SOP Student Featured Artist for University’s American Indian Heritage Month

Michelle Madwolf, fourth-year student pharmacist and member of the Comanche nation, is recognized by the University for her artwork depicting American Indian culture and traditions.

By Malissa Carroll
November 19, 2012

American Indian Heritage Month is observed every November in the United States to pay tribute to the rich ancestry and traditions of American Indians. To honor this and other heritage months throughout the year, the Office of Interprofessional Student Learning and Service Initiatives (ISLSI) at the University of Maryland selects a featured artist whose work is displayed at an intimate art exhibition and reception in the Southern Management Corporation (SMC) Campus Center. This year, Michelle Madwolf, a fourth-year student pharmacist and member of the Comanche nation, was selected as the featured artist for American Indian Heritage Month.

Madwolf is the first UM student to be chosen for this honor.

“It’s so interesting to see all that our students have to offer,” says Courtney Jones, director of ISLSI. “Michelle’s work is very rich in culture and displays some very positive aspects of American Indian customs. I think that it’s wonderful for us as a University to have this opportunity to celebrate her as well as her culture.”

Madwolf has been active in the American Indian community as a participant in the “The Longest Walk,” an event that began in 1978 to raise awareness about native rights and features participants walking from the west coast to the east coast of the United States over the course of several months. She also achieved the rank of ensign in the Commissioned Officer Student Training Extern Program (COSTEP) operated by Indian Health Service, the federal health program for American Indians and Alaska Natives, and recently completed a summer pharmacy assignment at the Tohono O’odham Reservation in Arizona.

“Being an American Indian is who I am. It’s something that is ingrained in my blood,” says Madwolf. “There is a sense of pride in my heritage, which I try to show through my artwork. My work allows me to hold on to that connection to my heritage even though I live on the East Coast away from my tribe in Oklahoma.”

Though her early work focused on the challenges of the native community, including identity issues and the struggle to hold on to her cultural heritage, Madwolf’s recent pieces reflect the importance of instilling traditional values in American Indian youth.

“I like to focus on natural subjects – things in wood, nature, and the small details that I think are often overlooked,” says Madwolf. “Much of my inspiration comes from stories my mom has told me, and different American Indian legends and beliefs about nature.”

Madwolf’s work has been featured in a number of art exhibitions, including the Baltimore Museum of Art’s Young Artists Show, the Three Generations Art Show in Fells Point, the Constellation Energy Art Show, the Maryland Board of Education’s Exhibit at Greenwood, and the Community College of Baltimore County’s Gallery for Gifted and Talented. She also received first place for her entry at the International Show held at the Baltimore Convention Center.

“I’ve been featured in a lot of exhibitions over the years, but it’s a great honor to be recognized by the university that I attend,” says Madwolf. “I’m grateful to be representing the native community, and I hope this exhibit will spark interest in issues facing natives today.”

The exhibition and reception to showcase Madwolf’s work was held on Nov. 1, in the SMC Campus Center and featured a keynote address by her mother MJ Madwolf, a nationally known native rights activist, entitled “Contemporary Concerns of Natives Today.” Madwolf’s work will remain on display throughout the month of November.

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