By Gentry Hiser

The Indigenous Student Alliance at Casper College seeks to recruit new members following a change in leadership. Taylor Makeshine, a sophomore in respiratory therapy and the new president for the 2025 spring semester, found herself ascending to the leadership role only weeks ago.  

“Right now with the club, it’s starting back at square one it feels like because the previous president graduated and no one took her place,” Makeshine said. 

The club originally formed as a place for Native American students to be themselves, hang out, and to educate and promote their culture, including the issues they face. However, the club itself faces a hurdle after it was temporarily left without a president. The former president graduated last spring and club membership dropped. Currently, Makeshine and Club Advisor Daniel Gallegos, a political science instructor, turn their sights to recruiting the next generation of students to outfit the alliance. 

According to Gallegos, “We’re just starting in the first phase of getting the word out, getting information out.” 

He said he hopes to encourage Native American students to join and take on the roles of the club office. 

“If you don’t have that core leadership, then you’re never going to be able to pass this on,” said Gallegos. 

Makeshine herself wants to apply a broader approach. She wishes to encourage membership as a whole from any member of the student body. 

“It’s hard to limit a club to only Native Americans, and I think I want to open back doors to open it to everyone,” said Makeshine. “We’re not at that point where we should be limiting it.” 

The club president encourages any and everyone to become a part of the club. 

“If you’re interested in Native American heritage, culture, and promoting any of that at Casper College, then join,” Makeshine said.

Makeshine and Gallegos are united in their goal to preserve the club’s future, and its original purpose of being a home for Native American students. Part of this, they believe, is establishing a consistent meeting time. At this time, maintaining contact with other members happens primarily over email with meetings scheduled on an as-needed basis. 

“I recommended to the new club president that you should meet at least two times a month, and so we’re starting trying to recruit Native American students. So if they’re interested, just contact one of us,” said Gallegos. 

As for plans for the coming semester, the alliance’s biggest event of the year is the powwow. Similar to past years, it is scheduled for May as an end to the school year, and designed to be a community event giving insight into Native American culture and bringing people together. Makeshine and Gallegos each promote this as a significant draw for membership. Makeshine cited it as the thing that first piqued her interest about the club. 

Submitted by Jonathan Underwood

Man performing cultural dance at Casper College powwow

“When I first heard about the powwow and that it was the Indigenous Alliance Club that was hosting it, I also wanted to see what else they did with Casper College,” Makeshine said. She and Gallegos talked about an eventual goal of a Casper community powwow at the event center, but for now they said they are happy to promote Native American awareness at the college.

“The Thunderbirds is a Native American thing, so I was really shocked that there’s not a lot of Native resources, even though our mascot is literally a Native symbol,” Makeshine said about her own experience. “This is my first time at a college where there was no Native American scholarships.”

When prompted on if his role as faculty offered an advantage in bringing awareness to the administration, Gallegos described himself as a more hands-off advisor. He said he provides guidance, but otherwise, expects the club leadership to bear the brunt of the decision-making, including on topics such as how they view the use of a native symbol. 

Expanding on that, Gallegos said, “Just because you’re a student doesn’t mean that’s all you are. Because you carry everything that you learn here into the future.” 

As advisor, he said he’s working on developing flyers and a web page to encourage student participation in the club.

In the words of President Makeshine, “The main points I really want to hit on is join the club if you’re interested.”