UCO NASA Makes Valentines Day Bouquets

The University of Central Oklahoma Native American Student Association (NASA) held a free Flower Bouquet Making Workshop in the Nigh University Center on Feb. 11, from 5-7 p.m., for this Valentine’s season.

UCO’s NASA met in the Clara Luper Room, number 312, to teach students how to create bouquets using various floral arrangements sourced from Trader Joe’s, said Alisa Gramm, Vice President and Social Chair of NASA.

Gramm said that the event was intended to provide those who do not have the resources to give flowers to others or are not expecting flowers for Valentine’s Day a chance to do so, while spending quality time with their fellow students.

According to Gramm, attendees started by picking out three assorted flowers and three foliage pieces for their bouquets, and used rubber bands to secure them in place once arranged. Different colors of tissue paper and ribbon were also provided to wrap the arrangements in to add a personal touch. They also provided those who attended with Valentine-themed snacks and drinks to enjoy while making the bouquets, said Gramm.

“A lot of the time we can touch on a lot of pretty heavy topics…Native history in general in the United States…so I thought this [event] would be…a fun way to bring people together”, said Gramm.

According to Riley McClain, President of NASA, not long after the event started, they were quickly wiped out of flowers and switched gears to making Valentine’s cards instead. The cards the attendees made will be a community service opportunity for students to hand out to local senior citizens who are independently living at Spanish Cove in Yukon, a retirement village where Gramm does clinical care for classes at UCO.

“Most of them live on their own…a lot of them don’t have family that live pretty close, so I thought that would be a good way for students to get community service hours, as well as a good way to give back to the community…that would really appreciate it,” said Gramm.

In light of recent events like ICE raids in the US, and Missing and the Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) crisis Oklahoma is currently facing, Gramm and McClain say they wanted to provide not just Native American students, but all students, a light-hearted and easy-going evening.

“We’re here to show that Native students have a support system and that they are meant to be here…we want the students to know that they are seen and heard to the University and by the University,” Said McClain.

At the end of February NASA is having an event hosted by the 2025-2026 Miss Native UCO, Amira Newson, in collaboration with the UCO Hispanic American Student Association (HASA) called Know Your Rights, where they will be educating the student population about what their rights are, as the US faces ICE operations that not only effect the Hispanic population but the Native population as well, said Gramm.

NASA is an organization at the University of Central Oklahoma whose mission is to bring together the Native students on campus and to educate and bring awareness to different topics and issues while collaborating with Native students from different tribes, said Gramm.

The next event NASA will be holding is a Meat Pie Fundraiser and Voter Registration tabling event Wed., Feb. 18, to raise funds for their 52nd Annual powwow Sat., April 4, at the Hamilton Field House. This is a free entry and free dinner event open to the public, provided by the Oklahoma City Powwow Club.

NASA’s next general body meeting will be held Wed., Feb. 25, from 5-6:30 p.m in NUC 312. NASA will also be hosting an Indian Taco Sale tabling event on March 11. to raise additional funds for the April powwow.

To find out more about the University of Central Oklahoma Native American Association events, monthly newsletter, and powwows, visit the NASA UCore, see their Instagram page @uconasa, or contact Riley McClain, President, at rmcclain8@uco.edu or Anna Lakin, Special Events, at alakin1@uco.edu.