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The 3rd annual Indigenous Peoples' Day Summit 

Join the AIS (American Indian Success) program for this event focused on celebrating, learning, and honoring Indigenous Peoples' Day on Monday, October 12 from 8:30 a.m–1 p.m. in T Plaza.

Please note: Smudging will occur throughout this event. Campus offices will be closed for employees to attend.

Schedule: 

• 8:45–9:15 a.m: Welcome | Opening Drum Ceremony featuring the Battle River Drum Group
• 9:20–9:50 a.m: Keynote presented by Kelly Collins
  • (for Opening and Keynote)
• 10–10:50 a.m: Breakout Session 1 
• 11 a.m.–noon: Breakout Session 2
• Noon–1 p.m: Affinity Lunch in T.1400 (for our Native/Indigenous community)
   

Breakout Topics

Topic 1 in L.3100: From Awareness to Action: Supporting Native Student Success at Â鶹ֱ²¥ Part 2

This breakout session offers Â鶹ֱ²¥ faculty and staff an opportunity to deepen their understanding of how to support Native/Indigenous students—specifically within the context of our institution. Led by the American Indian Success Program Coordinator Aubrey Hendrixson, the session will be a part two to the session offered at last year’s Indigenous Peoples' Day Summit. In the the part 2, there will be a student panel and you will be able to hear from students and their experience navigating higher education here at Â鶹ֱ²¥. Through open dialogue, shared experiences, and practical strategies, participants will be invited to ask 

Speaker Bios

Kelly Collins
Kelly Collins, PhD is an educator, scholar, and higher education professional whose work centers on creating more equitable, inclusive, and supportive educational environments for students, faculty, and staff. She currently serves as Director of Education in the University of Minnesota’s Office for Equity and Diversity and as an affiliate instructor in the Higher Education program in the College of Education's Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development. She is a member of the Lambda Pi chapter of Alpha Pi Omega, the oldest and largest historically Indigenous Greek-letter organization in the United States.

Dr. Collins’ work with Native and Indigenous communities in higher education includes serving as a Native American Success Coordinator at Metropolitan State University, where she provided culturally responsive advising, advised the VOICES (Voices of Indian Council for Educational Success) student organization, co-chaired the Native American Staff and Faculty Council, and developed educational and community programming focused on Indigenous sovereignty and the Native American community. She has continued this work at the University of Minnesota through her involvement with the American Indian Faculty & Staff Association, the American Indian Student Cultural Center, and the University’s powwow planning community.

Her scholarship examines student experiences, belonging, and institutional support, with particular attention to the ways higher education can better support students whose identities and experiences are historically and currently marginalized. Most recently, she co-authored Many Buds Blooming’: Lived Experience and Insights From Native American Graduate Students, published in New Directions for Student Services in 2026. The publication centers the lived experiences and insights of Native American students and contributes to broader conversations about creating more responsive and supportive educational environments for indigenous students.

Aubrey Hendrixson
Aubrey grew up in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and is a member of Lower Brule Sioux Tribe. She graduated from South Dakota State University with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology.

Aubrey has a passion for supporting students from college exploration to graduation. Having served as the American Indian Success (AIS) Coordinator for over 4 years, Aubrey has overseen the evolution and comeback of the American Indian Success program post-pandemic, including remodeling the AIS Cultural Center to reflect cultural and academic student priorities; incorporating Indigenous Peoples’ Day programming into a professional development opportunity for campus employees to better serve and support Native and Indigenous students; and most recently, bringing back the Â鶹ֱ²¥ Powwow. By far, the most enjoyable part of her work is making connections with students and seeing them reach their educational goals.