Salt Lake City – While the campus buzzes about the upcoming football clash with BYU, a quieter but deeply meaningful tradition is taking shape for the University of Utah’s Indigenous student body. “Lanes of Learning,” a weekly bowling gathering hosted in the student‑union alley, provides a space where Native American students can build relationships, share stories, and receive mentorship from the university’s Elder‑in‑Residence.
Creating a home away from home
For many of the nearly 200 students who identify as Native American, the event feels like a family gathering. Freshman Devinity Tauaalo recalled his uncertainty about college life before the Native Excellence Team welcomed him. “I wasn’t sure where I was going to go. And then the native excellence team, they kind of like made it feel like home, made it feel welcoming, and that kind of drew me in,” he said.
First‑year student Lance Baker echoed that sentiment, describing the bonds formed on campus as “brothers and sisters.” “I like finding your family here; it’s pretty easy. I connected with these guys in the first couple weeks, and they’re like my brothers and sisters right now,” he explained.
Leadership and cultural pride
Joy Grant Bullethead, the university’s Elder‑in‑Residence, helped launch the bowling nights after recognizing the need for informal spaces where culture and tradition could thrive. “To be able to bring culture and tradition to enlighten the students here, along with the community about the Ute nation,” she said.
Bullethead, an avid bowler herself, joked about the pressure of the alley, but emphasized the deeper purpose. “You put the pressure on me!” she laughed, noting that the real pressure many students feel is the challenge of navigating a new environment while pursuing a degree.
Student voices on campus life
Junior architecture student Tefler Holiday described the community as “tight‑knit” and a vital part of his college experience. “We’re all really tight‑knit, and it’s a really great place to be if you’re trying to feel that home away from home,” he said.
The university’s commitment to fostering an Indigenous community extends beyond the bowling alley. Programs such as the Native Excellence Team, cultural workshops, and mentorship opportunities aim to support students from reservations in Arizona, Colorado, Utah, and surrounding areas who chose the University of Utah for its strong Indigenous presence.
Looking ahead
As Native American Heritage Month continues, the university plans to expand “Lanes of Learning” with additional cultural events, guest speakers, and collaborative projects that highlight Ute traditions. Administrators hope the growing sense of belonging will translate into higher retention and graduation rates for Indigenous students.
“I’m really happy that a school has recognized the tribe and really relate to what Ute means to the Ute people, our people,” Bullethead said, underscoring the importance of institutional acknowledgment and support.
For students like Tauaalo, Baker, and Holiday, the bowling alley has become more than a recreational space—it is a venue where friendships are forged, cultural pride is celebrated, and the university’s promise of an inclusive education is lived out each week.
Original reporting: FOX 13 KSTU (Salt Lake County) — read the source article.
