A former visiting faculty member at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs will now take over one of the college’s programs on a full-time basis.

Scott Manning Stevens, an adjunct professor from the University of Notre Dame, will be in charge of the Native American Studies program starting this semester. He is a member of the Akwesasne Mohawk nation and received his Ph.D. and master’s degrees from Harvard University, according the Feb. 20 SU News release.

With SU located in a region rich with Native American history and culture, Stevens said he believes the Native American Studies program is a special opportunity for students interested in the topic, according to the release.

And now that the College of Arts and Sciences has named Stevens as the new director, he is excited to move the program forward.

SU is an ideal environment for students who want to pursue Native American Studies because of its location in Onondaga County, Stevens said in the press release. He added that the program has grown in recent years, and is excited to continue that growth.

“The NAS Program has taken off in recent years and I’m looking forward to capitalizing on that momentum and building an even more robust program in the future,” he said in the release.

Maureen Schwarz, a professor of anthropology who founded the Native American Studies program, was on the search committee that recruited Stevens for the position. She said the committee members were impressed with what Stevens had accomplished in his career.

“Everyone on the search committee was thrilled with his accomplishments and delighted that he accepted the position,” she said.

Robin Kimmerer, the director of the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, wasn’t on the search committee, but she said in an email that she was impressed with Stevens’ vision to make SU a place where Native American students can succeed. She added that she also appreciated his commitment to enrich SU with their perspectives.

But Kimmerer said there is one thing she hopes Stevens will do.

Said Kimmerer: “I hope that Dr. Stevens will lead us toward developing a major in Native American Studies and indigenizing the curriculum, so that all students can expand their knowledge of native peoples and the indigenous worldview.”

Published on March 3, 2014 at 2:25 am

Contact Ellen: ekmeyers@syr.edu | @ellenkmeyers