and it's here ... the 2012-13 school year

 

The first day of classes is August 20, and several events have been planned for new and returning students. Sixty freshmen and about 30 transfer students will join us from from all over the country and across the globe this year. Check the Student Success Center's Our Programs page on IAIA's website that lists the orientation policy, the new student orientation and the certificate and transfer student orientation.   

 

We welcome all new and returning students as the Institute continues its 50-year anniversary celebration. The August 15 annual benefit dinner and gala includes the 50th theme. A 50th commemoration is also being planned for October 13. Please continue checking www.iaia.edu for celebration updates. And if you haven't checked out the 50th anniversary timeline detailing the Institute's milestones, please do so today.

 

We wish everyone a successful school year! 

In 1972, a former Museum of New Mexico employee took a job at the IAIA campus at its former home, the present grounds of the Santa Fe Indian School, and opened the first exhibit. With the help of IAIA student volunteers, Chuck Dailey organized student work and various beadwork, jewelry, paintings, pottery and sculptures for the inaugural exhibition, Earth Colors.

Since then, the IAIA Museum, now known as the Museum of Contemporary Native Arts, has become one of the country's leading museums for exhibiting, collecting and interpreting the most progressive work of contemporary Native artists. After a move to historic downtown Santa Fe in 1992 and an extensive 13-year renovation, the museum is now a venue for exhibitions of artists who merit local, national and international recognition. Nearly 7,500 works of art have been collected from alumni, present students, faculty, staff and other artists for its permanent collections.

Please join the museum as it celebrates 40 years August 17. Several events have been planned, including three exhibition openings, a fashion show and live art during the same week the Santa Fe Native market. Click here for a listing of events.

IAIA has hired Valerie Nye as the new library director. She replaces Sarah Kostelecky, who had been with IAIA since July 2007. Kostelecky left in December 2011 to take the job of access services librarian at the University of New Mexico.

The Associated Student Government (ASG) will host Vital Strides III from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. August 19 during Indian Market weekend at the Museum of Contemporary Native Arts. More than 30 items, including apparel, TOMS shoes, jewelry and paintings, will be available in the silent auction and annual live art event benefiting ASG activities.  

IAIA's Music Club, as well as local Indigenous group from Jemez Pueblo, Walatowa Massive, will provide music. Bon Appétit, an award-winning college catering company that runs IAIA's cafeteria, will provide free snacks and beverages. Funds raised from the event will go toward a new multi-purpose field, and AGS's plans to make IAIA a more carbon neutral campus, among other activities.

For more information, click here.

Although many had the summer off, some students were busy cultivating their skills. Alli Moran, an Indigenous Liberal Studies (ILS) major, was one of two IAIA students who attended the 2012 American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) Summer Student Leadership Institute held July 18-21 at Sitting Bull College in Ft. Yates, N.D. Moran is also the 2012-13 AIHEC Student Congress president and was instrumental in planning the retreat. Bonita Rickers, an ILS and Studio Arts major and Associated Student Government president, also represented IAIA. The AIHEC leadership institute aids in training tribal college and universities student government leaders.