403: Rebuilding a University Native Student Organization: An Intergenerational Approach
3:00-4:00 pm
Youth Track
Mbish
Ballroom D
This student- and Elder-led presentation shares the ongoing story of rebuilding the Native American Student Organization (NASO) at Western Michigan University (WMU) from 2019 to the present. In the wake of institutional change and the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, NASO leaders, together with an active faculty adviser and, more recently, an Elder in Residence, have worked to restore continuity and visibility for Indigenous students on campus. Anchored in WMU’s formal recognition of its location within the homelands of the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians, the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi, and the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi, the presentation highlights how sustained support from these Tribes, the Native American Affairs Council (NAAC), and Native community members and alumni has made this resurgence possible.
Student presenters and an Elder in Residence will describe key strategies for rebuilding NASO: intergenerational leadership development; collaboration with Tribes on cultural and educational programming; participation in NAAC; and the creation of spaces in the built environment for ceremony, language, and mutual care. The presentation will also examine how tribal guidance and community partnerships have shaped NASO’s responses to campus climate concerns, student retention, and the need for Indigenous-centered wellness and academic support.
By centering student voices and Elder teachings, this session offers lessons on how tribal–university partnerships can nurture Indigenous student leadership, strengthen accountability to local Nations, and advance broader movements for Indigenous visibility, sovereignty, and self-determination in higher education across Michigan.
This presentation relates to the theme by demonstrating an approach to building the next generation of Native student leaders on a university campus through support from local Tribes, Elders in Residence, and university leadership.
Lead By:
Robin Christine Greymountain (Sault Tribe of Chippewa), Director - Kalamazoo Adult Education Program, Elder in Residence at WMU
Robin Greymountain, member of Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa, is an experienced educational leader, advocate, and veteran who is a Doctoral Candidate in Interdisciplinary Studies at Western Michigan University with a focus on Native American education. She recently earned a Certificate in Tribal Government from WMU. Robin serves as the Kalamazoo County McKinney‑Vento Grant Coordinator, Kalamazoo Public Schools Homeless Liaison, and Director of Kalamazoo Adult Education. She directs eight adult education sites, manages grants, oversees curriculum and assessment, and ensures free access to High School Equivalency and ESL programs. A former elementary principal in Michigan and Arizona, Robin has led large school communities, implemented MTSS and culturally relevant practices, and provided intensive teacher development. She has coordinated ELL and Gifted programs, administered multiple federal and state grants, and organized Native American cultural and healing initiatives — most recently a Truth and Healing event at Western Michigan University. Certified in Michigan and Arizona as a principal and endorsed in Gifted and SEI instruction, Robin blends instructional leadership, grantwriting, and culturally grounded community engagement to expand educational access and equity. She was most recently named as an Elder in Residence at Western Michigan University.
Shabanaa Mary Bush (Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians), Aerospace Engineering Student; NASO Secretary; former NASO President
Shabanaa Bush is an Aerospace Engineering major at Western Michigan University, serving as the Secretary and former President of the Native American Student Organization. Shabanaa is a member of the Match-E-Be-Nash-E-Wish Band of Potawatomi Indians, also known as the Gun Lake Tribe. She is the daughter of Carolyn and the late John Bush; John is also a member of the Gun Lake Tribe, and her mother Carolyn is a descendant of the Canadian Cree Nation. Her parents raised her within her paternal tribal community of the Match-E-Be-Nash-E-Wish Band of Pottawatomi located in Bradley, Michigan. There, she attended the Wayland school district and graduated in May 2020 from Wayland Union High School. During her high school career, she was the first baton twirler in over 25 years and became the first Miss Pottawatomi Nation from her tribe in 2016. Shabanaa was selected as the winner of the Best Interview at the Ms. Indian World competition in 2023 and as a Top 25 Most Influential Student at WMU in 2025.
Jordan Morseau (Pokagon Band of Potawatomi), President - Native American Student Organization, Western Michigan University
Jordan Morseau is a member of the Pokagon Band Potawatomi. He is currently a Public Administration major at Western Michigan University, graduating in April 2026. He also serves in several leadership roles, including as the President of NASO, the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Youth Council Chairman, and a member of the Land Use Board, the Pokagon Rights Board, the Constitutional Review Committee, and the Zhetthkewnen Nazhokmagethek Board.