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When Bailey Tlachac arrived at Syracuse University as a graduate student from her reservation in Green Bay, Wisconsin, she was the only Indigenous student in her higher education program.

“I was going from a place where the majority of our classes were Native students, down to being the only one again so I was like ‘Oh, well this is like my high school all over again,’” Tlachac said.

Tlachac, now the program coordinator of SU’s Native Student Program, grew up in a predominantly white neighborhood in Wisconsin as a member of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin Bear Clan tribe. In her role as coordinator, she said she hopes to bridge the gap between Indigenous students and the broader SU campus through education and community-building.

Tlachac said she first felt attuned to her culture when she began her undergraduate degree at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, which is also where she learned the Onyota’a:ká language for the first time.

“I was slowly learning and coming back to this identity that I always had, but I never really knew or learned anything about it because I grew up away from my culture,” Tlachac said.

Tlachac became the NSP coordinator in September 2022. Her responsibilities include meeting with Indigenous students and creating programming specifically designed for them, like programs for academic and career readiness.

The NSP was established in 2006 by SU’s Office of Academic Affairs, the Student Experience division and Multicultural Affairs. It currently operates out of 113 Euclid Ave., a central gathering location for SU’s Indigenous student population.

Tlachac said she hopes 113 Euclid can show the campus community that Indigenous people are “still here” and that the community becomes more aware of Indigenous history through education.

“We want 113 to be a place where people can … learn too, because we recognize that the U.S. education system did not really educate everyone on native peoples and who we are and they’re often taught that we are things of the past, which we’re not we’re right here,” Tlachac said.

Breana Nieves Vergara, the assistant director of Multicultural Affairs, works closely with Tlachac on brainstorming ideas for programming events and potential renovations for 113 Euclid. She first met Tlachac in 2021, when Tlachac was a graduate student in Nieves Vergara’s office.

“As a grad student, despite not being a full time staff member, she came in really energized and had a really clear vision of what she wanted to see,” Nieves Vergara said. “She definitely came and brought a new life and new energy to the program.”

On Nov. 6, members of the university community gathered for the re-opening of 113 Euclid after Tlachac and other members of the NSP worked with university officials to install a new elevator, remodel the kitchen and provide upgrades to furniture.

Other renovations included improving a lounge area with a TV and an expansion of the second floor to include Indigenous board games, books and beading supplies. The first renovations were initially sparked from a #NotAgainSU demand to develop multicultural offices and programs, which led to the installation of an elevator and accessible entry door with a ramp and snowmelt. When Indigenous expressed concern about overcrowding at 113 Euclid in 2022, the most recent renovations were put into action.

Tlachac said she hopes the additions will foster a greater sense of community between Indigenous students through educational resources and cultural activities.

“Anytime I stop over at 113, there’s at least a few students hanging around in her office,” Nieves Vergara said. “I think no matter where she is, she’s always able to create community.”

Tlachac’s role as program coordinator is not limited to her responsibilities of planning and organizing events. For many students, Tlachac is like a friend.

“I come here (113 Euclid) almost every day just to see her sometimes,” Nia Nephew, a senior majoring in accounting, said.

Nephew joined the NSP as a first-year student and has remained a member of the program since. She grew up on her own reservation of Seneca people.

When Tlachac was applying to graduate schools, she said the support systems for Indigenous students at SU stood out to her but most of those resources were for undergraduate students. Tlachac said she knew this was something she wanted to change.

Cathy Engstrom, a professor in the School of Education, first taught Tlachac when she was a master’s student. Engstrom, who also serves as the school’s faculty director for graduate studies, said Tlachac was “very committed” in class to creating a safe space where social identities are respected.

“She totally walks the talk. The manner in which she leads totally captures her Indigenous culture, you know, her commitment to her values and her passion, and it’s a leadership style that I think we all can learn from,” Engstrom said.

Nephew said she’s had a positive experience being exposed to other Indigenous people through the NSP, which has allowed her to learn about and enjoy others’ cultures.

“Bailey is honestly like a ball of light here,” Nephew said. “I think everyone is so pleased when they show up and they see her here. Bailey just gives the vibe that she’s looking over you and you’re going to be okay.”

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Published on November 29, 2023 at 11:00 pm

Contact Claire: cksamsta@syr.edu