Native SOAR

“I have never felt so connected to a course. I enjoyed how community and collaboration were the foundation. I enjoyed participating...I felt like my perspectives were always heard and considered. Felise is an incredible instructor whose care is felt and I liked how she made sure to connect with each and every student. I enjoyed the readings and discussing them in class; they added to how I understood what was taught and it interested me enough to read the whole article or book.”

- SP26 NATIVE SOAR STUDENT

We are more than a class.
We are COMMUNITY.
We are FAMILY.

We hope you will JOIN us this fall! We welcome ALL students from ALL majors and all levels.

NATIVE SOAR HED397C
Tues/Thurs 11AM-12:15PM

NATIVE STUDENT SUCCESS with TUSD NASS

Last week, Native SOAR was invited to engage with Tucson Unified’s Native American Student Services (NASS) team. Using the AMAZING digital stories created by former SP26 mentors, Anthony & Amaya, the NASS team identified key factors and best practices for supporting Native students and their families. The interactive presentation gave everyone the opportunity to consider how they also contribute to student success on an individual and collective basis.

✨Thank you, Native American Student Services, for the invitation to share! And THANK YOU for the work you do EVERY day to support the next generation of leaders. We look forward to seeing your high school students on our campus this semester!✨

💖Special thank you to Anthony & Amaya for continuing to gift Native SOAR with your stories. What a joy it is to share your voices and experiences! Can’t wait to see you again soon!💖

NATIVE STUDENT SUCCESS WORKSHOP PANEL

A huge thank you to Ollie, a The University of Arizona Spring 2026 graduate, and Xavier, a returning second-year UA student, for sharing your educational journeys, challenges, successes, and words of encouragement with Native high school students and their families during the Tucson Indian Center’s College Success Workshop.

Your honesty and insight are helping inspire the next generation of college students. Thank you for being available to give back in this special way! 🌵🎓

✨Special thank you to Tasha for inviting us to join this powerful two-day event! ✨

The 2026 Native Leadership in Higher Education (NINLHE) Summer Institute, hosted in partnership with ACPA’s Native, Aboriginal, and Indigenous Coalition (NAIC) and Indigenous Student Affairs Network (ISAN) took place last week! It was an amazing opportunity to connect with “Native and non-Native administrators, professional staff, and faculty committed to supporting and increasing recruitment, retention and graduation of American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian and Aboriginal students at public, private, and tribal colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada.”

Special thank you to the NINLHE Governing Council -
• Dr. Karen Francis Begay, Chair
• Dr. Symphony Oxendine, Vice Chair
• Dr. Timothy Ecklund, Treasurer
• Steven Abbott
• Dr. Nichole Prescott

And big shoutout to Stella Standingbear for showing love at the 2026 Uniting Communities Powwow!

📍traditional and ancestral homelands of the Shoshone, Paiute, Goshute and Ute tribes

PEER MENTOR SPOTLIGHT | Seth Carlos

Seth joined our course and mentoring program in Fall 2025 and returned in Spring 2026 as a Peer Mentor Coach. Since day one, he’s led with kindness, humility, and a heart for serving others.

During a season of staffing transition, Seth’s support made an incredible difference—not only in our work, but in the wellbeing of our entire team.

✨❤️ Seth, THANK YOU for walking alongside us during a challenging time. Your heart for community is unmatched, and we’re beyond grateful for the care and encouragement you brought to our team every step of the way. You are deeply appreciated! ❤️✨

PEER MENTOR SPOTLIGHT | Raykel (Kel) Descheney

In Fall 2025, Kel joined our course and mentoring program as an undergraduate mentor. As we got to know him—especially while serving together at the Navajo Nation Parade in support of our Native American Science & Engineering Program partners—it quickly became clear that he is an exceptional student leader and an all-around amazing person.

Last semester, Kel returned to our team as a Peer Mentor Coach shortly after our Outreach Specialist transitioned to a graduate assistantship at Dartmouth College. Without hesitation, he stepped up to provide additional support for our mentoring program and our newest cohort of mentors and mentees.

✨💙 Kel, THANK YOU for answering the call when we needed extra support! Your enthusiasm, positivity, and genuine commitment to serving others have made a lasting impact on our program. We are so grateful for everything you do! 💙✨