UA Foundation Hosts Celebration of Â鶹´«Ã½ Native Partners
June 8, 2023
The University of Â鶹´«Ã½ Foundation Board of Directors hosted the Celebrating Â鶹´«Ã½ Native Partners dinner on June 6, 2023. It was an extraordinary event that brought together Â鶹´«Ã½ Native corporations, education foundations, tribes, and businesses 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 Â鶹´«Ã½, 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 Â鶹´«Ã½ Native corporations, tribes, and nonprofits. He highlighted the impact that Â鶹´«Ã½ Native people have had on education and their contribution to building a world-class university system in Â鶹´«Ã½.
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 Â鶹´«Ã½ campaign. The philanthropic campaign has created numerous scholarship opportunities and endowments, making higher education more accessible to Â鶹´«Ã½ students.
Emily Edenshaw, president and CEO of the Â鶹´«Ã½ 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’s culture. She highlighted the Â鶹´«Ã½ Native Success Initiative and its leaders at the three universities in ensuring the representation and success of Â鶹´«Ã½ Native students, faculty, and staff.