ADA, Okla. – East Central University student and Miss Native American ECU 2026-27, Gabrielle Nucosee, was a featured panelist at the 2026 Dynamic Women of the Chickasaw Nation Conference.
Nucosee participated in the conference’s Next Generation Panel alongside University of Oklahoma student Sophie Mater and College Park High School student Landri Von Gonten.
Nucosee, a freshman at ECU, is a Chickasaw citizen and descendant of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. She is actively involved in ECU’s Native American Student Association (NASA) and is a founding member of ECU’s chapter of Gamma Delta Pi, a national sorority for First American women and the first organization of its kind at the university. Nucosee was crowned Miss Native American ECU on March 24, 2026.
The panel, moderated by Chickasaw citizen and recent graduate of Oklahoma State University, Cyndee Miller, explored issues affecting young adults, particularly First American women. Topics included overcoming barriers to success, confronting fear, navigating underestimation and embracing opportunities.
To begin the discussion, Miller asked the panel, “When you hear ‘breaking barriers, building legacies,’ what part of that feels most relevant to your life right now?”
“The part that feels most relevant to me right now is building legacies,” Nucosee said. “Recently at East Central University, I was one of the founders of Gamma Delta Pi there. By building legacies, this organization will continue on for many years after I leave ECU, and I’m very excited to see how it will grow.”
Miller later asked the panel, “How do you push past fear when trying something new? Whether that be college, careers, leadership or entrepreneurship?”
Drawing from her own experiences, Nucosee shared how embracing opportunities has helped her overcome uncertainty and build confidence.
“How I push past fear is by throwing myself into any opportunity that I get, such as being in front of all of you,” Nucosee said. “I was offered the opportunity to be on this panel, and I’m not the most comfortable public speaker. When I got this opportunity, I knew I had to take it because if I thought on it too long, I would back down. So, by taking this opportunity, this is me just jumping into it.”
“And for this title as well,” she added, indicating her Miss Native American ECU sash, “I kind of jumped into it because I knew I would get too overwhelmed. And when it came to the sorority, I was given the opportunity to help start the sorority at ECU and I jumped into that as well.”
Nucosee reinforced her message of embracing opportunities when she was asked to leave the audience with one legacy-building lesson.
“Take every opportunity that you’re given,” she said. “I’ve already mentioned the sorority, this title and being up here in front of all of you. The first time I was given this opportunity, I took it immediately, because if I had thought about it, I wouldn’t have done it. So, take every opportunity you’re given and do your best.”
In addition to Nucosee, ECU was represented by several alumni at the event as panelists, moderators and speakers, including Ashley Fish, Rita (Willis) Hart, Dr. Shondra McCage and Francine Parchcorn.
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