NSU faculty named 2017 Oklahoma Indian Educator of the Year
Published: 2016-12-08
The Oklahoma Council for Indian Education (OCIE) has named Dr. Samantha Benn-Duke as the Oklahoma Indian Educator of the Year for 2017. Benn-Duke is an assistant professor of curriculum and instruction in Northeastern State Universitys College of Education.
Of Cherokee and Muscogee Creek descent, Benn-Duke has been involved in cultural activities and events throughout her life. She has been an educator in Cherokee County for more than 25 years and earned both her bachelors degree in English education and masters degree in education with an emphasis in school administration at NSU. She also recently completed the curriculum studies doctorate program at Oklahoma State University with a cognate area of oral history.
Benn-Dukes research topics have included the education of Native students, professional development for teachers of Native students and perceptions of first-language Cherokee speakers and their school experiences.
As an educator working with pre-service teachers, Benn-Duke helps students make connections between historic events and the needs of todays children. By working with students who will become classroom teachers, she said she hopes to prepare students to meet the needs of Native children and other diverse populations in Oklahoma classrooms.
Elizabeth Reith, a senior at NSU, said that Benn-Duke is a professor that accepts nothing but the best from her students.
Dr. Benn-Duke saw potential in me that I did not see in myself, Reith said. She taught me to not set limitations for myself and to set my sights high because I can and will achieve great things.
In addition to teaching, Benn-Duke advocates for Native children and for the broader community through volunteering and activism. Her recent volunteering includes assisting at the United Indian Tribal Youth, Inc. (UNITY), spending time in local schools, and standing with the Water Protectors in North Dakota along with two colleagues.
She will present two sessions on helping non-Native educators more effectively meet the needs of Native students at the 37th Annual OCIE Conference on Dec. 12 and 13.