Michigan State is home to a diverse group of students from hundreds of different backgrounds and lifestyles, and nearly as many campus organizations exist to support these students. The MSU Indigenous Graduate Student Collective is one such group.
The Indigenous Graduate Student Collective is a group of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous graduate students dedicated to Indigenous studies and issues while also offering support and encouragement to help uplift Indigenous voices at MSU. The mission of the Collective is to build connections across campus and the community, expand learning opportunities and support for graduate students and to discuss and address issues relating to global Indigeneity.
One of the main objectives of the IGSC is to forge partnerships and community ties with MSU faculty and students. By coming together with other programs and departments throughout campus, the Collective is able to bring programming and events to Michigan State that center around the Indigenous community. The group has hosted new moon gatherings, sugarbush, Indigenous-focused movie nights and book clubs, and volunteer events at Giitigan, a local Anishinaabe community garden.
Recent national statistics show that around 22 percent of the 18-24 year-old American Indian population were enrolled in college compared to 40 percent of the overall US population. At Michigan State, around 0.3 percent of students in Fall 2022 identified as American Indian, a 15 percent increase from Fall 2021. Upon arriving at college, students may struggle with feeling disconnected from their cultural roots and finding others who understand their backgrounds. The IGSC is committed to the spiritual, physical, emotional, mental, and academic well-being of these graduate students attending MSU.
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