TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — Some students at Northeastern State University are now able to hone their Cherokee language skills on new Apple computers, thanks to a contribution received through the Cherokee Nation.
Liana Marquis of Richardson, Texas, contributed four Apple laptop computers valued at $4,000 to the Cherokee Nation Education Corporation with the stipulation that they be used for the Cherokee Education Language degree program at NSU. Marquis is a private citizen who has made several past contributions to the Cherokee Nation.
“In the last decade the preservation of our language has been seen as the top priority of our tribe,” said Kimberlie Gilliland, executive director of CNEC. “The language is often regarded as a foundation upon which culture and values have been built and will continue to develop into the future.”
The biggest advantage for a Cherokee language learner is that every Apple computer sold since 2002 already has the Cherokee language font installed on it. Because the computers have the ability to type and display the Cherokee syllabary, they are a natural match for the NSU students, according to Gilliland. The computers will be available for check-out by the NSU Cherokee language program students.
Through her contributions Marquis has also created the Marquis Award, a recurring award intended for a Cherokee Nation citizen who is bilingual and is a non-traditional student in the NSU Cherokee Language degree program.
“We are very proud to acknowledge Liana Marquis for her ongoing support of the Cherokee Nation Educational Corporation’s language initiatives,” said Gilliland.
The CNEC is a 501c3 non-profit corporation chartered under Cherokee Nation whose mission is to provide educational assistance to citizens of the tribe and to revitalize the language, culture and history of the Cherokee people through grants and projects. CNEC also administers higher education scholarships for Cherokee Nation citizens in a variety of fields of study. The CNEC accepts contributions from both individuals and businesses to further its educational endeavors.
For more information about the CNEC, please contact Gilliland at (918) 207-6911 or visit http://cnec.cherokee.org.