SAN MARCOS — The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians is supporting Indigenous students at California State University, San Marcos, with a $3 million endowment for the university’s California Indian Cultural and Sovereignty Center.
The California Indian Cultural and Sovereignty Center (CICSC) at CSUSM focuses on preserving the culture and heritage of local Native American tribes through research, events, and empowering and supporting Native American students.
The San Manuel Band, also known as the Yuhaaviatam (People of the Pines), a clan of the Serrano people, is the Indigenous group native to the San Bernardino Mountains.” The federally recognized tribe has been a longtime supporter of the CSCIC, also providing nearly $1 million in funding when it officially opened in 2011.
“The CICSC helps to enhance the educational experience of students within the CICSC community,” said Lynn Valbuena, chairwoman of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. “Through advocacy, research, leadership and systemic change, the CICSC fosters an environment where Native culture, tribal sovereignty and progress can flourish.”
With the additional $3 million endowment, which includes a $1 million match from the Epstein Family Foundation, CICSC will be able to expand cultural preservation programs, strengthen student success, foster community engagement, and support operational excellence, according to the university.
“This endowment represents more than funding — it’s an investment in the preservation and advancement of Indigenous knowledge, leadership and sovereignty,” said CSCIC Director Dr. Joely Proudfit. “With these resources, we can amplify Native voices, deepen our research initiatives and create even more powerful opportunities for our students to engage with tribal nations while pursuing academic excellence.”
The CICSC also operates in conjunction with CSUSM’s American Indian Studies Department.
The department offers both a major and minor with academic concentrations in American Indian Studies, American Indian Health and Wellness, Law & Government, and Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Climate Justice.
“We’re committed to building a comprehensive program that promotes both academic rigor and cultural empowerment. Together with our tribal partners, we aim to set new standards for Native American student achievement in higher education,” said university President Ellen Neufeldt.
