White House TCU Initiative to make an Announcement about Indian Students at Pine Ridge on Wednesday

Tribal College Presidents to Join Initiative Deputy Director William Mendoza to Highlight the Important Role of American Indian and Native Alaskan Students to President Obama’s Goals; Preview Secretary Arne Duncan’s Friday Visit to Rosebud and Mission

KYLE, S.D. – White House Initiative on Tribal Colleges and Universities deputy director William Mendoza will join several college presidents at a news conference on Wednesday to make an announcement about the important role American Indian and Alaska Native students play in President Obama’s educational excellence goals.

Mendoza will also preview details about Secretary Arne Duncan’s visit to Rosebud and Mission, S.D. later this week. Secretary Duncan will deliver the commencement address to graduates at Sinte Gleska University and join senior Administration officials, community leaders, educators and students to discuss education issues on Friday.

WHITE HOUSE INITIATIVE

ON TRIBAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

NEWS CONFERENCE

DATE: Wednesday, August 24, 2011

TIME: 12 noon MT

PLACE: Oglala Lakota College, Piya Wiconi Conference Room, 3 Mile Creek Road, Kyle, S.D.

DIAL-IN: 800-857-9637, code 6025601

PARTICIPANTS:

--William Mendoza, deputy director, White House Initiative on Tribal Colleges and Universities

--Roger Campbell, Indian education director, South Dakota Department of Education

--Thomas Shortbull, president, Oglala Lakota College

--Lionel Bordeaux, president, Sinte Gleska University

--Cheryl Crazy Bull, president, Northwest Community College

--Cynthia Lindquist, president, Candeska Cikana Community College

--Steven Heyd, president, Sisseton Wahpeton College