RAPID CITY, S.D. – The University of South Dakota is preparing for a significant week of engagement in Rapid City where staff and students will lead discussions at the 2025 Lakota Nations Education Conference and attend the celebrated Lakota Nation Invitational.

The university announced that its Native Student Services department, along with representatives from across the Vermillion campus, will host educational sessions and community events to run alongside the annual gatherings. The education conference is scheduled for Dec. 16-20 at the Best Western Ramkota Hotel.

Educational leaders, students and community members are set to gather at the conference for workshops focused on culturally responsive teaching and the preservation of the Lakota language.

USD will present two specific panel discussions on Friday, Dec. 19. The first session, titled “A Network of Support for Native College Students: Cross Campus Partnerships at USD,” is slated for 1 p.m. It will address how higher education institutions can avoid siloing support programs and instead foster wide-reaching partnerships that educate the entire campus community about Native history and issues.

Panelists for this session include Megan Red Shirt-Shaw, the director of Native Student Services, and John Little, the director of Native Recruitment and Alumni Engagement, among other university staff from the School of Education, Department of Nursing and Athletics.

Following the staff presentation, a second panel titled “Student Voices at USD” will take place at 2:30 p.m. This session will feature current Native students discussing their personal experiences in higher education and offering recommendations for student success. Brooke Jackson, coordinator of Native Student Services, will moderate the discussion.

While the conference takes place at the hotel, the university will also have a presence at the Lakota Nation Invitational at The Monument. Known as the largest Native basketball tournament in the Midwest, the LNI also features archery, wrestling, art contests and language competitions.

In addition to the academic panels, the university is hosting its fifth annual Lakota Nation Invitational USD Alumni Social. The event is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 18, allowing alumni and supporters to connect with representatives from Native Student Services.

Attendees at the Friday panels are encouraged by organizers to attend the LNI Grand Entry at 5 p.m. later that day, a cultural tradition uniting teams and communities.