Northeastern is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of Oklahoma as well as one of the oldest institutions of higher learning west of the Mississippi River.[5] Tahlequah is home to the capital of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma and about 25 percent of the students at NSU identify themselves as American Indian.[6] The university has many courses focused on Native American linguistics, and offers Cherokee language Education as a major.[7] Cherokee can be studied as a second language, and some classes are taught in Cherokee for first language speakers as well.[8]