UNCP Student Participates In National Adobe-AISES Leadership Program

Wendy Locklear, a rising senior pursuing an American Indian Studies degree at UNC Pembroke, was one of only 100 Indigenous college students nationwide selected to participate in Adobe's AISES CLOUDS program, an initiative designed to cultivate leadership opportunities and strengthen digital skills among Native students.

Supported by the Adobe Foundation and offered in partnership with the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES), the CLOUDS (Cultivating Leadership Opportunities and Uplifting Digital Skills) program provides Indigenous students with training in digital literacy, professional development and leadership. Participants completed a three-month curriculum that included earning digital credentials through Adobe products and developing collaborative projects.

Locklear, who is 47 and an enrolled member of the Coharie Tribe, was the only participant from North Carolina selected for the 2026 cohort.

“I feel privileged and humbled by the experience. The difference between me now and me four months ago is that I know I deserve to be in those spaces. I’m owning the spaces that I'm privileged to be in.”

Locklear is pursuing her second degree at UNCP and expects to graduate in spring 2027. Since earning her degree in birth–to–kindergarten education in 2005, she has built a career in public education. She began as a classroom educator before transitioning into leadership as the Indian Education director for Sampson County Schools.

Through the CLOUDS program, participants gained access to Adobe's suite of creative software and completed 12 digital badges covering topics ranging from professional branding to digital storytelling.

“Wendy’s selection for the Adobe’s AISES CLOUDS program speaks to the qualities that make her such an exceptional student and leader,” said Dr. Lawrence Locklear, director of Southeast American Indian Studies. 

“She approaches every opportunity with humility, determination and a deep commitment to serving Indigenous communities. Throughout her time at UNCP, Wendy has demonstrated that leadership is not defined by age, discipline or title, but by a willingness to learn, uplift others and create meaningful change.

“Wendy’s success illustrates the tremendous impact these programs can have, not only on individual students, but on the future of Indigenous leadership and storytelling,” Lawrence Locklear said.

One of the program's most meaningful components, Locklear said, explored Indigenous storytelling and the preservation of Native histories.

“We are an oral-history people, but so much is being lost because those stories aren't being recorded,” she said. “Learning how to integrate oral histories into digital storytelling and share them with future generations was phenomenal.”

The program culminated with a two-day visit to Adobe’s headquarters in San Diego, where students worked in teams to develop projects for AISES and presented their ideas to organizational leaders.

“It was surreal,” she said. “I was intimidated at first and didn't know what to expect, but my biggest takeaway was seeing the diversity among the employees and understanding that there is a place for all kinds of backgrounds and experiences.”

As a nontraditional student whose academic focus is outside of STEM, Locklear initially questioned whether she belonged in the program.

“I felt reluctant because I was older and not in a STEM field,” Locklear said. “But this experience taught me that leadership comes in many forms and that our voices matter.”

Throughout the program, Locklear represented both UNCP and Indigenous communities in North Carolina. She said the experience provided an opportunity to raise awareness of the Coharie Tribe while highlighting UNCP's role in supporting Indigenous students.

“Representing UNC Pembroke was outstanding,” she said. “I wanted people to know that UNCP has been influential to Indigenous communities across the nation and that we have so much to offer.”