Savannah Martin '13, who participated in Native American Fly-In in 2008, said she remembered the event as a highlight of the program.
"It was a really big thing for me because I have a really strong emotional tie to Native music," Martin said. "I was worried about losing that when I went away to college, but being on the Green drumming and singing together made me feel like I was at home, like I would actually be allowed to be a Native person at the school."
The Native American Fly-In program, one of three Dartmouth Bound visitation programs, invites Native American high school students and students with demonstrated interest in the Native community to visit the College.
This year's program began on Sunday and ends Wednesday, with 52 high school students attending four days of programming covering college admissions, Dartmouth's Native American community and financial aid.
Native outreach coordinator and associate director of admissions Steven Abbott said he prefers outreach that uses direct travel and face-to-face contact with prospective students.
The program intends to communicate the opportunities higher education can afford students and their communities, and to help students determine if Dartmouth would be a good fit for their needs.
"Every time people hear about Ivy League schools, there are instant concerns about cost, accessibility, community, support, any number of different things, and those are things we can hope to correct best in person," Abbott said.
Elijah Moreno '15 participated during his senior year of high school.
"At that point I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, where I wanted to go, how I'd pay for it going to fly-in provided me answers to everything I could want, including a way to pay for college," he said.
Native Americans at Dartmouth co-president Phoebe Racine '14 said she remembered feeling part of a larger community during the program.
"I grew up being the only Native kid for most of my life, so I thought this would be a really nice way to actually get to live in a somewhat Indian indigenous community," Racine said.
Moreno also said he felt a sense of community during his visit.
"It was cool to come to a campus with a large Native American population, being told that it's a place that wants you, and that they're willing to fly me out, and they picked me," he said. "I felt like I wouldn't have wanted to go anywhere else." In addition to scheduled activities, students involved in NAD will hold social events to engage prospective students, such as scavenger hunts and board game nights. Current students also act as mentors and answer any questions that fly-in participants may have.
The fly-in program is designed to give prospective students a broad picture of Dartmouth and help them make informed choices, Abbott said.
On Monday afternoon, current students held a panel to discuss their experiences as Native American students. During the event, the admissions staff left the room to encourage the students to speak freely.
"It's not doing anyone a favor if it's all rainbows and unicorns and puppies," said Abbott. "Honestly it's just as valuable if a student comes here and thinks this is not the community for thembut given the number of returns many seem to have had positive experiences."
Both Abbott and Racine said the fly-in program highlights the opportunities that Dartmouth provides for Native American students.
"One thing that most schools don't have is a Native American house," Racine said. "We have an administrative body that advocates for us and supports us and some of the best Native American scholars in the country."
The College's Native American studies department is another draw for prospective students.
"Oftentimes Native American programs are specifically historically or ethnologically focused, but Dartmouth crosses into environmental science, law, philosophy and political science, so that's really powerful," Abbott said.
