Indigenous Pathways

Summer Program for Native High School Students

Sunday, June 22 – Thursday, June 26, 2025

The Indigenous Pathways Program is a chance for Native High School Students to experience and learn more about the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

The program serves as a starting point for students entering grades 10 through 12 in the Fall of 2025 to explore what university life and studies have to offer. Students from any federally recognized Native nation may apply.

Experience Life on a College Campus

This program is designed to enhance the college-going experience by familiarizing students with campus life, introducing different fields of study, and providing insights into the application and admissions process.

Students will gain valuable insights into the college experience, including what to expect and how to navigate their new environment. Activities will include living in a residence hall, exploring cultural and resource centers, and building meaningful communities and networks.

During the program, students will stay overnight on campus in a university residence hall with a University of Illinois student staff member on site. Housing and accommodations costs are covered by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Travel to Urbana-Champaign

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is readily accessible by car, plane, train, or bus. Participants in the Indigenous Pathways program can be reimbursed up to $500 in travel expenses incurred for attendance.

Expenses will be reimbursed after attending the program and require copies of receipts to be submitted along with basic personal information. Acceptable travel expenses include transportation services (airfare, train ticket, bus ticket, mileage, taxi/rideshare), lodging, and meals.

Expenses must incur while in route to or from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign for the Indigenous Pathways program. Reimbursements are sent via USPS mail and usually arrive 3-4 weeks after all relevant information has been provided.

About the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign sits on the traditional lands of the Peoria, Kaskaskia, Piankashaw, Wea, Miami, Mascoutin, Odawa, Sauk, Mesquaki, Kickapoo, Potawatomi, Ojibwe, and Chickasaw Nations and was founded in 1867 under the first Morrill Land-Grant Act. Since that time, the University of Illinois has grown into a world-class research institution and contains 16 schools and colleges and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 100 graduate and professional programs. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign offers scholarships for members of the Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma, connected historically with the state of Illinois, as well as students who are not residents of the state of Illinois and are members of any of the Tribal Nations federally recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Questions?

Please contact Native Affairs Program Coordinator Jenna Wombles for assistance with the registration process at jwombles@illinois.edu or 217-300-9580. Print registration forms can be mailed to the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, 614 E. Daniel Street, Suite 303, Champaign, IL 61820.

Summer Program Highlights

Sunday, June 22, 2025

Arrive on Campus
Students and families will arrive on campus by 5 p.m. to check in at Illinois Street Residence Hall, where they will be staying in a dorm room with Indigenous Pathways Resident Advisors.

Welcome Dinner
Students and their families will eat dinner with staff members and learn more about the activities planned for the week.

Monday, June 23, 2025

Reflections of Our Future Selves: Native College Students at Illinois
Experience a snapshot of college life and imagine yourself as a student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign! Dr. Charlotte Davidson (Diné/Mandan, Hidatsa & Arikara), Director of the Native American House, will introduce you to three Native students who balance academics and work across different areas of campus. Through a series of three 20-minute micro-sessions, you’ll explore a range of educational and student employment opportunities available at our university.

Explore the College of ACES
Participants will explore programs within the College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences, including an activity on Hydroponics with the Department of Agricultural & Biological Engineering.

Introduction to Materials Engineering with MSE
This session focuses on fun experiments students will get to engage in and try for themselves. This includes shape memory alloys, space shuttle tiles, and superconducting alloys. Participants will discover different disciplines in the field of Materials Science and Engineering and why Materials Engineering is important for applications including sustainability and materials for medicine. Learn about different career paths and how to have fun in the major!

Tuesday, June 24, 2025

Demystify the College Application Process
Undergraduate Admissions will host a session where participants will learn about the college application process, gain real life insights and learn about college readiness. This session will be followed by a two-part session series with the Writers Workshop where students will get to learn about writing prompts, hear from other college students about their college application experience and practice writing prompts.

In the Making: Interactive Tour and Arts Workshop at Krannert Art Museum
In this interactive session, participants in the Indigenous Pathways Program will experience an interactive tour of the art museum galleries, followed by artmaking in the museum’s café space. Students will get a chance to interpret art, play gallery games, and create their own original artworks to take home with them.

Welcome to the Pow-wow: An Intertribal Pow-wow Experience at Spurlock Museum
Students will learn about the Welcome to the Pow-wow exhibit at the Spurlock Museum of World Cultures, exploring its curation and cultural importance. They will also get to examine archival materials and gain insight into various career paths within the museum field.

Wednesday, June 25, 2025

The Most Interesting Book at University of Illinois: The John Eliot Bible
This workshop will explore the John Eliot Bible, the first Bible ever published in North America. It’s a super-rare book (only 30 exist), and it was made in 1663 by the Puritans of New England. But it is especially important as a document of Indigenous American history for reasons we will explore together. Be ready to think about Indian and colonial history and to be surprised by one of the most unusual books of American history.

Hands-On Healthcare: Immersive Activity and Roundtable at the Cancer Center
Students will get to participate in the Jump Simulation session at Everitt Lab with their peers
followed by a roundtable session with undergraduate/ graduate students form various disciplines at the Cancer Center at Illinois. The Jump Simulation lab is an immersion training center for health care where VR and Mannequins are used in practicing medical procedures such as CPR, blood draw and more!

Thursday, June 26, 2025

Breakfast and Departure
Students will eat breakfast and prepare to depart by 9 a.m.

Every society needs educated people, but the primary responsibility of educated people is to bring wisdom back into the community and make it available to others so that the lives they are leading make sense.

Vine Deloria, Jr.