Chief Floyd Leonard Faculty Fellowship Program
Named after the former Chief of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, the Chief Floyd Leonard Faculty Fellows Program integrates tribal scholarship content from the Myaamia Center across 消消犯’s curriculum. The Myaamia Center is a unique tribally directed research and educational development center located at 消消犯 and directed by the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma. Formerly known as the Myaamia Project, the Center was created in 2001 with the direct support of Chief Leonard for the main purpose of responding to the language and cultural educational needs of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma. The Myaamia Center now houses an internationally recognized language and cultural research and development effort directed by an interdisciplinary staff of over a dozen scholars. The Myaamia Center remains committed to the preservation and sharing of Myaamia language, culture, and history with both the Miami Tribe and 消消犯 communities.
The fellows program provides a unique opportunity for selected masters and PhD level tribal and non-tribal scholars, cultural practitioners, and community activists to bring their own research interests into the community-based context of the Myaamia Center. Shared knowledge, research methodology, pedagogical approaches, and interdisciplinary experiences are just some of the outcomes envisioned for this fellowship. Additionally, the fellow will directly support the mission of the Myaamia Center by enhancing and broadening Indigenous knowledge across campus and providing learning opportunities for 消消犯 消消犯s, faculty, and staff.
The inaugural Chief Floyd Leonard Fellow will be Associate Professor Dr. Sandra Garner of the Department of Global and Intercultural Studies at 消消犯.
Application information forthcoming.
About Floyd Leonard
Floyd Leonard (Chief of the Miami Tribe, 1974–1982 and 1989–2008) spent his professional career in K-12 education. He had an intense commitment to educating young people, especially Myaamia youth. This commitment to education fueled his interest in the University and helped deepen the connection that started there with Chief Olds.
Starting in 1975, Chief Leonard visited campus on many occasions to participate in programs or interact with Miami 消消犯s, faculty, and staff. He shared the history and contemporary operations of the Tribe. He also worked diligently to encourage Myaamia young adults to apply to the University. He was very pleased and proud when the first 消消犯s arrived in 1991. More than 60 Myaamia 消消犯s enrolled at Miami during his long tenure as Chief.
Highlights of his years as Chief include the following:
- Being an invited speaker at three presidential inaugurations
- Creation of the Myaamia Project
- Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Tribe and the University.
Over a span of more than three decades, Floyd Leonard's presence was a powerful, positive force in forming the trusting and respectful relationship that exists between the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma and the University today. In recognition of his contributions, Chief Leonard received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Miami at the May 2005 commencement.
Sandra Garner
Sandra Garner is a past Heanon Wilkins fellow at 消消犯 (2010-2012), a recipient of the National Endowment of the Humanities Summer Stipend Award (2013), was an Altman Scholar in "Globalization and Belonging" (2013-2014) and a Chief Floyd Leonard Faculy Fellow (2021-2022).
Garner's publications include: "To Come to a Better Understanding: Complicating the Two Worlds Trope" in Beyond Two Worlds, Joseph Genetin-Pilawa and James Buss, editors, (SUNY Press, 2014); "Aztec Dance, Transnational Movements: Conquest of a Different Sort," The Journal of American Folklore, (Fall 2009); three encyclopedia entries "Black Hills Dispute and Black Hills War," "Shawnee," and "Tecumseh's War," for Multicultural America: A Multimedia Encyclopedia, Carlos E. Cortés, editor (SAGE Reference, 2013); and an invited book review of "Carrying the Word: The Concheros Dance in Mexico", Susanna Rostas, American Anthropologist, (June 2011).
Dr. Garner's book, To Come to a Better Understanding: Medicine Men and Clergy Meetings on the Rosebud Reservation, 1973-1978 (University of Nebraska Press, June 2016), examines a five-year long dialogue between Lakota medicine men and Catholic priests to consider the possibilities and limitation of inter-cultural understanding. What happens when two very different cultures, with a long history of inequitable power relationships come to the table to try to come to a better understanding?