Grant supports indigenous students in STEM at western N.C. universities
ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Two universities in the North Carolina mountains will split a $220,000 grant to support indigenous people studying math and science. The money will help fund studies and mentorship opportunities for students at the University of North Carolina Asheville and Western Carolina University.
Embracing Indigenous Heritage
“It’s just a place that I really like to come to,” Western Carolina student Seth C. Penn said as he walked past the rivercane on campus. “Rivercane is extremely important to our people culturally, but also a lot of us native students here on campus. We might come down here from time to time, get a piece of cane if we need it for craft and or just come and remember who we are as indigenous people and our close connection to the land.”
It is a resource used to make arrows and basketweaves and one with deep meaning to Penn as an enrolled member of the Cherokee Tribe of Northeast Alabama. “I go to bed every day as a Cherokee person, a Cherokee person who knows he’s not a full blood, but a Cherokee person who knows very much he’s a Cherokee and will never stray from that identity,” Penn said.
Pursuing Passions in STEM
In his academic career, he decided to combine two of his greatest passions. “We all have our area of impact in our area of importance,” Penn said. “For me, that’s culture, that’s land management, that’s agriculture.” That’s what he’s continuing to explore as a STEM student in Cullowhee.
“We Cherokee people like to say gadugi — working together for the better of everyone here, working together for the betterment of just society as a whole,” Penn said. “That’s really what I hope to do with my degree and my expertise, and Western has given me a great opportunity to do that. To see indigenous people get back in touch with land management, with agriculture, with all of these things that are very much part of who we are.”
Funding for Indigenous Representation in STEM
His university, along with UNC Asheville, will now be sharing around $220,000 through the Sloan Indigenous Graduate Partnership — a program created to address the underrepresentation of Native American students in STEM fields. These funds will work toward providing indigenous students with access to more mentorships, funding, and research opportunities.
“We want everyone here to feel appreciated and like they belong and they have the right to embrace their indigenous heritage,” Penn said. “So, specifically with this grant, it gives the opportunity to a lot of students in a lot of different fields across STEM who may not have access to certain funding.”
Penn has already felt the support. “It creates pathways for people and students to be able to do things that they normally probably could not do,” Penn said. “So, this grant is huge. It opens up a lot of doors for many people. Me, personally, I was able to go to the AISES [American Indian Science and Engineering Society] conference back in October, the only state-recognized tribal member from the school to get to go.”
Author: STAFF HERE ASHEVILLE WRITER
ASHEVILLE STAFF WRITER The ASHEVILLE STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREAsheville.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Asheville, Buncombe County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as the Asheville Bread Festival, LEAF Festival, and mountain sports tournaments at Biltmore Estate. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce and Explore Asheville Convention & Visitors Bureau, plus leading businesses in hospitality and brewing that power the local economy such as the Biltmore Estate and Sierra Nevada Brewing Company. As part of the broader HERE network, including HERECharlotte.com, HEREGreensboro.com, HERERaleigh.com, and HEREOBX.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into North Carolina's dynamic landscape.
