American Indian College Fund Honors Tribal College Students of the Year, Coca Cola Scholars at Virtual Ceremony April 4, 2022

Denver, Colo., March 24, 2022—The American Indian College Fund will honor 35 Tribal College and University Students of the Year, 46 Coca Cola First Generation Scholars, and its 2021-22 Tribal College and University Honoree of the Year at a virtual ceremony April 4 from 6-7:30 p.m. M.D.T. Honorees and their guests can register in advance for the virtual ceremony at https://meetingtomorrow.com/webcast/2022CokeSOYCeremony.

The Adolph Coors Foundation sponsors scholarships for Tribal College and University Students of the Year with the American Indian College Fund. Tribal college and universities select one student representing their institutions. Each honoree will receive a $1,200 scholarship.

The Coca-Cola Foundation sponsors scholarships with the American Indian College Fund for first-generation Native students who attend a tribal college or university. The Coca-Cola Foundation has awarded more than $5 million to the College Fund since 1990 to assist more than 400 first-generation Native Americans in their college education. The scholarship is renewable throughout students’ college careers if they maintain a 3.0 grade point average and are active in campus and community life.

Cheryl Crazy Bull, President and CEO of the American Indian College Fund, said, “Each year, my heart is filled by the joy of supporting our Coca-Cola First Generation Scholars and Students of the Year. Each of these students represents not only themselves and their families but also their tribal nations – they are the living proof of our ability to thrive and prosper in the face of tremendous challenges. We look forward to the continued great things they will do with their lives and for our communities.”

The 2021-22 Tribal College Students of the Year are:

cl Recipient's First Last

Aaniiih Nakoda College Mella Stiffarm

Bay Mills Community College Crimson Lewis

Blackfeet Community College Steve Gallineaux

Cankdeska Cikana Community College Randy Leben

Chief Dull Knife College Taylor Dennis

College of Menominee Nation Christina Petrakis

College of the Muscogee Nation Aaron Wesley

Diné College Crystanya Begay

Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College Alysia Oswald

Fort Peck Community College Miracle Spotted Wolf

Haskell Indian Nations University Bryan Strom

Iḷisaġvik College Kristen Reece

Institute of American Indian Arts Jacquelyn Yepa

Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College Brendon Pasino

Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe College Roberto Pacheco

Leech Lake Tribal College Dylan Chase

Little Big Horn College Charlena Blaine

Little Priest Tribal College Kyle St. Cyr

Navajo Technical University Marcie Vandever

Nebraska Indian Community College Andrea Thomas

Northwest Indian College Candice Ellis-Thomas

Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College Patricia Dubois

Oglala Lakota College Glenda Red Feather

Red Lake Nation College Mitchell Johnson

Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College Jacquenette Mandoka

Salish Kootenai College ArriAnna Henry

Sinte Gleska University Brandi Bettelyoun

Sisseton Wahpeton College Dakotah Gonsoir

Sitting Bull College Lawrence Village Center

Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute Derrick Shirley

Stone Child College Jade Saddler

Tohono O'odham Community College Elizabeth Palmatier

Turtle Mountain Community College Shyanna LaRocque

United Tribes Technical College Jayce Archambault

White Earth Tribal and Community College Dayna Thompson

The 2021-22 Coca-Cola First Generation Scholars are:

Aaniiih Nakoda College Ernest Siers

Bay Mills Community College Crystal Hickman

Blackfeet Community College Jocelyn Big Throat

Blackfeet Community College Tomi Calf Robe

Cankdeska Cikana Community College Gina LaFontaine

Chief Dull Knife College Rebekah Threefingers

College of Menominee Nation Martina Thomas

College of the Muscogee Nation Jessica Hunnicutt

Diné College Eldrida Lewis

Diné College Kristy Manuelito

Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College Michael Reynolds

Fort Peck Community College Brinton Sears

Fort Peck Community College Trini Bissonette

Haskell Indian Nations University Makayla Sloan

Haskell Indian Nations University Zachary Arquette

Iḷisaġvik College Thomas Fields

Institute of American Indian Arts Elizabeth Lukee

Keweenaw Bay Ojibwe College Jennifer Curtis

Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe College Carlena Dennis

Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe College Jody Quaderer

Leech Lake Tribal College Christopher Erle

Leech Lake Tribal College Melani Bedeau

Little Big Horn College Shelley Covers Up

Little Priest Tribal College Mariah Rave

Navajo Technical University Berlicia Frank

Navajo Technical University Davina Spencer

Nebraska Indian Community College Andrea Thomas

Northwest Indian College Jandy Pierre

Northwest Indian College Lillian Hall

Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College Irene Hale

Oglala Lakota College Shai Bruce

Red Lake Nation College Carlos Davila Jr.

Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College Chyann Haas

Salish Kootenai College Nicole Crawford

Sinte Gleska University Kohte James

Sinte Gleska University McKenzie Bechtold

Sisseton Wahpeton College Kenna Heminger

Sitting Bull College Elena Rodriguez

Sitting Bull College Kandice Little Dog-Hastings

Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute Rachelle Wilson

Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute TiShai Yazzie

Stone Child College Tracy Standing Rock

Tohono O'odham Community College Clay Begay

Turtle Mountain Community College Robert Upton

United Tribes Technical College Aubrey Walters

United Tribes Technical College Sharnell Seaboy

White Earth Tribal and Community College Angel Roy

About the American Indian College Fund—The American Indian College Fund has been the nation’s largest charity supporting Native higher education for 32 years. The College Fund believes “Education is the answer" and provided $15.5 million in scholarships and other direct student support to American Indian students in 2020-21. Since its founding in 1989 the College Fund has provided more than $259 million in scholarships, programmatic and community support. The College Fund also supports a variety of academic and support programs at the nation’s 35 accredited tribal colleges and universities, which are located on or near Indian reservations, ensuring students have the tools to graduate and succeed in their careers. The College Fund consistently receives top ratings from independent charity evaluators and is one of the nation’s top 100 charities named to the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance. For more information about the American Indian College Fund, please visit http://www.collegefund.org.