Maintaining an identity at a university as large as Penn State is difficult for most students. When others are ignorant of your heritage, as is true with American Indians, holding on to that culture becomes even more challenging.

For American Indians to keep their traditions while studying at the University, Penn State must do more than just recruit. It must create an environment in which the students can take advantage of the opportunities offered without relinquishing their culture.

At Penn State, American Indians are grouped together as one people, despite the more than 250 different languages and cultures that exist. The small number of American Indians at Penn State makes the task of maintaining culture especially difficult.

American Indians at Penn State have experienced everything from harassment to covert racism -- stereotypes and insensitive actions that stem from ignorance. Many American Indians do not celebrate Thanksgiving and Columbus Day. Understanding why comes from including this different perspective in courses, seminars and workshops.

Funding often causes problems with merely bringing American Indians to universities. Penn State recruits American Indians to study here but the students often do not have enough money and resources to survive.

Some University programs do work to teach American Indians skills that can help them if they choose to return to a reservation. Two graduate programs are specifically designed for American Indians: the American Indian Leadership Program and the American Indian Special Education Teacher Training Program.

On the student level, the Native American Indian Student Association is a support group of about 15 people that strives to create a balance between native culture and life at the University. The group attracts speakers, holds traditional meals and tries to attend pow-wows -- celebrations involving music and dance.

At a University where "diversity" has become a common catchword, part of attaining that diversity includes helping students to take advantage of opportunities while maintaining their own distinct culture.