Western Carolina University has launched an Elder-in-Residence Program to serve Cherokee students as part of the new Sequoyah Initiative.

Two Cherokee elders, Freeman Owle and Tom Belt, have been hired to serve as mentors and advisers for Cherokee students. They keep regular office hours on campus.

“Both men bring a considerable amount of educational experience to Western, as well as a wealth of knowledge about Cherokee history and culture,” said Tom Hatley, Western’s Sequoyah Distinguished Professor in Cherokee Studies.

Belt said Native American students have never been as involved in campus life as they should be at Western, but he and Owle hope to change that situation.

“Native American students have a lot to offer the university, and Western has a lot of academic resources to offer the students,” Belt said.

There are roughly 150 Native American students at Western. About 100 are from the Qualla Boundary, also known as the Cherokee Reservation.

The Sequoyah Initiative will also engage Cherokee elders and artists to serve as “eminence scholars.” These scholars will teach traditional knowledge on a long-term basis. The scholars will help recruit Native American students across the nation to come to Western for master’s degrees in Cherokee Studies, which comes with a $12,000 Sequoyah Assistantship.