Kevin Leonard, Interim Director
The Native American Institute (NAI) was founded in October 1981 with the mission to help Tribal Nations, Native communities, Indigenous organizations, businesses, and Native partners on and off campus plan and prepare to meet the current and future needs of their communities. Through this time period, Michigan tribes achieved significant advances in their community and economic development. The NAI has worked to provide assistance and add value to these community development efforts wherever and whenever possible.
NAI supports campus and community collaboration and provides opportunities for faculty, staff, students and the public to learn about issues facing American Indians and Indigenous peoples. Through these efforts, NAI promotes sovereignty, self-determination, preservation of Anishinaabeg culture and language, traditional knowledge, capacity building, leadership and well-being as defined by Tribal Nations and Indigenous partners across the state. In alignment with our mission and core values, the NAI supports collaborative scholarship and programming for Tribal Nations, Native communities, Indigenous organizations, businesses, and Native partners on and off campus.
For more information, visit https://nai.msu.edu, email nai@msu.edu, or call 1-517-353-6632. NAI is housed on the Garden Level, Kellogg Center.