University of Mary and UTTC Honor Cultures with Fourth Annual Mid-Winter Powwow
Sunday, January 14, 2024, celebration with United Tribes Technical College begins Mary’s annual ‘Life and Dignity Week’
BISMARCK, ND — The United Tribes Technical College (UTTC) and the University of Mary continue their partnership in celebrating the life and dignity of the human person with the fourth annual Mid-winter Powwow Sunday, January 14, 2024.
The events begin at the University of Mary with a 10:30 a.m. Mass celebrated in honor of a holy man and “Servant of God,” Nicholas Black Elk — regarded as a historically notable and influential Native American leader who died in 1950. As a member of the Oglala Lakota peoples, Black Elk was a participant in the Battle of Little Bighorn as a boy, and present during the Wounded Knee Massacre. He later converted to Catholicism and led a humble life as a catechist in service to spreading the Gospel. In 2016, the Diocese of Rapid City officially opened his cause for canonization as a saint.
Following Mass, the celebration continues with an introduction to the Powwow — "Powwow 101" — in Lumen Vitae University Center’s (LVUC) Founders Hall at 11:30 a.m. The Mid-winter Powwow commences with a grand entrance at 1 p.m. in the McDowell Activity Center (MAC), with a second grand entrance at 7 p.m., both led by arena director Rusty Gillette and master of ceremonies Whitney Rencountre. Prizes for various categories of dance will be awarded. Attendees are invited to a traditional frybread and buffalo feed between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. in LVUC’s Crow’s Nest Restaurant.
Entry fee for those five to 65 years of age is $5 per person, which includes the meal at the Crow’s Nest Restaurant. Those possessing Bismarck State College, UTTC, and University of Mary IDs enter for free.
For more information about the Mid-winter Powwow, visit umary.edu/powwow.
The Powwow marks the first day of the University of Mary’s “Life and Dignity Week.” The week continues Monday with the celebration of Martin Luther King Day during the 10 a.m. Monday Morning Mission at the Starion Living Room inside the Lumen Vitae University Center (LVUC) on campus. The University of Mary is honoring the civil rights leader with a talk from Danielle Brown. Brown is a member of GIVEN Institute’s Advisory Council and the associate director of the ad hoc Committee Against Racism at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
On Tuesday, January 16, a powerful Christ in the City documentary is scheduled for 6 p.m. in Butler Auditorium of the Gary Tharaldson School of Business on campus. A full day of engagement continues for Community Learning Day Wednesday, 10 a.m., in Founders Hall featuring keynote speaker Father Philip Bochanski presenting “A Radical Invitation: Identity, Love, and Vocation.” The day continues with a panel discussion followed by breakout sessions after lunch. Life and Dignity Week culminates on Friday, January 19 with the national March for Life in Washington, D.C. Approximately 160 University of Mary students will board four buses to make the 60-hour round trip for that highly anticipated annual event. Coinciding with the national event, back on campus, there will be an Hour of Prayer for Life at 10 a.m. in Our Lady of the Word Chapel.
Anyone who wishes to learn more about the University of Mary can do so at www.umary.edu or by contacting an admissions representative at enroll@umary.edu, or by calling (701) 355-8030. The University of Mary is one of only 15 Recommended Cardinal Newman Society Residential Colleges and Universities in the US.
About the University of Mary: True to its motto “lumen vitae”—The Light of Life—the University of Mary offers education for the whole of life through cutting-edge professional programs and graduate programs animated by moral courage and leadership in chosen professions and service to the community. A private, co-educational Catholic institution, the University of Mary welcomes students of all faiths and backgrounds.
A Christian, Catholic, Benedictine institution founded in 1959 by the Benedictine Sisters of Annunciation Monastery, Mary offers nearly 60 bachelor’s, 18 master’s, and five doctoral programs—in Business Administration, Education, Nursing Practice, Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy. The 20-sport Athletic Department adheres to its Greatness Through Virtue mission under the governance of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA), and the USA College Clay Target League. With more than 3,800 students, Mary has locations in North Dakota, Montana, Arizona, Rome, Italy, as well as vibrant online offerings.