Babaamaajimowinan (Telling of news in different places)

Thirteen Native students receive scholarships from Shakopee Mdewakanton tribe, University of Minnesota

Prior Lake, Minn. – The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) and the University of Minnesota today announced the newest class of scholarship recipients for the SMSC Endowed Scholarship program. They include 13 Native American students from 11 different tribes.

The new scholars represent:

• Ten undergraduate students and three graduate students

• Seven students at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus, four at the Morris campus and two at the Duluth campus

• Tribes across the West and Midwest, including tribal nations in Minnesota, Kansas, Montana, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming

The SMSC Endowed Scholarship program was established through a $2.5 million gift to the University of Minnesota from the SMSC. The SMSC donated an additional $500,000 to the scholarship program in 2017. This funding leveraged a former university matching program, doubling the impact of the gift to students. Since the program began in 2009, more than 200 students have received this scholarship. This year 44 scholarship recipients are enrolled, representing more than 32 tribal nations across the United States.

“I am pursuing a Masters of Education in youth development leadership with the goals of developing the leadership potential of Native youth and furthering the success of my community,” said Caitlin Bordeaux, a scholarship recipient and member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. “This funding support will allow me to focus on the work I need to achieve my goals by removing some of the financial stress of education.”

The new 2019-2020 SMSC Endowed Scholarship recipients include:

• Sunny Boado, Kickapoo Tribe (KS)

• Caitlin Bordeaux, Rosebud Sioux Tribe (SD)

• Clayton Carlson, Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians (WI)

• Nathaniel Fast Wolf, Seminole Nation of Oklahoma (OK)

• Joseph Gokee, Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians (WI)

• Lindsay Johnson, Bois Forte Band of Chippewa (MN)

• Lester Merrill, St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin (WI)

• Lisa Skjefte, Little Earth of United Tribes (MN)

• Derek Walking Eagle, Rosebud Sioux Tribe (SD)

• Sydney Wallowingbull, Northern Cheyenne Tribe (MT) and Northern Arapaho Tribe (WY)

• Angelia White, Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate of the Lake Traverse Reservation (SD)

• Andrea Wiglesworth, Seneca-Cayuga Nation (OK)

• Dylan Young, Rosebud Sioux Tribe (SD)

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 2020-2021 academic year are due spring 2020. Visit diversity.umn.edu/smsc for more details.

About the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community

The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community is a federally recognized, sovereign Dakota tribal government located southwest of Minneapolis/St. Paul. Following a Dakota tradition of generosity, the SMSC is one of the top philanthropists in Minnesota and is the largest contributor to other tribal governments and causes across the country. It is 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 and attract millions of visitors to the region.

 

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