Indian Time - A Voice from the Eastern Door

(MCA Communications Unit) Three years ago, a fruitful collaboration blossomed between Iohahi:io and the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne (MCA) Entewatatha:wi Program. Entewatatha:wi Program Manager, Peter Garrow, and Iohahi:io communications professor, Sue DeRochie, dreamt up this unique collaboration with support from Sheila Lafrance, Iohahi:io Post-Secondary Course Coordinator, who coordinated and organized turning their idea into reality.

"This collaboration between Iohahi:io and Entewatatha:wi served as an excellent opportunity for our students to work for our community. Two of our Business and Human Resource students, Liz Lazore and Dorothy Smoke, were also able to complete their placements with Entewatatha:wi," noted Sheila Lafrance, Iohahi:io post-secondary course coordinator.

Initially, Entewatatha:wi was the theme for a marketing presentation assigned to Iohahi:io Business students and was successful enough to warrant a continuance of the collaboration between Iohahi:io and the Entewatatha:wi program. This project was an overwhelming success and much of their work and insights are being used today within Entewatatha:wi working groups and presentations. Erin Cole, a former Iohahi:io Business Student, presently works in Entewatatha:wi and three of her former classmates are members of Entewatatha:wi working tables - Rachel Wheatley, Nolan Mitchell and Darrell Mitchell.

"This collaboration with Iohahi:io is a perfect example of Entewatatha:wi reaching out to our community. We have so much talent and insight right here in our own community. The students far exceeded expectations. I'm more than proud... exemplary work by all," said Patricia Francis, Policy Analyst, Entewatatha:wi.

This semester Iohahi:io communications course professor Sue DeRochie tasked her students with creating an information campaign based on the future community vote on the Entewatatha:wi proposed Self-Government Final Agreement in which could potentially occur in 2018. Entewatatha:wi staff was then invited into the classroom to educate Iohahi:io Business Human Resource students on their program. The Iohahi:io Business Human Resource students will be graduating from the two year program with a diploma from St. Lawrence College in June and a local graduation at Iohahiio next week.

Students were asked to select an Akwesasne demographic, which included youth, elders, families, or MCA employees and then had to target their projects to that specific population. This final project highlighted Entewatatha:wi's information campaign and served as a vehicle for fostering excellent communication skills that the students will need to utilize in any of their future careers.

Peter Garrow, Program Manager of Entewatatha:wi noted, "I was completely overwhelmed by what transpired yesterday and feel absolutely proud of the students, Sue DeRochie, Iohahi:io and NNATC for the demonstrated skills and creativity they conveyed to all of us. What amazing jewels we have in our youth and institutions. These are great examples of successful partnerships that work within Akwesasne."

Iohahi:io professor, Sue DeRochie, taught her students about the importance of branding and the need for a logo and so another collaboration had been born. The Native North American Travelling College (NNATC) Director Sarah Rourke and her artists Victoria Ransom and Dave Fadden were invited to collaborate on the project. The NNATC artists created five logo options for the Entewatatha:wi program and Iohahi:io students. The logos were presented to the Iohahi:io students after they presented their final projects.

On Monday, April 18, 2016 Iohahi:io Business Human Resources students invited Entewatatha:wi staff, NNATC Director Sarah Rourke and artist Victoria Ransom, and MCA Communication Officer Jacey Rourke to view their final project presentations.

"The students were all very eager to share their final projects and did so in the most professional manner. All of the presentations were brilliantly executed. The students should be very proud of the work they've accomplished," added Jacey Rourke, MCA Communications Officer.

All of the final projects will be presented to the Entewatatha:wi Advisory Committee on Thursday, April 21, 2016 between 4:00-7:00 p.m. in the A'nowara'ko:wa Arena's Turtle Room.