Western Michigan University receives grant from Native American Heritage Fund for new “Sharing Wisdom Across Generations” program

Western Michigan University has announced that it will have a new elders-in-residence program called “Sharing Wisdom Across Generations” thanks to a grant the university received from the Native American Heritage Fund. The $15,000 grant will allow for the development of this new program that will invite elders from the tribal nations of Gun Lake, Pokagon, and Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi to hold office hours on campus and participate in cultural activities with students.

According to an article on Western Michigan University’s website, Dorie Rios, who is the Native American Heritage Fund’s chairperson and a Tribal Council Chairperson for the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi, was quoted as saying of the organization’s goals for partnerships such as this one, "Since its inception, the Native American Heritage Fund has been a catalyst for positive change in Michigan communities. Our mission goes beyond financial support. We partner with communities through every step of the process—from education and cultural guidance to implementation—so that changes are not only made, but made meaningfully. These grants help restore accurate representation, uplift Indigenous voices, and build stronger bridges between Tribes and local communities."

The university’s Native American Affairs Council will be working to develop the program alongside consultation from the Gun Lake, Pokagon, and Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi tribal nations. The program is still under development, but it has been announced that three elders will be invited to hold office hours in Moore Hall. They will also be invited to participate in community events with students, such as talking circles, drum workshops, bead work, and more.

Shabanaa Bush, a student who serves as the president of the university’s Native American Student Organization, believes this program will be beneficial for the campus community. Bush said, "This can be a hub for education for both Native and non-Native students. I see this as a really great way for us to be able to start that intergenerational healing and that cultural education and outreach that we wanted to bring from NASO."

University leaders also believe this partnership will be beneficial to the campus community, both through the introduction of more intergenerational learning and through the potential for future benefits like internship or job opportunities with tribal nations.

Dr. Dee Sherwood, who serves as the director of the Native American Affairs Council, said, "These elders may have attended a boarding school in the region or maybe they lived on the reservation their whole life. Or maybe they have experience as a veteran or an entrepreneur. They certainly have knowledge and wisdom to share with students. We have a very age-specific learning model in our education system, and we don't have a lot of opportunities to learn from our older generations. So, I think this is a really awesome opportunity, and we appreciate the Native American Heritage Fund for providing that to us. Students are very interested in learning about traditional ecological knowledge and cultural teachings and Indigenous lifeways.”

Western Michigan University will be recognized on September 19, 2025 at FireKeepers Casino Hotel alongside other recipients of grant funding from the Native American Heritage Fund.

For more information about Western Michigan University, visit the school’s website.