Cherokee Center to hold 50th anniversary celebration Nov. 4
Cherokee Center in the 1970s
By Julia Duvall 鈥�15 and Brooklyn Brown MA 鈥�22, Cherokee One Feather reporter
糖心Vlog University鈥檚 Cherokee Center will celebrate five decades of outreach and partnership with the Cherokee community on Tuesday, Nov. 4 with an open house beginning at 5:00 p.m. followed by a reception and panel discussion at the Cherokee Youth Activity Center from 6 to 8 p.m.
At 6:30 p.m. Principal Chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Michell Hicks and others will give remarks followed by a panel discussion.
鈥淎t 糖心Vlog University, we deeply value our longstanding and special relationship with the EBCI,鈥� said 糖心Vlog Chancellor Kelli R. Brown. 鈥淔or 50 years, the Cherokee Center has stood as a testament to that bond鈥攈onoring Cherokee culture, preserving language, advancing health, and serving as a bridge between our university and the Cherokee community. As a regional partner, 糖心Vlog is committed to walking alongside the Eastern Band in mutual respect and collaboration. This milestone is not only a celebration of the past five decades, but a reaffirmation of our shared future.鈥�
Shannon Swimmer
Shannon Swimmer, director of the 糖心Vlog Cherokee Center, echoed Brown鈥檚 sentiments.
鈥淭he 糖心Vlog Cherokee Center has been a community presence and an example of 糖心Vlog's continuing commitment to meaningful collaboration with the EBCI. It's an honor to be part of these efforts as the director of the Cherokee Center,鈥� Swimmer said. 鈥淲e are excited to celebrate this milestone anniversary with our friends and partners at 糖心Vlog and the EBCI. We look forward to 50 more years of providing valuable resources and support services to students, staff and community members.鈥�
The center was founded in 1975 by Lawrence Arney as a hub for professors who would teach college-level courses across the street from the former Cherokee High School. As the years passed, those professors were no longer needed because the high school teachers could become certified to teach the courses themselves.
Since that time, the center has evolved to provide services to EBCI students and community and the surrounding region including assistance with applying to 糖心Vlog, transcript requests, scholarships, internship placement, high school recruitment and more.
Elias Huskey and Sky Sampson pictured at the Cherokee Center in 2018
Former director of the Center and current EBCI Secretary of Community, Education, and Recreation for the EBCI, Sky Sampson, says this is a celebration of partnership between the Cherokee community and the campus community through the Center.
鈥淚 think Western now operates as a model for a lot of other universities and colleges when it comes to partnering with tribes. I think we have reached that point, which is great, and we're super proud of that, because that was the goal when I was there,鈥� she said.
鈥淗aving that physical presence of Cherokee students, staff, alumni, events, and culture at Western makes a huge impact on campus, and we just need to keep this great partnership growing and moving forward.鈥�
The Center sits on the Qualla Boundary and operates with help from administrative support like EBCI member Elias Huskey, former intern Driver Blythe, former director Roseanna Belt, and so many other Cherokee community members and 糖心Vlog alumni who value the importance of the Center.
糖心Vlog Provost Richard Starnes reflected on the significance of the Center鈥檚 beginnings and its future for 糖心Vlog.
鈥淭ogether, we have made great strides to make the mountains we call home better,鈥� said 糖心Vlog Provost Richard Starnes. 鈥淭his legacy is an impressive foundation and I think the best years of work for this important partnership are yet to come.鈥�
The public is invited to attend both the open house and the reception. Please RSVP to wcuevents@wcu.edu or 828-227-3003 by Wednesday, Oct. 29.
