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In marking Cheyenne Arapaho Hall’s 35th anniversary, CU’s Benny Shendo Jr. shared his personal journey, Native American history, and expanding opportunities for education and business.

What can a room full of first-year business students learn from a half-hour presentation in honor of a building’s birthday? Turns out plenty.

In honor of Cheyenne Arapaho Hall’s anniversary, Benny Shendo Jr. (Bus’87), CU’s associate vice chancellor of Native American affairs, was invited by the Leeds First-Year Experience program to share his personal journey and his special connection to the building. Students got the bonus of a crash course on Native American history and its ties to Colorado.

A storied past

Cheyenne Arapaho Hall sits on the ancestral homelands of the Arapaho and Cheyenne nations. “Nichols Hall: A Report” by CU Associate Professor of History Patricia Nelson Limerick, published in 1987, was instrumental in changing the building’s name in 1989 from Nichols Hall, which it was named in 1961.

Shendo’s efforts played a role in the change, along with the many students, staff, faculty, community members and allies who were part of peaceful demonstrations that had begun in the 1970s to protest the building’s name recognizing David H. Nichols. Those protests were fueled by the discovery that Nichols, one of the founders of CU Boulder and the eighth lieutenant governor of Colorado, had participated in the Sand Creek Massacre of 1864.

The  describes the event as “a chaotic, horrific, tumultuous, and bloody moment in American history and its enduring legacy.” The surprise attack killed more than 200 people who thought they were protected under a treaty. Many were women and children.

Lessons leading to a career

Shendo is an enrolled member of the Jemez Pueblo tribe and was born and raised on the reservation in north central New Mexico, arriving at CU as a transfer student in 1983 to study business. As a child, he spoke his native language and learned English through a Head Start program.

He also loved running, which proved to be an asset. “I ran for CU in the mid-80s. I was fortunate to make the team as a walk-on,” he said.

Those experiences and his business degree shaped Shendo’s career journey. After roles in student programming and recruiting at the University of New Mexico and as assistant dean of students at Stanford, Shendo returned to CU in a newly created position. He serves as a liaison between the campus and tribal communities across Colorado, as well as with the wider region covering the 46 tribes that have a historical connection to Colorado. He focuses on outreach and awareness to support programs for Native Americans and to bring students to campus.

Shendo has been committed to Native American advocacy throughout his inspiring career. He served as a cabinet secretary for the New Mexico Department of Indian Affairs, as a lieutenant governor of his Pueblo, and as New Mexico state senator.

Opportunities for progress

Shendo noted that while Colorado passed a law two years ago allowing students from the 46 tribes with a historical connection to the state to attend institutions of higher education in Colorado at in-state tuition, there’s still room for improvement. While there are  across the U.S., Colorado is home to two federally recognized tribes—the  and the .

Creating awareness and shaping policies has been an essential part of Shendo’s work. He strives to promote policies that can endure despite shifting conditions.

He explained that tribes are sovereign political entities with their own elected leaders and govern their own affairs within their respective tribal lands. “Tribes have a unique relationship with the federal government through treaty obligations, supreme court decisions and Congressional actions,” Shendo said.

Implications for business

Shendo discussed the importance of economic development in tribal communities. He pointed to the 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act as a key moment for tribes in developing gaming operations. With those revenues, tribes have been able to invest in their own communities, creating infrastructure and essential resources, such as senior centers, daycares, roads, water quality and education.

“Some of these tribes have become some of the largest employers in their regions,” he noted, offering career opportunities that didn’t exist when he was an undergraduate.

“Today, tribes need business professionals in all areas to support their operations. Someday you may end up working for a tribe,” he said.

Understanding the past to shape the future

Shendo’s career is a testament to moving forward as we understand our history. With Cheyenne Arapaho Hall as a symbol of what’s possible, Shendo encouraged students to reflect on the places where they live and their historical significance, and to honor and respect them. “The spaces and places where we reside have their own history, and I hope that you will have an appreciation for this place that you live in because it’s named after the tribes that literally called this home,” he said. “I hope someday we can have our Arapaho, Cheyenne and other tribal brothers and sisters attending CU as well.”

As students returned to their rooms, no doubt they had an altered sense of the place they call home. Shendo left them with a deeper understanding of history and its impact—a promising prospect as they are poised to move forward in life and in business making some history of their own.

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