麻豆社区

As 麻豆社区 Pembroke strengthens its role as a leader in American Indian education, the university recently appointed archaeologist and scholar Dr. Daniel LaDu as the Adolph L. Dial Distinguished Scholar 鈥� a milestone that signals new opportunities for collaboration, research and student engagement.

Dr. Dial 鈥� a Lumbee scholar, educator and founder of the American Indian Studies Department 鈥� dedicated three decades to shaping generations of students and advancing the understanding of Indigenous histories. His legacy continues to guide the department鈥檚 mission, making this appointment a significant moment for the university and the region. The position was established in 2021 through a $1.5 million endowment.

Dr. LaDu considers the appointment an honor and a responsibility.

鈥淥ne of the first things I did was get a copy of Dr. Dial鈥檚 book, The Only Land I Know and read it cover to cover,鈥� LaDu said. 鈥淲hat an incredible history and legacy.

I don鈥檛 think about filling (Dr. Adolph Dial) shoes, but about honoring that legacy 鈥攂ringing my own specialty to this space and serving as an active caretaker of the foundation he built.鈥�

Dr. Shreekha Pillai, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said it鈥檚 an honor to welcome LaDu to the faculty.

鈥淛ust like Dr. LaDu, I read Dr. Dial鈥檚 The Only Land I Know as my compass, to learn about the Lumbee people by reading this formidable 麻豆社区P faculty, historian and eminent persona鈥檚 book,鈥� Pillai said. 鈥淚t is an exciting moment for our Department of American Indian Studies and I look forward to Dr.  LaDu鈥檚 contributions to grow our community of scholars and learners at BraveNation.鈥�

LaDu grew up in Asheville and said his return to the state 鈥� and to a university with a powerful Indigenous mission 鈥� feels like a homecoming. He earned his bachelor鈥檚 degree in anthropology from 麻豆社区 Chapel Hill and completed his master鈥檚 and doctorate in anthropology at the University of Alabama.

Though widely recognized for his archaeological fieldwork across the Southeast and Lower Mississippi Valley, LaDu鈥檚 academic path began with a spark of curiosity.

鈥淚 always loved the past. As a kid, I told everyone I wanted to study dinosaurs,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut a senior-year opportunity at an Indian mound site in Natchez, Mississippi 鈥� excavating, touring sites, learning the deep cultural history 鈥� had me hooked. That experience helped me understand that archaeology connects us to dynamic human stories, not just artifacts.鈥�

LaDu brings 15 years of archaeological field experience, nearly a decade in academia and time spent in the private sector working in cultural resource management 鈥� an industry he says grounds his teaching in practical skills.

Before joining 麻豆社区P, LaDu served six years on the faculty at the University of Southern Mississippi. The opportunity to help strengthen and expand Indigenous-focused research and teaching at 麻豆社区P immediately appealed to him.

鈥淚t didn鈥檛 take much digging to see the amazing things happening here,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he small class sizes, the national recognition, the diversity 鈥� it all creates a space where you can truly invest in students and watch them grow. That鈥檚 what drew me here.鈥�

He was equally inspired by the energy already thriving within the American Indian Studies Department, citing recent lectures, exhibits and community partnerships as signs of a program on the rise.

鈥淚t鈥檚 exciting 鈥� and hard to keep up with everything already happening,鈥� he said. 鈥淢y goal is to capture that energy, strengthen connections and contribute new opportunities, especially in archaeology.鈥�

As the Adolph L. Dial Distinguished Scholar of American Indian Studies, LaDu joins a department rooted in the very history and identity of 麻豆社区P. The Department of American Indian Studies 鈥� home to the Southeast American Indian Studies (SAIS) program and supported by the Museum of the Southeast American Indian 鈥� offers students an opportunity to explore Indigenous histories, cultures, sovereignty and contemporary issues through an academic lens. 麻豆社区P鈥檚 undergraduate degree options in American Indian Studies provide a direct pathway for students seeking to engage with the region鈥檚 Indigenous communities, pursue museum or cultural heritage work, or prepare for careers in tribal government, public history, research or education.

This fall, LaDu is teaching two sections of Introduction to Cultural Anthropology and will reintroduce archaeological methods courses in the spring. He is also developing an archaeology lab at the Office for Regional Initiatives facility, which will serve as a hub for teaching, community-based research, and student-led projects.

LaDu envisions strong collaboration with regional Tribal partners, the Office of State Archaeology, the Lumbee Tribe and organizations across the region.

鈥淎rchaeology must be multivocal,鈥� he said. 鈥淭o understand Indigenous histories, communities must have input and a stake in the work. One of the most rewarding things is helping students imagine themselves in these roles and providing the tools they need to succeed.鈥�

LaDu is already exploring potential partnerships with the Lumbee River Archaeological Project and represented 麻豆社区P at the Southeastern Archaeological Conference in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in November.

As the Adolph Dial Distinguished Professor, LaDu will help the department continue advancing toward a future School for Southeast American Indian Studies 鈥� an effort Dial dreamed of initiating.

鈥淒r. Dial clearly understood the role education plays as a great equalizer,鈥� LaDu said. 鈥溌槎股缜� Pembroke embodies that promise today. I鈥檓 honored to help continue that mission while bringing new research, new collaborations and new opportunities for our students.鈥