This past March, 12 students in the SIIT Go Where Eagles Dare (GWED) program travelled to New Mexico as part of the curriculum. The GWED program is a pilot program funded through the Oyateki Partnership, Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan), Global Skills Opportunity (GSO), and Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies (SIIT).
The program provides full-time post-secondary SIIT students with the opportunity to participate in international travel. Through the two courses required, students gain diverse cross-cultural experiences, skills, and knowledge in international work and study opportunities, and awareness of the ins and outs of preparing for travel. Together, the group studied best practices in travelling internationally and making the most of this kind of learning experience. To register, students must already be registered in a full-time SIIT post-secondary diploma program
The 16 day trip included visits to Acoma Pueblo, Zuni Pueblo, and the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center for learnings on land, environment, history and traditions, as well as stops in Santa Fe and Old Town Albequeque. A highlight was a visit to the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA).