Photograph of a large group of students posing in front of a building with a cone-shaped roof.

Student Organizations

Participating in clubs and organizations is an enjoyable part of the Cornell experience. From horticulture, club sports, debate, comedy, and so much more - you can find your friends in campus organizations. Among the hundreds of clubs and organizations on campus, the American Indian and Indigenous Studies Program (AIISP) advises four Indigenous-related student-led organizations. We encourage students to become involved in one or more of these organizations.

About the organizations

Native American and Indigenous Students at Cornell (NAISAC) is the Native and Indigenous undergraduate student voice on campus. NAISAC provides a forum for students to discuss issues that concern them as Indigenous peoples. This student organization promotes awareness of Native cultures and issues on campus and in Indigenous communities across Indian Country. Many NAISAC members have been active or are currently involved in university boards and have seats on program committees that influence policies and procedures within the student service administration. We encourage Native and Indigenous students at Cornell to join us in our many activities throughout the year.

NAISAC Leadership (2023)

  • Co-President - Peter Iotenerah’tate:nion Thais
  • Co-President - Cannon Cline
  • Vice President - GraceKelly Fulton
  • Secretary - Charlie Hernandez
  • Treasurer - Aidan Solomon
  • Internal Relations - Grant Whitman
  • External Relations - Ally Bentley
  • Alumni Affairs Chair - Colby Yazzie
  • Events Chair - Taylor Heaton
  • Media Chair - Yanenowi Logan

American Indian Science & Engineering Society (AISES) is a student organization that meets to discuss various areas of interest within the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). Our vision for Cornell’s AISES chapter is to be the new generation of educated Native leaders who will study and contribute to the building of Indigenous communities. Our ultimate goal is to be a catalyst for the advancement of American Indian scholars in science and technology.

AISES provides students with numerous ways to develop professionally by offering scholarships, mentorship, internships and more. Additionally, students have the opportunity to attend the AISES national conference every year, which provides excellent opportunities for students to network with other Native students from across the country and to develop rewarding relationships with professionals in the STEM field.

AISES Leadership (2024-2025)

  • Co-President - %20pdt35 [at] cornell.edu (Peter Iotenerah’tate:nion Thais)
  • Co-President - Cannon Cline
  • Secretary - %20hek45 [at] cornell.edu (Ho'ohila Kawelo)
  • Sr. Treasurer - ats95 [at] cornell.edu (Aidan Solomon)
  • Jr. Treasurer - pep65 [at] cornell.edu (Paige Peters)
  • Internal Relations - ch967 [at] cornell.edu (Charlie Hernandez)
  • External Relations - kgt22 [at] cornell.edu (Kaylah Toves)
  • Social Media Chair - mjr393 [at] cornell.edu (MJ Raade)

The Indigenous Graduate Student Association (IGSA) at Cornell serves as a forum for graduate students to discuss cultural, social, political, and educational concerns and to network with other Indigenous students and organizations. IGSA actively recruits students and promotes interaction between the Cornell community and Indigenous Nations.

The mission of IGSA is to foster community building among Indigenous Graduate and Professional Students and our allies, to enhance personal, academic and professional growth and development in a fun, stable, peaceful family environment and to serve as a conduit for graduate and professional student issues and concerns.

IGSA Leadership (2024-2025)

  • krd78 [at] cornell.edu (Kaitlin Diggins) - President
  • Aspen K.B. Omapang
  • ss3583 [at] cornell.edu (Sean Sam)
  • cit27 [at] cornell.edu (Cheyenne Thomas)

Membership

IGSA members are from a number of Indigenous Nations and Cornell University graduate programs. To become a member of IGSA or for more information please contact aiisp [at] cornell.edu (aiisp[at]cornell[dot]edu).

