Even history buffs might be surprised to know that Hamilton College in Clinton, one of America's oldest colleges, was initially founded in 1793 as a school for local American Indian and colonial settler children on land originally given by Oneida Indian Chief Shenendoah to Reverend Samuel Kirkland. When the then Hamilton-Oneida Academy was re-envisioned as Hamilton College in 1812, what began as a joint educational vision became focused solely on settler youth, omitting any commitment to educating Indigenous youth. Now, thanks to a $750,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation, Hamilton will be able to realize that original goal with the establishment of a program in American Indian and Indigenous Studies (AIIS).

"This grant will support efforts to fulfill one of the College’s original missions: to provide an immersive and inclusive education in American Indian and Indigenous Studies and to significantly amplify the efforts of Hamilton to build a sustainable partnership and productive collaborations with the Oneida Indian Nation," according to a release on Tuesday from Hamilton College.

Funding will support innovative course development, cultural programming, and collaborative research between faculty, students, and members of the Oneida Indian Nation. This grant will also provide the resources to integrate Indigenous knowledge systems, history, and contemporary issues into Hamilton’s curriculum.

“This renewed partnership [between Hamilton College and the Oneida Indian Nation] is grounded in shared history, mutual respect, and a commitment to education and cultural understanding,” said Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs Nathan Goodale. He co-leads this initiative with Brianna Burke, Faculty Fellow in Native and Indigenous Studies and Visiting Associate Professor of Environmental Studies. “Hamilton College and the Oneida Indian Nation are uniquely positioned to bring forward narratives that challenge dominant historical frameworks, highlight Indigenous perspectives, and inspire thoughtful dialogue about the future of America.”

Key elements of the initiative include plans to hire two new faculty members specializing in Native and Indigenous studies and provide annual grants for course development to existing faculty. Other grant elements will involve summer research projects, internships for students, and annual events in partnership with the Oneida Indian Nation. Programs beyond the classroom will begin with an Indigenous Film Festival in 2025, followed by a Truth and Reconciliation series in 2026 and a Resilience and Sovereignty speaker series in 2027. The Mellon Grant will also fund the creation of an AIIS Programming Coordinator, preferably a Nation member, who will support the ongoing collaborations between the College and the Nation. The learning goals for the program emphasize recognizing the historical, cultural, and social contributions of Indigenous communities while examining the impacts of settler colonialism, assimilation policies, systemic racism, stereotypes, and ongoing inequalities on Indigenous communities in the 21st century.

If approved by the faculty, the AIIS program will become the College’s 59th area of study, furthering Hamilton’s fulfillment of the Promise of 1793.

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