UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hospitality has added the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation to the college's “Founders Fin” for their philanthropic support of the university's Tribal Education Initiative.
The Yuhaaviatam of Sam Manuel Nation is now permanently enshrined near the entrance of UNLV’s Harrah College of Hospitality. In 2020, the tribe donated six million dollars to create pathways for Indigenous students pursuing careers in hospitality and gaming.
“It's to get the expertise to be able to go back to tribal communities, but then also the opportunities for our native students to be able to attend top universities like UNLV," said the Yuhaaviatam’s Vice Chairman, Johnny Hernandez Jr., at the unveiling. The relationship between the tribe and the university is also an investment in his community’s future.
Hernandez hopes that more Indigenous students will see how valuable tribal gaming is for tribes.
Tammi Tiger, UNLV’s Director of Tribal Education Initiatives, says many students already understand the impact revenues from tribal gaming have on their communities even before they enter college, thanks to programs like the annual Native Youth Camps.
“Those revenues are going back into building their schools, their homes, their health care systems, and they realize tribal gaming is really the heart of the industry," she said.
The tribe has also gifted the UNLV Boyd School of Law three million dollars toward teaching tribal gaming law, policy and governance.
The Yuhaaviatam of Sam Manuel Nation is a financial contributor to Nevada Public Radio.
