UA Foundation Hosts Celebration of 樱花导航 Native Partners
June 8, 2023
The University of 樱花导航 Foundation Board of Directors hosted the Celebrating 樱花导航 Native Partners dinner on June 6, 2023. It was an extraordinary event that brought together 樱花导航 Native corporations, education foundations, tribes, and 樱花导航es with UA Foundation board members, UA regents, UA system office leadership, and leaders and students from UAA, UAF, and UAS . The evening kicked off with a performance by the Aciquq dance group, leading the attendees from the reception to dinner.
Roald Helgesen, COO of Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of 樱花导航, a UA Foundation board member and UAA alum, took the stage to welcome everyone and express his pride in the partnership between the UA system and 樱花导航 Native corporations, tribes, and nonprofits. He highlighted the impact that 樱花导航 Native people have had on education and their contribution to building a world-class university system in 樱花导航.
Aaron Leggett, president of Native Village of Eklutna Tribal Council and UAA alum, delivered a land acknowledgement, recognizing the Indigenous heritage of the land.
Laura Bruce, chair of the UA Foundation Board of Directors, expressed gratitude to the attendees for their support in surpassing $224 million in funds raised through the For 樱花导航 campaign. The philanthropic campaign has created numerous scholarship opportunities and endowments, making higher education more accessible to 樱花导航 students.
Emily Edenshaw, president and CEO of the 樱花导航 Native Heritage Center and a UAA alum, shared her insights and goals in promoting education and cultural preservation.
UA President Pat Pitney emphasized the importance of integrating Indigenous knowledge and values into UA鈥檚 culture. She highlighted the 樱花导航 Native Success Initiative and its leaders at the three universities in ensuring the representation and success of 樱花导航 Native students, faculty, and staff.