Youth Think
A new scholarship program aims to help American Indian students serve as agents of change.
Elymash Yuuchaap.
These two Kumeyaay words encompass the goal of the indigenous peoples of San Diego to promote opportunities for young American Indians.
The traditional homeland of Kumeyaay speakers extends from San Diego and Imperial Counties in California to 60 miles south of the Mexican border, including San Diego State University, which was built on Kumeyaay land.
Theses words translate to the concept "youth think," words SDSU is embracing the meaning of in a new scholarship program that aims to provide a campus hub and community for American Indian students.
The result? The Elymash Yuuchaap Indigenous Scholars and Leaders Program. The intensive social and academic program is dedicated to mentoring and providing a community-service learning experience for students in higher education, while also catering to the communities they come from.
A unifying community
The mission of the program is to engage, support and promote the cultural, social, academic and leadership development of students committed to the sovereign and progress of indigenous communities.
"Elymash Yuuchaap brings native students and mentors from different tribes and different life experiences together and unites us as one, in a space where we all have a common focus and discuss how can we help to better each other and our native communities," said Kiowa Montoya, a freshman majoring in kinesiology who is part of Elymash Yuuchaap.
The program, which is offered through the Department of American Indian Studies, serves 12 to 15 students that are invited to participate in a year long series of leadership seminars and service activities.
Seminar topics and activities are developed by community and tribal leaders with support from SDSU students, faculty, staff and alumni. Elymash Yuuchaap scholars are also invited to participate in special events with nationally recognized speakers, local community leaders and university officials.
The program is open to undergraduate students from all majors at SDSU who have an interest and commitment to the success and sustainability of American Indian Indigenous communities and culture.
Bringing native students to campus
Elymash Yuuchaap also serves as an opportunity to recruit American Indian students to SDSU.
"We want to use the program as a recruitment tool," said David Kamper, chair of the Department of American Indian Studies. "Our university seeks to show a greater responsiveness and responsibility to native communities, and this is a great way to show students we can build a strong native community here at SDSU."
Recently, Elymash Yuuchaap invited more than 100 local tribal high school students to visit SDSU. They hope to have high school students visit each semester to introduce them to campus and encourage native students to pursue higher education.
Making friends, celebrating traditions
"There is so much support from all involved in the program," Montoya said. "The guidance from the mentors to the students is something that is also truly special and the one thing that has helped me the most, especially being new to SDSU."
Because the program caters to American Indian students, a strong sense of community is woven into the curriculum. Tribes from all across the United States are represented in the group and all activities celebrate the communities where the students come from.
Although the program is new to campus, the success of the pilot semester has paved the way for its continuation.
"This semester has been a great first for Elymash Yuuchaap and it'll only get better from here," Montoya said.
