CWU and Yakama Nation strengthen relationship with MOU

Central Washington University and the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) earlier this month that both parties hope will lead to a deeper partnership.

CWU President Jim Wohlpart and Associate Vice President of Tribal Relations Zoë Higheagle Strong met with Yakama Nation Tribal Council on March 3 in Toppenish to sign the MOU, which outlines the ways in which university and tribal leaders will work together to maximize access and opportunity for Native students across Central Washington.

“This agreement is a commitment to building a lasting relationship between CWU and the Yakama Nation, and it establishes that leaders at the highest levels will be involved in these conversations,” said Higheagle Strong, who has worked closely with Yakama Nation leadership prior to joining CWU in January.

She added that the MOU formalizes a series of talks between CWU and the tribe that started before the pandemic, but it doesn’t create any specific expectations for either side.

“It’s more of a relational contract,” Higheagle Strong said. “But both sides agree that it will help us create a mutually beneficial relationship now and in the future.” 

According to the MOU, signed by President Wohlpart and Yakama Nation Tribal Council Chairman Gerald Lewis, both parties will work together to establish the Yakama Nation Advisory Council at CWU, which will be comprised of leaders from the highest levels of both organizations.

Along with Wohlpart and Higheagle Strong, CWU will be represented on the council by Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Patrick Pease, Vice President of Student Engagement and Success Verónica Gómez-Vilchis, Associate Vice President for Faculty Success Elvin Delgado, and the president of the Native American Student Union.

Three designees from the Yakama Nation will also participate on the council, while other members may be added at a later time, depending on emerging needs.

As stated in the MOU, “The Council's mission shall be to strengthen the relationship between the University and the Yakama Nation at the highest levels, to increase access to and Native American achievements and to promote unity and cooperation between Native American Indian students, Yakama Nation, and CWU.”

The council will be charged with performing functions that will help strengthen the partnership between the university and the tribe; promote a campus culture that is conducive to meeting the cultural needs of the Native American student population at CWU; assist the university and the tribe in their efforts to recruit and retain Native American students; and support the faculty on tribal interests and needs that may impact curricular and research initiatives.

Higheagle Strong said one element of the MOU that stands out to her is that it will transcend individuals while placing a shared focus on building a lasting relationship between CWU and the Yakama Nation.

“Over time, various people have had relationships with the tribe, but what this agreement does is it solidifies both of our commitment to working together even after people leave,” she said. “Having a formal partnership like this will help us sustain our relationship over time. To me, this is not about individual people; it’s about the shared interests of the tribe and Central.”

One key initiative that CWU and the tribe are interested in pursuing is the creation of new scholarship opportunities for Native and Indigenous students.

First Lady Sasha Wohlpart and Higheagle Strong’s husband, former Seattle Seahawks running back Mack Strong, also attended the MOU signing in early March. Prior to the event, Higheagle Strong and her husband attended a reception for Yakama Nation college scholarship donors, celebrating their generosity.

“Our tribal nations are very family-oriented, and it’s natural for us to go out and build relationships as a family within our tribal communities” said Higheagle Strong, a Nez Perce tribal member and a descendant of the Yakama Nation and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. “These family partnerships are going to be crucial for us as we seek to create more opportunities for Native and Indigenous students.” 

Tribal Relations Event April 27

CWU will be hosting a ceremonial celebration on Thursday, April 27, in the SURC Ballroom from 9:30 to 11 a.m. The gathering, originally scheduled for March 12, marks a new chapter in strengthening CWU’s partnerships with Tribal Nations and communities.

Joining Higheagle Strong at the event will be various tribal government leaders from around the state. Following a welcome ceremony featuring the Black Lodge Singers, tribal leaders will engage in panel discussion.

If you are interested in attending the event, please RSVP online by April 20.