Sam Curley Named Native American Outreach Services Coordinator

Sam Curley Named Native American Outreach Services Coordinator

Sam Curley, past president of the Utah Coalition for the Advancement of Minorities in Higher Education, has been named the new Native American Outreach Services Coordinator for Utah State University.

Prior to coming to Utah State Sam served as assistant director of the START Center at Westminster College in Salt Lake City. The START Center provides services such as academic advising, placement testing and registration. Curley has served on the Diversity Advisory Committee of the State Board of Regents, as an academic advisor at Salt Lake Community College and as an administrative assistant in the Native American program at San Juan College in Farmington, New Mexico. He is currently pursuing a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Change with an emphasis in Native American issues in higher education through The Fielding Graduate Institute.

"I am delighted to have someone with the qualifications and experience of Sam Curley to help with our recruitment and retention efforts of Native Americans," said Juan N. Franco, vice-president of student services at Utah State. "We wanted someone who could work well with our students, and I believe Sam will excel in this area."

As the Outreach Coordinator, Curley will work to advance the recruitment and retention of Native American students at Utah State and do outreach work to Native American communities. Retention activities will include advising the Native American student club, coordinating cultural activities and keeping students involved with multicultural and mainstream student support programs.

"I am thrilled to be at Utah State and for the opportunity to work with Native American students and the community," Curley said.

"Utah State serves an important and significant Native American population in the state and the Intermountain region," Franco said. "We want to attract and graduate the top Native American students in the region and this position will help us do that. As a land grant institution, we have an obligation to reach out to all segments of our population."