Each year, the University of Lethbridge’s Faculty of Management and its Advisory Board acknowledge the contributions and citizenry of an outstanding member or members of the community of southern Alberta through the Management Scholarship Fundraising Dinner.

The honourees for the 2017 dinner, to be held on April 13, are Dr. Leroy Little Bear (BASc (BA) '72, DASc '04) and Amethyst First Rider—whose names have become synonymous with passion, dignity, leadership, success, strength and inspiration. Through their mentorship, pedagogy and research, they have enriched the lives of both First Nations and non-First Nations students and communities, and have set an example for all through their enduring desire to understand and be understood.

Little Bear’s notable career includes many important achievements for First Nations people. He was instrumental in the development of Native American Studies programs at the U of L, University of Calgary, Bow Valley College and the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, and was the founding director of the Native American Program at Harvard University.  Little Bear has co-authored texts and contributed to numerous reports and publications addressing issues related to Aboriginal rights, justice, land claims and constitutional issues.  His work has led to a United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and he has received numerous honours, including the key to the City of Lethbridge, an Urban Aboriginal Lifetime Achievement Award and in 2016, Little Bear was inducted into the Alberta Order of Excellence.

First Rider has been a leader in the performing arts community for more than 20 years, producing and directing plays depicting Aboriginal stories and culture. Her experience in the arts has included dance productions, consulting for the University of California, Berkeley’s planetarium, as well as narration and production in the National Film Board’s documentary, Kainayssini Imanistaisiwa, The People Go On.

“Leroy and Amethyst are representative of our core values in the Faculty of Management and role models for our students and community.  With this year being the 50th anniversary of the University of Lethbridge and the 150th anniversary of Canada, I am proud to be celebrating First Nations leadership,” says Dr. Bob Boudreau, dean of the Faculty of Management.

Proceeds from the dinner will be used to establish a scholarship fund in the names of Leroy Little Bear and Amethyst First Rider, and will provide annual scholarships to First Nations students in the Faculty of Management.

Details regarding the 2017 Management Scholarship Fundraising Dinner can be found at: http://uleth.ca/management/scholarship-dinner-2017