"Today's Native American Indian"

Marguerite Arai Cantu, Southern Ute, Chiracaua Apache, Eastern Cherokee

She is a Colorado Springs Pioneer Family member and a Great Grandfather born a slave.  Marguerite is Senior Instructor Emerita, Department of Communication, UCCS, where she was Course Director for both Interpersonal and Intercultural Communication. At UCCS she also served as Director of Student Multicultural Affairs, and Faculty Advisor to AISES (American Indian Science & Engineering Soc.) and Native American Student Assoc. She participated in two Faculty Development Seminars with CIEE (Council for International Education Exchange) in South Africa, Tibet and Beijing, China.

  Awards: 2008 – UCCS Culturally Responsive Teacher

                  2009 – UCCS Faculty Award for Diversity & Inclusiveness

                  2010 – CIEE Scholarship to Faculty Development Seminar – Tibet

Community involvement includes: former Board member Colorado Springs Indian Center, C0-Chair Native American Advisory Council - El Pomar (Emerging Leadership Development Program), Graduate – Community Leadership Program, Center for Creative Leadership 2004.

Cantu retired from teaching in 2016 and continues to present workshops on Intercultural Communication and Contemporary Native Culture. 

She is a proud grandmother to the “Fabulous Four” and a 22 year colon cancer survivor.

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