| Ho-Chunk, Inc.: Press release |
Return To Press Area Contents03.22.11
Ho-Chunk, Inc. CEO Teaches Course In The "Real World" On Indian Law
Winnebago, Nebraska – Lance Morgan, CEO of Ho-Chunk, Inc and a practicing attorney recently conducted a special week-long course in Indian Law and Economic Development at Ho-Chunk, Inc. headquarters in Winnebago, Nebraska.
In addition to his roles as CEO and as an attorney, Morgan has “given back” each year for the last several years by teaching a course at the Indian Legal Program in the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. That course is attended by 2nd year law students who are focusing on Indian Law and related coursework.
Lance Morgan, Ho-Chunk, Inc. CEO with Arizona State University students.
This year, Morgan collaborated with the Indian Legal Program at the School of Law to bring the classroom setting out into the “real world”. Katie Rosier, Program Director and Ann Downes, Administrator and Instructor with the Indian Legal Program at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law worked with Morgan to arrange this unique opportunity. Downes is an enrolled member of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska. The ten 2nd year law students in the Indian Legal Program, mostly Native American from across the United States, traveled along with Rosier and Downes to the Winnebago Indian Reservation in northeast Nebraska.
Students took part in lectures and discussions on a variety of topics including how to build a tribal economy; taxation; government; current legal issues facing tribes and they had the added bonus of seeing many of the course topics being applied in the “real world” on the reservation. Student tours included: Ho-Chunk, Inc. corporate offices, several Ho-Chunk, Inc. subsidiary operations and tours of community development projects on the reservation including the Ho-Chunk Village which is a residential and commercial development that was begun in 2003.
As part of their learning experience, the students will also be performing a special service project for the Winnebago Tribe in return for the opportunity to visit the reservation and study with Morgan and tour tribal enterprises.
“This was an outstanding opportunity for students to really get an understanding of how the theory of Indian law and Indian economic development gets applied in a “real world environment”. We’re fighting battles everyday to grow our community and our economic self-sufficiency as a Tribe. There are battles that are being waged on several fronts to handicap our efforts right here in the state of Nebraska. This was excellent timing for the students to experience the real issues in taxation, politics tribal sovereignty and economic development going on everyday in our state capitol and in Washington, D.C. that directly impact the Winnebago Tribe and our goals”, said Morgan.
The Indian Legal Program at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law was established in 1988 to provide legal education, scholarship, and public service to tribal governments. It was designed to help train Indian lawyers and promote an understanding of the differences between the legal systems of Indian Nations and the United States. The program has become one of the best in the nation, educating students in Indian law and providing students with practical work experience.
Ho-Chunk, Inc. is the award-winning economic development corporation of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska. It was launched by Lance Morgan in 1994 with one employee. Today Ho-Chunk, Inc. operates 24 subsidiaries with over 1,400 employees across the United States and in four foreign countries. The company has developed diversified operations in construction/housing; information technology and professional services; technology products and supply chain tools; wholesale distribution; retail and marketing.
