Sunny Day Real Bird has a story about her first day of grad school at the University of Oregon. She remembers seeing the sprawling campus and not having the least idea where her first class was.
“I parked my car and just started crying. I thought, ‘Why didn’t I go to orientation?’”
That memory drives her vision to provide a safe haven for Native students at Montana State University Billings where Real Bird serves as the director of the Native American Achievement Center. A comfy leather couch, a large photograph of Chief Plenty Coups and a framed print of a colorful painting by Kevin Red Star all bring a cozy, home-like atmosphere to the campus center on Normal Avenue.
