Grijalva, who earned a sociology degree from the U of A in 1987, was a steadfast champion of the university’s land-grant mission and a testament to what it means to be a Wildcat for Life.

Learn about the University of Arizona's Land Acknowledgment honoring 22 Indigenous tribes, including the O’odham and Yaqui, and its commitment to diversity.

The statement was assembled in consultation with leaders of the Tohono O'odham Nation and the Pascua Yaqui Tribe and with Native American scholars at the university.

The University of Arizona is the state’s only land-grant university and has served in that role since it opened its doors to students in 1891.