Page 15 - 2024 October

HERITAGE UNIVERSITY SITE VISIT REPORT (2)
Upon arrival, we were greeted by David Wise, Vice President of External Affairs at Heritage University. David arranged for Heritage University Student Ambassadors to give our group tours of campus. We split into two smaller groups and started on a 60-minute walking tour of campus. Their Student Ambassadors managed to visit most of the academic and auxiliary buildings on campus. Many buildings are new construction after a fire destroyed the oldest buildings on campus in 2012. The Native American student center was busy with a class during our visit.
President Andrew Sund welcomes us to Heritage.
After the tours, we reconvened in the Patricia Wade Temple/Barnhill Fireside Room and were treated to a delicious lunch and conversations with their Johnson Foundation Scholars and Heritage Community members. We received an official welcome from President Andrew Sund. Heritage University announced last summer that President Sund will retire in June 2025. President Sund shared thanks for the partnership with JSF and highlighted the programs successes. He shared the mission of Heritage University, which was founded to provide quality education to the Yakama Nation and other communities. He discussed the
Johnson Scholarship Foundation’s (JSF) significant contributions to Heritage University since 2009. He shared how Malcolm Macleod proposed converting the funding at Heritage to an endowment scholarship, which led to a matching endowment
campaign that raised needed funding for Native American students in business and accounting.
After providing a brief history of the Johnson Scholarship Foundation, Bobby Krause thanked our hosts for their hospitality. The foundation’s work is facilitated through partnerships with institutions like Heritage University, which help reach and support students. JSF’s partnerships are crucial for achieving our mission, and the foundation is grateful for the support of institutions like Heritage University.
Dr. Maxine Janis, former Johnson Scholarship Foundation Program Coordinator, came back to campus to spend time with us and share the JSF has made on the Native American Community at Heritage. The university has created economic mobility for these students, providing them with opportunities for growth and success.
Dr. Maxine Janis speaks during lunch.
Education / A Powerful force for change Page 13