A Citizen Potawatomi Nation leadership program that helps participants establish and maintain a strong connection to their Potawatomi heritage is now accepting applications. For the fifth year, the Department of Education will host Mdamen. The application period opened on Oct. 1 and closes Dec. 1.

Mdamen comes from the Bodéwadmimwen (Potawatomi language) word for corn and translates as “that miraculous seed.” Education Department Internship and Project Coordinator Kym Coe said the goal of the program is to plant seeds of knowledge that will grow over time among Potawatomi people.

The nine-week virtual program was created to connect Tribal members, no matter where they live, Coe said.

“We are very excited to see people passionate about learning their culture. Every year, we have participants walk away sharing with their family to join the next year,” Coe said.

Education Department Director Rachel Watson agreed families can all share the experience.

“Mdamen is a special program to me; the first year we offered it was also the year I joined the department. My dad, and by extension my mom and sister, learned a lot about the Nation by signing up that first year. He was surprised by how much there was to learn even for him, since he lived close to headquarters and our family went to Festival as often as we could,” they said.

Once a week, participants will join a Zoom meeting to learn about government, culture and the economic development of the Tribe. Each session will touch on a different theme, from social services to economic development to culture and heritage. The program also includes smaller talking circles and breakout sessions with other CPN members. Mdamen concludes with a reflection session over what each participant learned.

Mdamen is modeled after the successful Potawatomi Leadership Program that is geared toward college-age Tribal members who are exploring their heritage. Tribal members asked if a similar program could be created for them after seeing the PLP’s success, and Mdamen was launched. The virtual format allows those who want to learn more about their Potawatomi roots to participate, even if they are unable to travel to CPN headquarters near Shawnee, Oklahoma.

Coe said Mdamen will follow a similar format to the inaugural program in 2022. Participants must commit to attending each virtual session and preparing a final reflection presentation. She said past participants are eager to share their positive experiences.

“They’ve said things like, ‘I wish I would have done this sooner,’ or ‘I will get all of my family to join next year,’ and ‘This was a beautiful experience, and it was the start of my journey in finding my heritage.’ Many of them now have Potawatomi names and have been exploring how to become more involved,” Coe said.

Previous participant Zach Crumbo recently shared with a group how Mdamen changed his perspective.

“I could not be more grateful for the experience. There are a lot of people who are dispersed across the country who didn’t grow up with a strong connection to their Potawatomi kin and were looking for that at a later point in their lives,” he said. “I was so overwhelmed with the welcome and the kindness. And feeling that I was a part of this community is one of the most powerful experiences of my life. I can’t fully communicate how meaningful it has been for me, how much it has changed the way that I perceive myself.”

“Having watched the final reflections every year, I’ve gotten to see so many people grow and develop their connection with the Tribe,” Watson said. “In turn, I believe that the Nation has also grown. Mdamen alumni have suggested new programing for the Nation, produced new resources for Tribal members and worked to create a community of Citizen Potawatomi that supports each other and the Nation virtually. We have so many notable alumni and stories; each person is touched in a unique way and carries forward that miraculous seed.”

The program can spark an ongoing journey of learning more about Potawatomi heritage and create a network of support.

“They feel more connected after completing this program. Most have shared it’s a beginning to their journey. They don’t have anything to lose by joining, and they get to join a beautiful community,” Coe said.

“In only four classes, it’s amazing that we’ve already seen such transformation in what we can offer our Tribal members. Participants really learn to embrace what it means for us to all be family and part of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation,” Watson said.

Mdamen is open to Tribal members 18 and up. The deadline to apply is Dec. 1, 2025. Applications are reviewed by an independent committee. The sessions begin on Jan. 8, 2026, and continue each Thursday from 6-8:30 p.m. CST. The final session is March 5, 2026.

Learn more and apply at portal.potawatomi.org.
Email [email protected] with questions and for more information.