UA Foundation Hosts Celebration of ½ûÂþÌìÌÃNative Partners
June 8, 2023
The University of ½ûÂþÌìÌÃFoundation Board of Directors hosted the Celebrating Alaska Native Partners dinner on June 6, 2023. It was an extraordinary event that brought together ½ûÂþÌìÌÃNative 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 Alaska, 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 ½ûÂþÌìÌÃNative corporations, tribes, and nonprofits. He highlighted the impact that ½ûÂþÌìÌÃNative people have had on education and their contribution to building a world-class university system in Alaska.
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 ½ûÂþÌìÌÃcampaign. The philanthropic campaign has created numerous scholarship opportunities and endowments, making higher education more accessible to ½ûÂþÌìÌÃstudents.
Emily Edenshaw, president and CEO of the ½ûÂþÌìÌÃNative 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 ½ûÂþÌìÌÃNative Success Initiative and its leaders at the three universities in ensuring the representation and success of ½ûÂþÌìÌÃNative students, faculty, and staff.