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The American Indian and Alaskan Native Student Success Center opened in the Learning Resource Center  Oct. 9 to much jubilation from the crowd and organizers. The ribbon-cutting ceremony contained food, poems, songs and student speakers at a grand opening that had been undertaken for years. 

A combination of on campus administration and native speakers voiced their support and shared thank yous to a mixed audience of students, staff and deans for the indigenous resource center that had been “years in the making.”

The AIAN Student Success Center will aim to provide a variety of support services to help students navigate college successfully. These include assistance with college and transfer applications, academic support, financial aid guidance, career exploration and cultural workshops, according to San Jose City College’s website.

Within SJCC, there had been other ethnic groups that had a place and an organization to be in. But crucially, there were no organizations for native people on campus, until now.

Rene Alvarez, Dean of Academic Success and Student Equity, shared that sentiment.

“[This center] is a place for American Indian and Alaskan Native students to be in and meet others and have a home base. Alumni are successful because of these connections they find.”

Alvarez continued, emphasizing the importance of achieving equality among students through fairness with the implantation of such spaces. 

“Student equity, that’s what it is. All of them have to thrive and need a place to thrive.”

Program coordinators Elena Dutra and Carol Vasquez,  who have served as the center’s spine long before Wednesday’s event, have made it their goal to help Native students through academic counseling and shared cultural experiences.

Cleo Higinio, a first-semester Sociology major, and Mahdi Williams, a Marketing major also in his first-semester were two of many in attendance.

 “I think it’s really cool to see [the center] opening and apparently this is the first time something like this is happening on campus, so I thought that was really nice to see”, said Higinio.

Williams agreed and loved the energy.“I thought it was cool to learn more about their culture [during the event]. The songs were really cool!”

This center is what can help many Indigenous students continue their higher education as a strong community that represents their needs and desires. Junior colleges and universities can attest that it provides resource relief, optimism and a sense of community to help advance students through college. 

Juan Garcia, program coordinator of student development and guest speaker at the opening ceremony said that this center certainly fills a void on campus. 

“It’s a huge event. The [AIAN] community never had a place to gather! This is now a step forward to embracing the community and embracing that we are on Native land,” Garcia said. “It’s the right way to honor and preserve the Native culture.”

The AIAN Student Success Center will be open for Indigenous students during normal business hours in the LRC next to the Tutoring Center.

“Some people on campus just like to ask and they don’t do anything,” Alvarez said. “Elena [Dutra] and Carol [Vasquez] have invested their time, effort, blood, sweat, tears in making this a reality.”