Cornel Pewewardy

Dr. Cornel Pewewardy (Comanche-Kiowa) is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Central Oklahoma, Professor-of-Practice at the University of Kansas, Professor Emeritus in Indigenous Nations Studies at Portland State University and former Vice-Chair of the Comanche Nation. He has a profound belief in the power of Indigenous education and in the power of higher education and has dedicated his life’s work to bringing those two forces together to improve both.

Pewewardy retired in 2017 from Portland State University, where he served as Director and Professor of the Indigenous Nations Studies Program. Prior to joining Portland State University, he taught at the University of Kansas and was a five-time recipient of the Big XII Outstanding American Indian Faculty of the Year Award; served as the first academic dean of Comanche Nation College; and founded two transformational, award-winning public magnet schools in Saint Paul, Minnesota and founder of the Comanche Academy Charter School in Lawton, Oklahoma.

Pewewardy began his career in education as an elementary teacher and principal on the Navajo Reservation in New Mexico. He is a founding member of the National Association for Multicultural Education, which brings together individuals from all academic levels and disciplines and from diverse educational institutions who have an interest in multicultural education and social justice education.

Throughout his career, Pewewardy has been honored extensively for his practitioner scholarship recently being named Northeastern State University’s 2025 Distinguished Alumni, inducted to the 2024 Oklahoma Educators Hall of Fame, 2024 Outstanding Role Model Award at the Oklahoma Native American Students in Higher Education Conference, 2023 Scholar of the Year Award by the Oklahoma Political Science Association, 2022 National Indian Education Association Lifetime Achievement Award for his commitment, dedication and service to students, communities and Native Education, 2022 Alumni Fellow Award from Pennsylvania State University, 2021 National Conference on Race and Ethnicity Suzan Shown Harjo Systemic Social Justice Award, 2021 Educator of the Year for the Oklahoma Council on Indian Education, 2019 AARP Oklahoma Indian Elder Honors Award, 2017 Oregon Indian Educator of the Year, 2016 Portland State University John Eliot Allen Outstanding Teaching Award, 2011 NAME Carl A. Grant Multicultural Research Award, and 2011 Portland State University’s President’s Diversity Award. Professor Pewewardy was named the 2001 W.T. Kemper Fellowship for Teaching Excellence at the University of Kansas. He is a 5-time winner of the Big XII Outstanding Indian Faculty of the Year Award while at the University of Kansas.

Presenting the Transformational Indigenous Praxis Model for almost three decades at professional conferences across the U.S., Dr. Pewewardy has applied his theoretical model to the work of educational practice, primarily using case studies with Indigenous learners, systems and structures in efforts to nurture Indigenous epistemologies and ontologies for creating educational space for Indigenous self-determination. Co-editor of the recent published book (2022) with Teachers College Press, “Unsettling Settler-Colonial Education” provides a sweeping portrait of evidence-based case studies and emerging praxis toward decolonizing structures in education. 

Pewewardy remains locally engaged by generating a critical pedagogy of Indigenous community based on Indigenous knowledge. He discusses strategies for community to inform, heal, uplift, and raise critical consciousness. Dr. Pewewardy continues to serve his career through professional associations being the Founder of Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Lawton (OK); Founder of the Comanche Academy Charter School (Lawton, OK); Founding Board Member of the National Association for Multicultural Education; Board Member for American Civil Liberties Union-Oklahoma; First Americans Museum Knowledge Keepers (OKC); Advisory Council for the Native American Gallery-Oklahoma History Museum (OKC); Red Earth Board Member; Jacobson Foundation (ex-officio); Southwest Center for Human Relations Studies Executive Committee (OK); Oklahoma Indian Legal Services Board and the American Indian Studies Advisory Board, Arizona State University. He is on the editorial boards of Tribal College and University Research Journal; Wicazo Sa’ Review: Journal of Native American Studies; Multicultural Perspectives; and Multicultural Magazine.