Centre gearing up for 25th anniversary

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The Natives really are restless. Just ask George Calliou, executive director of the native Student Centre at the University of Calgary.

He says they are trying to touch base with as many former students as possible. Calliou realizes they're spread far and wide throughout the country and even down in the U.S.A.

That's why the student centre is making a plea through media sources for past students to contact them in Calgary. "This is intended to be the largest gathering of post-secondary (Native) students," Calliou said. "We expect several second-generation graduates."

The Calgary Centre is planning to bring in top-notch resource people for the gathering. Also invited will be friends and supporters from the early days of the program,. such as former student union presidents and university presidents and chancellors. The gala event will feature a banquet, traditional ceremonies, a show-casing of culture and accomplishments of past graduates as well as existing graduates.

"We would encourage former students to notify us of their phone numbers and addresses, and home communities and Native papers to assist in this respect," Calliou said. Such a listing will go towards helping to develop a Native alumni association, he added. The congenial director looks on the undertaking as substantial, especially since their funds are rather limited, and realizes they must do some special fundraising to pull the party off.

Caliou believes that one thing is definitely adding to their plans - their experiences from the Native Student Centre's 20th anniversary. The main thing the group learned is to plan well in advance. The 20th anniversary also drove home the need to maintain contacts, in addition to demonstrating the number of successes and improvements that the Aboriginal community has made.

"We'll see the vast improvements made over just a five year period," Calliou boasted.

The Calgary campus had approximately 250 Native students enrolled last year.

The University of Calgary Native Student Centre can be contacted by phoning (403) 220-6034.