Panel: Native After VT

Caylin Stewart is a member of the Chickahominy Indian Tribe and is a 2018 Virginia Tech graduate. During her time at Tech, she supported and participated in the Native and Indigenous Communities through clubs, programming, and powwow planning. Today, she works as an associate research and development technologist where she focuses on new product development, product and process improvement, and campus recruitment. Outside of work, she enjoys gardening, DIY projects, spending time with family and friends, and volunteering at her church. Stewart’s life goal is open a community center for underrepresented and disadvantaged individuals to find resources and advance.

Jason Chavez  is a member of the Tohono O’odham tribe. He graduated from Virginia Tech with his bachelor’s degree in 2019 and his master’s degree in political science in the spring of 2020. During his time as a student, Chavez was an active member of Native at VT where he helped to organize and increase the presence of Indigenous students on campus. Chavez participated in planning the organization’s first three pow wows and was a leader in the movement to recognize Indigenous Peoples Day at Virginia Tech. Jason notes that the day the university administration voted to adopt Indigenous Peoples Day was one of his proudest; however, his fondest memories of Virginia Tech come from the many afternoons and evenings he spent in the American Indian and Indigenous Community Center, eating frybread, pretending to study, and laughing with friends.

Lee Lovelace is a member of the Upper Mattaponi tribe located in King William, Virginia. He earned his bachelors of science degree in marketing management from the Pamplin College of Business in 2009. Lee served as the President of Native at Virginia Tech as a student and after graduating he became an assistant director in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at Virginia Tech. Lovelace brought leadership to a pre-college initiative specifically for Virginia tribes and he traveled to powwows and tribal centers across Virginia to provide college information and resources to students.

Most recently, Lovelace continues to serve the tribes of Virginia in his role as Tribal Outreach Liason in the admissions office at Virginia Tech. He is helping to build upon past efforts by implementing new ideas and outreach efforts to continue to grow the Native population at Virginia Tech.

As director of the American Indian and Indigenous Community Center, Faircloth advises the Native at VT student organization, collaborates with the American Indian and Indigenous Faculty/Staff Alliance, coordinates American Indian Heritage Month events, and directs center operations.