On Sunday, Nov. 15, a group of seven Winona State University students and two faculty members flew to Arizona to attend a reception at Diné College honoring the collaborative journalism projects completed this past summer by students of both institutions.

It was nearly 50 degrees back home in Winona, Minnesota, while there was snow on the ground in Tsaile, Arizona.

While on campus on Monday, Nov. 16, the students attended Dr. Miranda Haskie's class and heard guest speaker Perry Charlie discuss environmental issues and energy concerns of the Navajo Nation.

Monday evening, about 100 people attended the premier and reception and watched several documentary journalism projects focused on the lives of five Navajo elders. Three of the elders were present and commented on the projects following viewing of their features.

The evening began with comments by Dr. Miranda Haskie of Diné College, one of the organizers of the journalism collaboration.

Dr. Ferlin Clark, president of Diné College, the Tribal College of the Navajo Nation, gave a keynote address congratulating the students on their hard work and dedication, and thanking them for their important contribution to preserving the stories of the elders.

Organizers then showed several of the student projects and invited comments from each of the students involved, and then the elders.

As the program came to a close, Dr. Cindy Killion and Dr. Tom Grier, members of the faculty of the Winona State University Department of Mass Communication, described their feelings about the collaboration and future plans for similar programs.

Short versions of the journalism projects are available for viewing on the WSU Mass Communication department's web site: http://winona360.org.

Navajo Oral History Reception at WSU

Four guests from Diné College of the Navajo Nation spent Friday (Nov. 13) in Minnesota seeing sights between the Minneapolis airport and Winona, touring the Winona State University campus, speaking to a journalism class, and being a part of a reception honoring student-created documentary journalism projects.

Dr. Miranda Haskie, a faculty member at Diné College, led the group which included Diné students Derrick Harvey, Larissa Jimmy, and Krystle Sorrell. The guests enjoyed a brief visit to the Mall of America and were impressed by the Mississippi River. They heard the story of Princess Wenonah and Maiden Rock. They said they were inspired by the beautiful view of the river and the city of Winona from Garvin Heights.

While on campus, they were interviewed by journalism students in Prof. Drake Hokanson's News Writing class and then toured the WSU Mass Communication department facilities including KQAL, the campus radio station, studios, and the TV studio.

In the evening, the Diné College guests joined the group of WSU students they worked closely with this past summer, to host a reception and premiere of the Oral History projects that were the result of collaborative teamwork.

More than 100 people were present to view the projects and hear the students talk about the experience of meeting the elders, working with them, and faithfully recording their life stories.

(Photo of the Reception in WSU's East Hall by Chops Hancock.)

Several of the projects are available for viewing on the WSU Mass Communication department's Lab web site: winona360.org. All of the projects will be archived permanently at the Navajo Nation Museum and Navajo Nation Library, as well as at the libraries of Diné College and Winona State University.

Seven students and two faculty from Winona State are traveling to Arizona this weekend to host a second reception on Monday evening at 5:30 p.m. at Diné College.

Organizers of this project gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Winona State University Foundation and the Winona State University Student Senate in helping to fund the travel and planing of these receptions.

Thanks also to all the students, faculty and employees of both institutions that helped make this important project a reality.

(Group Photo by WSU student Kali Kotz.)