GW Signs Memorandum of Understanding with Agua Caliente Band Of Cahuilla Indians

Newswise — WASHINGTON (Feb. 27, 2015)—The George Washington University announced today it signed a memorandum 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 GW’s Native American Political Leadership Program (NAPLP). “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. “This is a significant opportunity for future fellows, for the Band and for the GW community.” Qualified candidates will have the opportunity to participate in the semester-long fellowship program, which will welcome its first 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. They will also participate in an additional one-week program with seminars and briefings 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 Jeff L. Grubbe, chairman of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. “We believe this fellowship will open doors and provide opportunities for young people. This 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. This 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. The Richard M. Milanovich Fellowship will honor the leadership and memory of Agua Caliente’s chairman, who served the tribe for nearly 30 years. The fellowship allows NAPLP to support additional students from the California region. The George Washington UniversityIn 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. The university offers comprehensive programs of undergraduate and graduate liberal arts study, as well as degree programs in medicine, public health, law, engineering, education, business and international affairs. 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. Agua Caliente Band Of Cahuilla IndiansThe Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians is a federally recognized Indian Tribe located in Palm Springs, California, 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. For more information about the Tribe, visit: www.aguacaliente-nsn.gov. -GW-