The Rochester-Avon Historical Society (RAHS) is pleased to announce two major funding initiatives in the first quarter of 2023. Early in the year, the society established the Rochester-Avon Historical Society Scholarship in the amount of $1,000 for eligible Oakland University (OU) students with a passion for history.
Following the scholarship, RAHS donated $500 dollars to support the work of the university’s Native American Advisory Committee (NAAC). The NAAC plans to build a Native American Heritage Site on OU’s campus. The site will build community and focus on indigenous education, cultural placemaking, storytelling, and more.
Tiffany Dziurman, president of the Rochester-Avon Historical Society, said the society is proud to partner with OU and support the study of history now and in the future.
“The historical society board is passionate about history, education, and community,” said Dziurman. “The scholarship and the NAAC fund support the society’s mission to promote history education and bring together people interested in preserving the area’s cultural resources, including the culture and heritage of the region’s indigenous communities.”
The scholarship will be awarded annually to an OU junior or senior who either graduated from a secondary school in Rochester or Rochester Hills or who resided in Rochester or Rochester Hills at the time of their graduation. Students must have a declared major or minor in history, and show they are committed to community service.
Kelly Brault, CRFE, senior director of annual giving and special audiences at OU, said RAHS is a wonderful partner to the university.
“I am grateful for their support of the Native American Advisory Committee (NAAC) as well as their creation of the Rochester-Avon Historical Society Scholarship,” said Brault. “The support of the NAAC will help build community and uphold culture for local Native Americans, right on OU’s campus. Their investment in Rochester-area students studying history at Oakland University will elevate students with a passion for history and ensure that history is preserved and shared by the next generation.”
The scholarship has been a long-term goal of RAHS, Dziurman said, and the organization is excited to see it come to fruition. Increasing awareness of the area’s indigenous history is also part of the society’s vision. RAHS looks forward to more collaborations with the university, Dziurman said.
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