The purpose of the Cornell Law School's Native American Law Student Association (NALSA) is to articulate and promote the professional needs and goals of Native Law Students and their allies; foster and encourage professional competence; focus upon the relationship of Native American Law Students, Native American Attorneys and their allies to the American legal structure; instill in every attorney and Law Student a greater awareness and commitment to the needs of the Native American community; influence the legal community to bring about meaningful change to meet the needs of Native American communities; adopt and implement a policy of economic independence; encourage law students to pursue careers in the judiciary; and do all things necessary and appropriate to accomplish these purposes.

For more information contact NALSA's President: Danielle Levanti at dl658 [at] cornell.edu (dl658[at]cornell[dot]edu)apd77 [at] cornell.edu (.)

NALSA E-board (2024-2025)

  • dl658 [at] cornell.edu (Danielle Levanti) - President
  • jl4429 [at] cornell.edu (Johanna Li) - Vice President
  • smc459 [at] cornell.edu (Sarah Carr) - Treasurer
  • gms277 [at] cornell.edu (Giovan Soares) - Secretary

NALSA and Cornell Law

About Cornell Law

Cornell Law School (CLS) is a small, top-tier law school located in Myron Taylor Hall. We enroll only 195-199 JD students and 60-70 graduate LL.M. students each year to ensure that we maintain a close-knit academic environment. CLS students not only benefit from our small class size but also from one of the lowest student to faculty ratios in legal education. We encourage you to visit Cornell Law School's website.

Interested in applying?

Feel free to contact a NALSA executive board member for more information or contact the Office of Admissions at lawadmit [at] lawschool.cornell.edu (lawadmit[at]lawschool[dot]cornell[dot]edu) or (607) 255-5141.

Photograph of a group of people sitting at a table with a red tablecloth during a warm summer day.
Photograph of a group of students wearing red tshirts and running attire and one girl holds a large husky dog.
Photograph of three people on a stage with the woman in the middle holding a microphone addressing the audience.
Photograph of four people posing together in a large conference room.
Four individuals stand together and smile at the camera.

Indigenous Graduate Student Association (IGSA) members at a welcome back gathering on the front lawn of Akwe:kon to kick off the fall 2022 semester.

Pre-Missing and Murdered Indigenous Woman & People fundraising run done by members of NAISAC. Professor Michael Charles (Diné) joins them.

PhD student, Marina Johnson-Zafiris (Mohawk) addresses the audience at the NALSA Tribal Law Summit in April 2023.

Students pose with Joy Harjo (Muscogee (Creek) Nation) at the AISES Leadership Summit in April 2023.

Members of IGSA and NALSA at a group picnic at Stewart Park in Ithaca, NY, May 2023.

Related Student Groups on Campus

There are hundreds of student-led and governed organizations, communities, and initiatives at Cornell. Explore cornell.campusgroups.com for a list of all existing groups and student clubs. 

The Cornell Hawaii Club is a cultural/social organization whose purpose is two-fold. First, we are here to welcome new and current students from Hawai'i and provide them with a network of other Hawai'i students in the Cornell and Ithaca areas. Second, we share the Hawaiian culture with the Cornell and Ithaca communities. The Hawaii club completes these tasks through various events: spam musubi making nights, BBQ's, winter clothes shopping trips, and in the spring we put on a Lu'au! The club is not exclusive to students from Hawai'i; we include anyone who is interested in our beautiful state and wants to be included in the fun and networking.

The Latina/o/e/x Studies Program (LSSO) updates their list of active student-led groups annually. 

  • Urban Herbin - Our mission is to be able to teach members about the land we are inhabiting and how indigenous practices that are often overlooked can be utilized by everyday people to lead healthier lives. We strive to teach our community how to create greener spaces in unconventional areas like their own apartments and rooftops. Ultimately, we want to also teach our community about how indigenous medicinal plants can be grown in mundane environments to benefit their lives.

Stay Connected

Most student groups have their own outreach methods. This can include social media, email newsletter, and word of mouth. Reach out to the e-boards of the groups you are interested in.