Page 13 - 2024 May report

GONZAGA UNIVERSITY GRADUATION WEEKEND REPORT
MAY 9-11, 2024
Johnson Scholarship Foundation attendees:
Bobby Krause, CEO
Lisa Loomis, Executive Coordinator Lady Hereford, Program Specialist
This graduation weekend was special not only for Cohort XIV of Gonzaga University’s MBA in American Indian Entrepreneurship (MBA-AIE) program, but also for the University as a whole. Angelique Albert, who graduated from Gonzaga’s MBA-AIE program in 2014 with Cohort IX, was this year’s featured speaker and honorary degree recipient for the Graduate and Doctoral ceremony. Several graduation-related events were held throughout the weekend, and JSF was invited to participate in several of them. Sherry Salway Black hoped to attend but was unable to participate for health reasons.
The weekend began with a Round Dance organized by one of the graduating MBA-AIE students, Alaina Capoeman, a member of the Quinault Indian Nation. The event was held in an open space on campus, and while it was billed as an activity for Indigenous graduates and their families, all students were welcome. An emcee for the event explained that the dance is an expressive form of celebration. Anyone in attendance could join the circle of dancers moving in unison to the traditional songs and rhythms and sung by a group of drummers representing several different tribes. Several passersby stopped to enjoy the atmosphere, and some joined the dance. Among those who stopped by were School of Business Administration Professor (and former MBA Programs Director) Dr. Mirjeta Beqiri and several students in her statistics class. Others in attendance were former MBA-AIE Program Coordinator Tina Swannack and current MBA Programs Director Dr. Becky Bull Schaefer.
The next morning, the JSF team met Joe Poss, Vice President for University Advancement, for coffee on campus at the Hemmingson Center. Joe is a graduate of Gonzaga who has worked at the University for 25 years. While much of the conversation centered around plans for JSF’s upcoming Board and Committee meetings in September, Joe also talked about the future
Drummers and singers at the Round Dance
of GU. The University’s longtime President, Dr. Thayne McCulloh, has announced he will be retiring in July 2025. His wife currently serves as head of enrollment at GU, and she will be stepping down as well. A presidential search is under way. Joe indicated that before he leaves, President McCulloh wants to develop a long-term plan for the MBA- AIE program that would ensure its success after his departure. It is likely he will discuss this in further detail when he meets with JSF in September. There was also discussion of the upcoming 25th anniversary of the program. Joe assured the JSF team that there also has been some progress toward closer relations between the Office of Tribal Relations, led by Wendy Thompson, and the MBA-AIE program. This was confirmed by Wendy in later conversations.
Later that day, the JSF team attended a lunch hosted by Wendy’s office. It was held at the Native American Cultural Center and catered by a local Indigenous food truck business. In addition to current and graduating
Wendy Thompson, Angelique Albert and Bobby Krause
Education / A Powerful force for change
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