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. 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. 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. 

Objectives

• 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.

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 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

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

Events

Lewis & Clark Native American Alumni Association Reception at Alumni Weekend
Come enjoy refreshments, hear from the LCNAA leadership, and meet others in the community. All are welcome. June 27, 3-4 p.m.

Alumni of Color Reception at Alumni Weekend, June 28, 2025.

Find all of the Alumni and Parent Engagement events here.

News

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.