Southern California Tribe Donates $455,754 to CSUSM's California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center

The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians and California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) are pleased to announce that a grant award of $455,754 has been made to CSUSM’s California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center (CICSC). This major investment in the form of a three-year grant will provide funding for a full-time grant writer/program coordinator, a full-time research assistant and six graduate/undergraduate assistantships per year for three years.San Manuel has pledged up to $500,000 in additional donation to establish an endowment contingent upon  CICSC securing a dollar-for-dollar match in cash donations and pledges  over the next three years.“Cal State San Marcos is proud to be on native land and to have incorporated the rich traditions and culture of Native Americans into campus life,” said CSUSM President Karen Haynes. “We are grateful for the support of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. Their gift will help support the California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center’s important research and efforts to preserve the heritage of California Indians.”“The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians' generous donation supports our goals in serving native students and enhancing our partnerships with tribal communities," said CICSC Director Dr. Joely Proudfit. "We look forward to the increased capacity to deliver programs that support the political and cultural sovereignty of California tribes."“San Manuel is proud to support the efforts of the CICSC,” said Chairman James Ramos. “This effort is important and can be significant but will require the support of Indian tribes and others who are committed to the mission of the center.”CSUSM  celebrated the grand opening of the CICSC in November 2011.  Located in the Social and Behavioral Sciences Building, the center serves as a focal point for native studies and American Indian activities on campus. The first of its kind in the state, the center is an important resource hub and on-campus gathering place for faculty and staff, linking them to tribal members and Native American students.For more information about CICSC, visit www.csusm.edu/air/cicsc.About the San Manuel Band of Mission IndiansThe San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians is a federally recognized American Indian tribe located near the city of Highland, Calif. The Serrano Indians are the indigenous people of the San Bernardino highlands, passes, valleys and mountains who share a common language and culture. The San Manuel reservation was established in 1891 and recognized as sovereign nation with the right of self-government. Despite challenges and hardships, the San Manuel tribal community has continued to progressively maintain and enhance its unique form of governance - focusing all efforts on providing a better quality of life for its citizens. Through economic diversification, both on and off the reservation, the tribe has been forward thinking in its efforts to build infrastructure, maintain civil services and promote social, economic, educational and cultural development. Today, the San Manuel tribal government has created essential governmental units including the departments of fire, public safety, education and environment and continues to pursue opportunities for future generations.About California State University San MarcosCalifornia State University San Marcos combines the ambiance of a mid-sized, personal, modern campus with the unequaled value of the California State University. Since its founding in 1989, the campus has distinguished itself. Students benefit from the latest facilities and equipment, a superb faculty that enjoys teaching, and a rigorous academic program that prepares students for a successful life in and out of the workplace. A recent survey reported that our annual spending in the region was $161 million, generating a total impact of $307 million on the regional economy. 85 percent of CSUSM’s alumni stay in the region. CSU San Marcos is located on a 304-acre hillside overlooking the city of San Marcos. It is fifteen miles east of the ocean; just thirty miles north of downtown San Diego.