October events of the College of Menominee Nation CMN) will range from a formal installation ceremony for CMN’s new president to a day of behind-the-scenes tours to show all that goes on at the college’s Keshena campus.
The public is invited to attend both events, as well as the CMN Board of Trustees annual meeting, which is planned in conjunction with the celebrations.
College trustees will conduct a formal ceremony of investiture for President Dr. Paul Trebian in the Five Clans Ballroom of the Menominee Casino Resort Convention Center at 10 a.m. Oct. 12, N277 State Highway 47-55, Keshena. Veterans of the Menominee Nation Color Guard will lead the procession of CMN faculty, delegates from other academic institutions, representatives of Wisconsin tribes and special guests.
Guest speaker for the investiture will Carrie Billy, president and chief executive officer of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC). She is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. CMN’s board chairwoman, Virginia Nuske, other trustees, and tribal, student and alumni leaders will join her in welcoming Trebian. The board will also present a newly created symbol of office to be worn thereafter by Trebian and successors on official occasions of the college.
Pre-ceremony music and video presentations begin at 9:30 a.m. in the ballroom. The procession enters the hall at 10 a.m. A reception follows immediately after the program.
An all-college open house from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 13, is in celebration of CMN’s 25th anniversary. Faculty, staff, students and alumni will be on hand to welcome visitors to the Keshena campus at N172 State Highway 47-55.
A harvest-theme farm market, music throughout the day, and food truck options will be provided along with a campus-wide showcase of the academic, cultural and service activities of the college.
Featured events are designed for all interests. Science, arts, nature, and technology demonstrations are planned along with exhibits and information offered by faculty and staff of CMN’s many academic and outreach programs.
College and pre-college students will be available to describe campus clubs and internships, and the variety of youth programs available at the college, ranging from 4-H to the Sustainability Leadership Cohort. Native arts, culture and food demonstrations will include corn husk doll and hominy making. Visitors to the Keshena campus can check out CMN’s Green Bay location via a virtual tour.
Outdoor walking tours include community and research garden areas, nature trails and the Woodhenge learning site on the campus. Inside, historic Native photography and original art are on permanent display in several buildings. Research exhibits, laboratories and educational technology will also be featured. Facilities with special activities include the S. Verna Fowler Academic Library, Cultural Learning and Community Technology centers, technical-trades workshops and Sustainable Development Institute grounds.
Visitors may also visit with staff and learn about services of CMN on-campus affiliates including Menominee Vocational Rehabilitation Center, Menominee Job Center, TechHire, and University of Wisconsin-Extension.
The open house is co-sponsored by the college and the Menominee Tribe.
The annual corporate meeting of the board of trustees begins at 9:30 a.m. Oct. 13 in Room 226 of Shirley Daly Hall on the Keshena campus, prior to the open house.
Along with Nuske, board members are Shannon Chapman, Lori Corn, Michael Delabreu, Gary Frechette, Sarah Harkey and Jesse Waukau. Boards drawn from the Menominee Tribe have overseen the college since its inception.
Planning for the college began in September 1992 with the Menominee Tribal Legislature’s hiring of its founding president, Dr. Verna Fowler. The official opening came on Jan. 19, 1993, when CMN began offering general education classes on the Menominee Reservation to 42 students. Over the intervening years, nearly 7,000 individuals have enrolled in and successfully completed one or more courses at the college, and 1,168 have attained academic degrees or technical diplomas.
Today, CMN is an accredited, baccalaureate-level institution that has open enrollment for Native and non-Native students. Among all alumni, 41 percent are enrolled members or descendants of the Menominee Tribe. Another 28 percent of all alumni are members or descendants of other American Indian tribes; the remaining 31 percent represent many races and ethnic groups.
Additional information on the college, its offerings, and the coming public events may be seen at www.menominee.edu as plans are finalized.