Elder in Residence

Every spring, the American Indian Center brings to campus a well-respected nationally prominent American Indian elder to foster cultural, academic, social, and spiritual support for Carolina students as well as to enrich the campus community.  Selected elders have come from all parts of the country and are chosen for their deep cultural knowledge and their leadership in Native causes.

During their time on campus, the Elder In Residence (EIR) will spend much of his/her time meeting with students, speaking in classrooms, and meeting with other campus faculty and staff.

The EIR Program is designed to:

• Celebrate Indigenous knowledge,
• Validate Indigenous practices and ways of knowing,
• Reinforce American Indian identity and affirm American Indian students,
• Raise the awareness of Native culture with University staff and faculty, and
• Foster relationships between American Indian communities and the University.

2024 Elder in Residence, W. Richard “Rick” West

Rick is the founding director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian and President and CEO Emeritus, Ambassador, Native Communities, of the Autry Museum of the American West. He is a citizen of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes and a member of the Society of Southern Cheyenne Peace Chiefs. Please read more about Rick’s accomplishments here.