At the end of each academic year, the Native American House invites a keynote speaker to recall, reflect on, and narrate their student experiences in higher education. Speakers address topics such as adjusting to campus life, factors contributing to a sense of belonging, and accessing the right pathways toward degree completion. Speakers conclude their storytelling by emphasizing the value of higher education and offering encouragement for the higher education student community at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Food is first come, first served.
This program is open to all eligible persons regardless of race, color or national origin. Reasonable accommodations are available upon request; please contact the Native American House at nah@illinois.edu.
Keynote Speaker
Robert "BJ" Rainbow
Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians
Vice President of Academics
Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College
New Town, North Dakota, Ft. Berthold Reservation
Hau Mitakuyapi, Boozhoo (Hello, my relatives):
My name is Robert Bryan Rainbow Jr., and my Dakota name is Tatanka Hanska, which means “Long Buffalo.” Through my mother, I am an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, and through my father, I come from the Spirit Lake Dakota and Standing Rock Nations.
I grew up in Bismarck, North Dakota, where I went to school and played basketball beginning in 1991. At 11 years old, I began Grass Dancing (Peji Waci) and have been singing since the 3rd grade. From 2000 to 2004, I proudly served in the United States Marine Corps, including deployment during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. After being honorably discharged, I attended the University of North Dakota (UND), where I earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, a Bachelor of Arts in Indian Studies (now referred to as American Indian Studies) and Sociology, and a Master of Science in Educational Leadership. I am currently pursuing my Ph.D. in Higher Education at UND.
Before joining Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College (NHSC), I worked as a recruiter with American Indian Student Services at UND. Today, I serve as the Vice President of Academics at NHSC in New Town, North Dakota, located on the Fort Berthold reservation. My undergraduate and graduate experiences inform the way I support Tribal College students, helping them understand that they can be tribally educated and globally prepared. Our team at NHSC strives to help students know who they are, where they come from, and how to carry that knowledge wherever they go.
For the past twenty years, I have participated in our spiritual traditions and practices in many different ways. Beyond my professional role at NHSC, I am a proud member of Fort Berthold VFW Post 9061 and currently serve as a cultural facilitator, consulting with the Veterans Administration and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA) to address and combat Native American veteran suicide.
I am happily married to my beautiful wife of 25 years, Deanna, and together we have two wonderful children. Our daughter, Bryann, is in her second year of the Master of Public Health Program at UND, and our son, Bryson, is a sophomore at NHSC.