Facilities - Center for Native American Studies

The home of the Center for Native American Studies is Whitman Hall. Whitman also houses NMU's School of Education, Leadership and Public Service, the Modern Languages and Literatures Department, the College of Health Sciences and Professional Studies, and the Charter School program. A number of education, foreign language and Native American studies classes are also held here.

The Whitman Commons area within Whitman is a large, open space perfect for comfortable studying or small- to mid-size gatherings. The commons area features a prominent display of flags representing the nine tribes of the Upper Peninsula and upper Midwest region.

The center houses a resource room full of books, DVDs, CDs, cassette recordings and documents that is available for use by the campus community and the public.

The grounds of Whitman Hall feature a fire site in a peaceful, wooded area for educational, cultural, and social outdoor gatherings.

It was built in the summer of 2003, and in 2005, benches were placed at the site. They are placed in the four directions (east, south, west, north) and upon each  is a wood burning of a particular clan of the Anishinaabe (drawings were done by then student, Pamela Abel). 2024 saw the completion of a pavilion over the fire site built by NMU construction management senior project program. 

Faculty, staff, students and community groups can request use of the fire site by completing the fire site use form.