A new group offered through the SIUC Registered Student Organizations Program is designed to give support to American Indian students, the president of the group says.

Iris Creasy, president of the American Indian Association, said a support system for Native American students is necessary at SIUC.

Retention of Native Americans at SIUC is a real problem, she said. All of the kids I have talked to have expressed feelings of alienation or frustration.

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However, Creasy said she was very impressed with the process of becoming an RSO and how easy it was to be recognized as an association to help American Indian students.

Creasy said the group’s first meeting Jan. 24 had a good turnout, with people of different cultural backgrounds in attendance.

Our main purpose is the recruitment and retention of Native Americans on this campus, but we also want to promote the culture of the Native Americans, as well as the culture in the specific tribes, she said. If we do that, we will be able to educate people.

Kelly Davidson, a member of the group and freshman in pre-medicine from Ramsey, said the group will be able to educate students about American Indians.

This is a very positive organization that gives us the chance to bring awareness of Native Americans to the campus, she said.

Creasy said there are about 90 American Indians on campus, including faculty, students and staff.

We would like to build that number, she said. I would like to see us go to other universities to recruit Native Americans and give our students cultural enrichment.

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Creasy said the group also would like to work on getting scholarship resources for American Indian students through federal sources.

There really is a lot of money out there to go for the schooling of Native Americans, and if we could get it for our students, it would be all the better, she said.

Davidson said the group is very helpful to her in a lot of different ways.

The people in this organization are very helpful with everything, she said. They are helpful when it comes to things like homework or classes, all the way to things like scholarship information.

The group also is planning on selling beadwork for fund raising, Creasy said.

I would like to see our group learn the work that Native Americans did, she said. It will not only give a chance for education, but we will be able to raise funds to attend other things that will further education.

The group will work to raise funds to attend a pow-wow at Aurora University in May, Creasy said. She said the pow-wow will include different tribal dances, displays of beadwork and information on different American Indian tribes.

The next meeting of the American Indian Association is scheduled for 7 p.m., March 7 in the Student Center Kaskaskia Room.