Native and Indigenous Student Coalition Promotes Culture and Community at UC Merced

November marks Native American Heritage Month - a time to celebrate, honor and amplify Indigenous traditions and histories. At UC Merced, the student-led Native and Indigenous Student Coalition has become a powerful source of community and cultural pride since its founding in 2012.

At the center of this movement are student leaders such as Chance Zucco, president of NISC, and Marissa Bigfeather-Garcia, the group's vice president. Both are dedicated to uplifting Indigenous representation and belonging on campus.

"My main motivator to join NISC was to get in touch with other Indigenous students on campus and support each other,"said Zucco, a member of the Lone Pine Paiute-Shoshone Tribe of California. "I feel like I'm always smiling when I'm with the club."

After the challenges of the pandemic, NISC made a strong comeback in 2023, reaffirming its mission to celebrate Native identity through events, cultural education and advocacy. The organization continues to expand its impact, from hosting traditional food offerings to organizing programs that highlight Indigenous perspectives and history.

"Native American Heritage Month is about supporting Indigenous communities, learning about our history and our culture," Zucco said. "It's about honoring the people, the languages and the traditions we have lost. It's about teaching people who we really are and the history they weren't taught."

Bigfeather-Garcia, a member of the Cherokee Nation from Oklahoma, shared that NISC has been instrumental in deepening her connection to her roots.

"Although I wasn't always confident in embracing my Native heritage, I've come to recognize how important it is to acknowledge this part of who I am and how meaningful it is to celebrate being Indigenous," she said.

Bigfeather-Garcia noted that though UC Merced's Indigenous student population is made up of less than 20 students, that strengthens her commitment to visibility.

"It can be frustrating to want progress and feel as though it's slow to come, but I'm determined to be part of that change," she said. "I joined NISC to use my voice in support of our small yet strong Indigenous community - one that I am very proud to represent."

She honors her heritage through family powwows, traditional beading and the use of Cherokee language in everyday life. One of her most cherished memories is receiving a symbolic feather from her mother at her high school graduation - an intergenerational tradition of honoring milestones.

"The feather holds deep significance for us not only because of our Indigenous heritage, but also because it reflects our family name, Bigfeather," she said.

At UC Merced, Bigfeather-Garcia found her sense of belonging through NISC. That feeling inspired her to help organize the 2025 Resilience in Native Student Empowerment Conference, which welcomed new Native students to campus with workshops, community-building and traditional Indian fry bread tacos served in collaboration with the Pavilion.

"As a first-year student adjusting to a new environment and living away from home for the first time, that sense of belonging made a tremendous difference," she said.

Looking ahead, she hopes to continue giving back to Indigenous communities through a career in art therapy.

"My Indigenous roots influence my future goals in my career and community work," she said. "I want to work with Native individuals in areas that are much-needed - potentially on Indian reservations in Oklahoma, where my tribe originates."

To learn more about NISC meetings and events throughout the year, follow the group on social media.

Alyssa Johansen