Provost Teresa Abi-Nader Dahlberg has appointed Scott Langston, religion instructor and leader of Native American programs at TCU, to a newly created three-year position as liaison for Native American Nations and Communities.
“Scott is the perfect person to fill this inaugural role, which builds on the programs he has collaborated on, organized and led at TCU over the past five years,” said Provost Dahlberg. “Our ultimate goal is to fill the liaison position with a qualified Native American at the end of the three-year appointment.”
In his new position, Langston’s responsibilities will help build trust and develop mutually-beneficial, respectful and healthy partnerships between TCU and Native American nations and communities; educate the TCU campus regarding Native American nations, communities and perspectives by helping organize Native American-related programming; educate Native American communities about TCU to increase access to TCU’s offerings; assist faculty and staff with curriculum to enhance courses and programs with Native American-related content and initiatives in partnership with Native American nations and communities; and help build infrastructures to support Native American students, faculty, staff and alumni.
“One of the first things we will do is establish a Native American Advisory Circle comprised of Native Americans from within and outside of TCU,” Langston said. “The Council will consult with and advise the Liaison regarding positive ways of making Native Americans respected, supported and incorporated throughout TCU. This will be the first time in TCU’s history that a formal space is created in TCU’s organizational structure specifically for Native American voices.”
For the past several years, Langston has collaborated with Native Americans and TCU faculty and staff to develop and lead Native American courses and programs, enabling TCU to be recognized as a model school for engaging Native American and Indigenous people on campus. Among those accomplishments are TCU’s annual campus-wide symposium to raise awareness about Native issues and build relationships with Native communities, with more than 1,000 participants nationally. In addition, TCU has declared the first Monday in October as Native American and Indigenous Peoples Day; added courses to highlight Native perspectives; created a Native and Indigenous Student Association with Langston as faculty advisor; developed TCU’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women’s scholarship; and dedicated a monument acknowledging the original inhabitants of the land where TCU now resides, especially the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes.
Langston came to TCU in 1994. In addition to the numerous Native American programs he helps champion, he assists with communications to inform and disseminate TCU’s work related to Native Americans, including courses, events, visitors and community outreach. He supports efforts in recruiting Native American students and helps build affinity among Native Americans across the TCU community.
Due to his work at TCU, he was asked to be an ambassador for American Indian Heritage Day in Texas. He currently is working with Grand Prairie ISD to develop a Native American studies course for grades 9-12, with goals for State approval to be used across Texas. He regularly attends tribal events and currently has developed relationships with the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes and other tribal nations and the DFW-Native community, especially around American Indian Heritage Day, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women-Texas, and the Indigenous Institute of the Americas.