Native American Heritage Month 2012

The University of Oregon Alumni Association is celebrating Native American History month by featuring two of our alumni. Get to know Rudy Bryan '79 and James Pepper Henry '88 as they talk about their experiences at the UO and what they are up to now.

Rudy Bryan '79 Rudy Bryan, a member of the Fort Mojave Indian Tribe and the Chemehuevi Indian Tribe, graduated from the UO with a degree in Public Affairs with a focus on Public Administration in 1979. He grew up in Barstow, CA and made the decision to walk on the Ducks’ football team in the fall of 1974. Bryan was a member of the Native American Student Union (NASU) right from the beginning, and was able to meet other Native American students from different tribes all around the nation. Today, Bryan lives in Southern California and works for ITT Exelis at NASA. He maintains a connection to the UO by receiving the e-newsletter and attending various alumni events in the area. To read more about Rudy, click here.

James Pepper Henry '88 James Pepper Henry is currently the director and CEO of the Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center and a UOAA Board Member. He graduated from the UO in 1988 with a degree in Fine Arts focusing on Sculpture and Art History. He is a member of the Kaw Nation in Oklahoma, and honors Native American Heritage Month through lectures, live performances, and workshops at the museum. Henry was a coordinator for the Native American Student Union (NASU), which led him to become more involved with the UOAA. Today, he represents the Alaska Ducks and hopes to establish new programs for easing the transition for new students heading to Oregon, and for those returning to Anchorage after graduation. To read more about James, click here.