American Indian Cultural House

One of only a few programs of its kind in the nation

About

American Indian Cultural House LLC - icon of a turquoise-colored dreamcatcher

American Indian Cultural House (AICH) is a Living Learning Community (LLC) supported by the Circle of Indigenous Nations (COIN) office, a full time staff member, and an AICH alum. We invite incoming first-year undergraduate students who identify as Native and/or Indigenous* to participate in a strategically designed program that supports students through their transition into the University of Minnesota. This unique program offers participants various resources and opportunities for building and sustaining a strong community with their fellow Indigenous peers in a cohort model, as well as navigating their academic, personal, cultural, professional, and intellectual journeys.

*COIN's definition and use of Native and/or Indigenous includes: Native American/American Indians, Alaska and/or Canada First Nation(s), Native Pacific Islanders, Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islanders, AND other Indigenous peoples not listed here. COIN defines Indigenous peoples as: peoples who share an ancestral/political/community claim to an Indigenous homeland, and belong to an Indigenous community.

Details

The American Indian Cultural House LLC is located in Pioneer Hall, in double rooms, and is limited to 20 students.

Location

Program Partners

Requirements

How to Apply

Apply via the UMN housing application and select the AICH LLC as your housing preference.
If you have already applied for housing, you can update your housing application to include an LLC preference by returning to the housing application and saving new changes.
Students who select the American Indian Cultural House Living Learning Community on their housing application will receive a follow-up email with additional details, including next steps, in the spring.

Students who will not be living on-campus their first year but are still interested in participating in AICH programming: please email COIN at [email protected] by May 1.

Please Note: The on-campus AICH LLC reserves 20 living spaces. All AICH LLC participants are selected based on intentional review in May and June and will be notified in July.

Contact

For more information on opportunities and programs for current or future American Indian Cultural House residents, contact the Living Learning Community sponsor:

Delaney Anderson
American Indian Student Engagement Specialist | Circle of Indigenous Nations

[email protected]

Additional Information

Benefits

Through AICH, students are able to:

Begin building relationships and an on-campus community prior to the first day of classes
Gain access to employment and paid student leadership positions and opportunities (Examples include the AICH Intern position and COIN office internships)
Receive individualized coaching and holistic support from their AICH Advisor and other COIN professional staff members at regular check-ins and appointments
Gain exposure to American Indian and Indigenous cultural, health, and community events/resources on- and off-campus in the local urban American Indian community
Receive additional academic support from tutors and consultants through our partnership with MCAE
Engage with and network with AICH LLC Alumni
Receive an honorary blanket upon graduation should they attend the majority of first-year programming as an AICH cohort member

Requirements

Interested students are expected to meet the following requirements:

Be enrolled full time as a first-year undergraduate student
Identify as Native and/or Indigenous. This includes: Native American/American Indian, Alaska and/or Canada First Nation(s). COIN defines Indigenous peoples as peoples who share an ancestral/political/community claim to an Indigenous homeland, and belong to an Indigenous community. Students do not need to be enrolled in a tribe or nation and or be a practitioner of their traditional language(s), ceremonies, or culture(s) in order to participate in the AICH program
Attend MCAE and Native & Indigenous (N&I) Kick-Off prior to the start of the academic year
Attend regularly scheduled support check-ins/appointments with COIN professional staff members
Attend regular community meetings and events with their AICH cohort members throughout the academic year, including: N&I Kick-Off, AICH Fall Feast, Fall Retreat, Community Study Nights, and workshops
Follow Housing & Residential Life rules/policies as well as the University’s Student Code of Conduct
Assist COIN in recruiting future AICH participants

Roommates

Students selected to participate in the AICH LLC will be assigned a roommate. Residents are able to request a preferred roommate, but will only be placed with that roommate if both select each other and both are AICH residents.

Second-Year Internships

Students who participate in the AICH Living Learning Community will be eligible to apply for COIN’s second-year LLC Student Internship, where they will be supporting the new AICH LLC cohort. In this role it is the intern's responsibility to attend staff meetings with COIN, send out weekly communications, assist in planning AICH events, and supporting AICH students.

MCAE LLC COLLABORATION

Throughout the year, AICH collaborates with the Multicultural Center for Academic Excellence’s LLCs on some events. This collaborative experience provides an opportunity for students to engage within their respective identity-based communities, while also coming together as a collective to engage in cross-cultural leadership development opportunities, critical conversation, and intentional academic support coming directly from COIN and MCAE’s services.

Not a first-year student but you’re looking to live in a community and speak Ojibwe with other Native Students? Consider signing up for the Ojibwe Immersion House.