University of Minnesota and Shakopee Mdewakanton Announce Newest Scholarship Recipients

Prior Lake, Minn. – The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) and the University of Minnesota announced today the newest class of scholarship recipients for the SMSC Endowed Scholarship program. They include eight Native American students from six different tribes.

The new scholars represent:

• Five undergraduate students and three graduate students

• Four scholars from Minnesota tribes

• Six students at the University of Minnesota Duluth and two at the Twin Cities campus

• Majors including biology, medicine, American Indian studies, and the master’s-level tribal administration and governance program in Duluth

The SMSC Endowed Scholarship program was established through a $2.5 million gift to the University of Minnesota from the SMSC. The gift leveraged a former University matching program that doubles the impact of the gift to students. Since the program began in 2009, more than 200 students have received this scholarship. Forty-seven students are enrolled this year, representing more than 25 tribal nations across the United States.

The new 2016-2017 SMSC Endowed Scholarship recipients include:

• Gabriel Benitez, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians

• Lindsey Crazy Bull Compton, Rosebud Sioux Tribe

• BreAnna Houss, Nez Perce Tribe

• Collette Maxwell, Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians

• Warren Mountain, Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians

• Taylor Schultz, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians

• Christopher Smith, Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians

• Mariah Wanna-Nelson, Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate of the Lake Traverse Reservation

The University's Office for Equity and Diversity administers the scholarship. Native American students who have been admitted to any University of Minnesota campus are eligible to apply for the SMSC Endowed Scholarship. Scholarship applications for the 2017-2018 academic year are due March 1, 2017. Visit diversity.umn.edu/smsc for more details.

About the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community

The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community is a federally recognized, sovereign Indian tribe located southwest of Minneapolis/St. Paul. Making its top priority to be a good neighbor, the SMSC is one of the top 10 philanthropists in Minnesota and donates more to charity than any other Indian tribe in America. It also focuses on being a strong community partner and a leader in protecting and restoring natural resources. The SMSC’s government, Gaming Enterprise, and various other enterprises are collectively the largest employer in Scott County.