Submitted by University of Washington Tacoma.
The University of Washington Tacoma has launched its Office of Indigenous Engagement, a dedicated home for its long-term investments in Native and Indigenous student engagement, research and teaching, and government-to-government relations.
Led by Dr. Leander Yazzie, UW Tacoma’s new Tribal liaison, the office underscores the University’s commitment fostering connections, providing support, and expanding educational opportunities for Native and Indigenous students.
“I’m very excited to see the office take shape,” Yazzie said. “We want UW Tacoma to be a place where Native and Indigenous students feel welcomed and supported from the moment they arrive on campus. This step opens doors to build trust and get creative in how we connect with them.”
An Army veteran and enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, Yazzie holds a doctoral degree in educational leadership from UW Tacoma. Previously, he spent 10 years in student advocacy and advising, including Tribal relations and Native student advising at Green River College.
Yazzie envisions the office as a campus home for Native and Indigenous students to find community, explore cultural heritage, and access learning and career opportunities. The office will be staffed by a Native and Indigenous Success Specialist, a position that develops relationships with faculty, staff and students, including advising nearly 130 Native and Indigenous undergraduate and graduate students.
The office marks a key milestone for Native and Indigenous faculty, staff and students working to reclaim education for self-determination, sovereignty and nation-building.
“Education has historically been used as a weapon against Native and Indigenous peoples, forcing them to abandon their languages, cultures, and communities,” said UW Tacoma Chancellor Dr. Sheila Edwards Lange at the University’s annual Native & Indigenous Higher Education Symposium on November 22. “The new Office of Indigenous Engagement provides opportunities for Native and Indigenous students to transform this institution by partnering from within.”
The office also includes the syayəʔadiʔ (Family Room), a space firmly dedicated to Native and Indigenous students, faculty, and community members, including Cedar Circle, the student-founded organization for Native and Indigenous Huskies.
“It’s important that we have those spaces where Native and Indigenous students are welcomed and have their voice,” Alexis Ozaawaashka Binesikwe Perez said. A member of the Potawatomi and Ojibwe Tribes, Perez is a UW Tacoma senior and founding president of Cedar Circle. “It has really been a great place for students to find resources, build networks and bring in Indigenous alumni with current students to talk about building relationships.”
In 2025, UW Tacoma will continue to invest in and expand its efforts, including the launch of a study abroad program designed for students with lived experience in Native and Indigenous communities.
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