Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, has announced a $20 million gift from alumnus Samuel G. Rose (‘58) to help develop an arts and education center focused on the history and culture of the area’s Indigenous communities.
The largest arts award in Dickinson’s 242-year history—which boosts Rose’s giving to $100 million—will fund construction of the Jim Thorpe Center for the Futures of Native Peoples. The center will include a gallery, named after Rose, celebrating Indigenous art and culture while elevating the college’s art collection and enhancing its academic programs. The facility will also house the college’s Center for the Futures of Native Peoples (CFNP)—established in 2023 through support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
The center will be located near the site of the former Carlisle Indian Industrial School (CIIS)—a federally funded school that sought to force the assimilation of Indigenous children and young adults. CFNP hosts a comprehensive digital archive of materials related to the school, best known as the alma mater of Jim Thorpe, the legendary professional baseball and football player and Olympic gold medalist.
“Just a few miles from the former grounds of a place that sought to erase our cultures and identities, the new space will stand as a testament to our strength and thriving presence,” said CNFP executive director Amanda Cheromiah, a member of the KawaiKa-Laguna Pueblo tribe and a descendant of CIIS students.
(Photo courtesy of Dickinson College)