USD Tiospaye Student Council to Host Alumni Dinner April 10 & 52nd Wacipi April 11–12
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52nd Annual Wacipi
USD’s annual Wacipi is scheduled for April 11 to 12 in the Sanford Coyote Sports Center.
This year marks 52 years of USD’s Wacipi, which has become the longest-running student-led campus powwow in the state. This event serves not only as a cultural celebration, but also as a platform for prospective and current students, alumni and campus leaders to connect and engage.
“The Wacipi is, in my opinion, the best event of the entire year, and we are so excited to share the weekend with everyone,” said Matayah Yellow Mule (Oglala Lakota), co-president of the USD Tiospaye Student Council. “The Wacipi fosters a great sense of belonging and togetherness for not only students but the greater Vermillion community. Each year, it seems to become more vibrant and booming than the year before. It just gets better each year.”
Grand entries will be held at 1 and 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 11, and 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 12, at the Sanford Coyote Sports Center. The Grand Entry is designed to recognize special and important leaders in attendance at any Wacipi, as well as introduce dancers to the circle. There will also be a community feed open to the public at 5 p.m. on Saturday. The event is free and open to the public.
"We are excited to invite the Vermillion and USD community to our upcoming Wacipi, a celebration of culture, honor, and tradition,” said Melody Scott (Standing Rock), co-president of the USD Tiospaye Student Council. “This event is incredibly special to share with everyone as it embraces our shared heritage and knowledge as well as highlighting the dedication and commitment of Tiospaye Student Council." For more information, visit the USD Wacipi webpage.
Native Alumni Dinner
Tiospaye Student Council is also hosting the 14th annual Native Alumni Dinner on Friday, April 10, at 6 p.m. at the Sanford Coyote Sports Center.
This year’s Native Alumni Dinner celebrates the 60th Anniversary of the USD Upward Bound program. The keynote speakers at this year’s dinner will be former long-term Upward Bound staff members Charles “Chuck” Swick ’71 (Oglala Lakota) and Charlie Luecke ’11.
Project Upward Bound began in June 1966 with 53 high school seniors from the Pine Ridge, Rosebud and Cheyenne River reservations, who participated in a nine-week college preparation program at USD. Funding was provided by the Office of Economic Opportunity, and since that time, the program has flourished to celebrate thousands of former participants.
Swick participated in the inaugural 1966 Upward Bound cohort before starting at USD in 1968. During his tenure as a USD student, he worked summers for Upward Bound as a tutor, counselor and social recreation director before his graduation. Swick became the director of Upward Bound in September 1972, where he stayed until his retirement in 2009.
Luecke started as an assistant director at Upward Bound in 1978 after previously working at the Marty Indian School Residential Halls. He served as assistant director from 1978 until 2009, when he transitioned into the director of Upward Bound for three years before his retirement.
Each year, the Tiospaye Student Council recognizes outstanding alumni, who are nominated by community members and alumni. In addition to Charlie Luecke and Chuck Swick, the Tiospaye Student Council is excited to welcome back CeCe Big Crow (Oglala Lakota), Pauline Pourier (Sicangu Lakota) and Eugene “Gene” Tyon, Jr. (Oglala Lakota) to be recognized for their accomplishments.
Tiospaye Student Council Vice President, Jeslyn Deserly (Three Affiliated Tribes), is serving as the lead organizer for the Native Alumni Dinner. She is excited to welcome back Upward Bound alumni.
“To think that many of these alumni sat where we currently sit, walked some of the same paths and faced some of the same obstacles and unknowns is reassuring,” said Deserly. “We are honored to welcome them back to campus.”
These events are sponsored by the Tiospaye Student Council and Native Student Services, who would like to thank several USD departments and organizations in the Vermillion community and surrounding region for supporting this event.
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