Page 11 - April 2015 • Southern California Gaming Guide

OGeorge Washington University Fellowship to Honor Richard M. Milanovich
nFebruary27th,GeorgeWashingtonUniversityannouncedthatitsignedamemorandum honor the leadership and memory of Agua Caliente’s
of understanding with the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians to establish the
Richard M. Milanovich Fellowship to provide funding for Native American students who are members of federally recognized California tribes to study, live and work in Washington, D.C., through the university’s Native American Political Leadership Program (NAPLP).
chairman, who served the Tribe for nearly 30 years. e fellowship allows NAPLP to support additional
students from the California region.
In the heart of the nation’s capital with additional
programs in Virginia, the George Washington University was created by an Act of Congress in 1821. Today, GW is the largest institution of higher education in the District of Columbia. e university o ers comprehensive programs of undergraduate and graduate liberal arts study, as well as degree programs in medicine, public health, law, engineering, education, business and international a airs. Each year, GW enrolls a diverse population of undergraduate, graduate and professional students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and more than 130 countries.
e Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians is a federally recognized Indian Tribe located in Palm Springs, with 32,000 acres of reservation lands that spread across Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage and into the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto mountains. e Tribe owns and operates Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa in Rancho Mirage and Spa Resort Casino in downtown Palm Springs.
“We are very excited about this new and important partnership with the Agua Caliente Band, and we’re honored to be the home of the Richard M. Milanovich Fellowship,” said Gregory Lebel, director of NAPLP.
“ is is a signi cant opportunity for future fellows, for the Band and for the GW community.”
Quali ed candidates will have the opportunity to participate in the semester-long fellowship program, which will welcome its rst class of fellows in spring 2016. In addition to taking courses at GW and participating in NAPLP’s activities, fellows will secure part-time internships to ensure experience-based learning. ey will also participate in an additional one-week program with seminars and brie ngs with key policymakers, issue advocates and community leaders.
“We are honored to work with the George Washington University to create the Richard M. Milanovich Fellowship,” said Je L. Grubbe, Chairman
of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. “We
believe this fellowship will open doors and provide opportunities for young people. is experience at the George Washington University will allow Native American students to enhance classroom learning and gain invaluable experience in the real world. It’s well known that college graduates have the ability to achieve at a higher level and obtain a much-needed competitive edge in today’s job market. We want students in the fellowship program to achieve this kind of success. Chairman Milanovich was a respected leader throughout Indian Country and Washington, D.C. is fellowship recognizes his legacy of service to the Tribe and the relationships he cultivated representing the Tribe.”
NAPLP is part of GW’s Semester in Washington program and provides full scholarships for Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian students who want to take part in the Semester in Washington program. e Richard M. Milanovich Fellowship will
APRIL 2015
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAMING GUIDE
PAGE 11
April 2015 Tribes in the News