Revitalizing Myaamia language, culture, and traditions

Kara Strass ’11

Director of Miami Tribe Relations, Miami University

MAJOR: BIOLOGY

In 2016, Kara Strass ’11 joined the Myaamia Center as a graduate assistant while pursuing her master’s degree in Student Affairs in Higher Education (SAHE) at Miami University. After graduating in 2018, Kara joined the Myaamia Center staff. In January 2020, Strass formally transitioned into the role of Director of Miami Tribe Relations, where she is responsible for strengthening the relationship between the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma and Miami University, as well as for providing advising and support to Myaamia students.

Originally from Huntington, Indiana, Strass attended the University of Notre Dame and graduated in 2011 with a bachelor’s in biological sciences. After graduation, she joined the Orr Fellowship, which places recent graduates in start-up companies in Indiana. In her time in the fellowship, she worked at BioConvergence (now Singota Solutions) as a Project Manager for clients working on pharmaceutical development.

Strass’ involvement in the Native American Student Association at Notre Dame impacted how she thought about support for Native American students on college campuses, eventually leading her to the SAHE program at Miami. Her graduate studies focused on Student Development Theory and how to apply these theories to make Myaamia students successful in their college endeavors. Her work at the Myaamia Center includes serving as a liaison between the Miami Tribe and Miami University, providing education and outreach to the broader Miami University community, and planning for programs including National Breath of Life Workshops and the Myaamiaki Conference.