Honoring the Chickasaw word for "to help one another," the Ittapila Program for Nation Building Education and Outreach supports academic courses and student fellowships designed to assist Native nations and organizations as they strengthen their governance capacities.
Because Native nations are active in all aspects of self-determined governance, they often have to develop expertise across a comprehensive set of roles and policies. Challenges range from economic development to constitutional reform and from the management of natural resources to social service provision. Providing a platform for students to learn about and contribute to the advancement of Indigenous nation building through research, coursework, and on-the-ground experience, the Ittapila program supports the self-determination of Native nations and organizations.
The Ittapila Program for Nation Building Education and Outreach is made possible through the generous endowment suppot of the Chickasaw Nation.