clark Law student Vincent Montanic Sheoships ’27 received the 2024 Nelson D. Terry Scholarship. The Scholarship, funded by the Quinault Indian Allottees Association, supports law students who are either Quinault Allottees, or are regional and national applicants with a connection to Quinault culture and heritage.

Community Builder Azucena Lizbeth Morales Santos BA ’24 Wins College’s Highest Honor

Azucena Morales Santos BA ’24, who double-majored in Hispanic studies and sociology/anthropology, received this spring’s Rena J. Ratte Award.

Additional pictures of the 2024 Native Graduation are below and here. 

 

 

Make a Gift to the Native Alumni Association Scholarship