Willamette will promote its relationship with Oregon tribes, the Salem community and Chemawa Indian School with the help of a $30,000 grant from the Spirit Mountain Community Fund.
Liz Bahe, director of Native American programs, will use the award to assess the university’s existing offerings, conduct an inventory of campus and community resources and evaluate existing relationships and areas of potential growth with Oregon tribes.
As part of the project, she will also work to create a five-year strategic plan to better recruit, support and retain Native American students at Willamette.
“I am looking forward to mentoring undergraduate interns as they assist me on this adventure,” Bahe says. “It will be a great learning experience for them as they help further develop the foundation for Native American programs.”