SMSC Announces Endowed Scholarship
Recipients
PRIOR LAKE, Minn. – The Shakopee
Mdewakanton Sioux Community announced 41 new recipients of the SMSC
Endowed Scholarship at the University of Minnesota for the 2013-2014
academic year. This scholarship program is designed to recruit and
retain talented American Indian students with demonstrated financial
need.
Since the program began in 2009, 151
students have received SMSC Endowed Scholarships. Based on grades and
financial need, 72 of the previous 110 recipients have qualified for
continuation of their scholarships in 2013-2014. Seventeen students
have graduated thus far.
The SMSC Endowed Scholarship was
established through a $2.5 million gift from the Shakopee Mdewakanton
Sioux Community. The University of Minnesota matches the interest
earned on this endowment fund with proceeds dedicated to providing
scholarships for qualified American Indian students. The University’s
Office for Equity and Diversity administers the scholarship.
The following are Minnesota
scholarship recipients: Heather Abrahamson, Fond du Lac Band of
Chippewa; Robert Beaulieu, Red Lake Band of Chippewa; Carla Big Bear,
Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Indians; Lucas Bratvold, Red Lake Band of
Chippewa; Benjamin Burk, White Earth Reservation; Evelyn Campbell,
Minnesota Chippewa Tribe – Pillager Band; Sage Davis, Leech Lake Band
of Ojibwe; Cole Folstad, White Earth Band of Ojibwe; Eric Goldsmith,
Minnesota Chippewa Tribe – White Earth Reservation (Mississippi
Band); Fawn Grauman-White, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe; Vanessa
Johnston, Dakota descendant Sissteon-Wahpeton/Lower Sioux; Veronica
Kingbird, Red Lake Band of Chippewa; Kayla Kranitz, Red Lake Band of
Chippewa; Alexandra McDougall, Minnesota Chippewa Tribe – White Earth
Reservation (Mississippi Band); Benjamin Rosaasen, Upper Sioux
Community; Cassandra Roy, Minnesota Chippewa Tribe – White Earth;
Samantha Shade, Minnesota Chippewa Tribe – White Earth.
The 41 new scholarship recipients for
the 2013-2014 academic year come from across the United States and
from 25 different tribes. Additionally, 18 of the students are from
Minnesota tribes, two are doctoral students; 16 are graduate
students; and 25 are undergraduates. Twenty-seven scholarship
recipients are female, 14 are male; 8 of the scholars are in the
Master of Tribal Administration and Governance program at the
University of Minnesota Duluth. Some of the students’ majors
include elementary education, pharmacy, medicine, biology,
psychology, American Indian studies, business administration,
business management, history, art design, and studio art
For application information, visit
www.shakopeedakota.org/scholarships.html. Application materials
received by March 1, 2014, will be given preference for the next
academic year. The final deadline is August 1, 2014.
Tiwahe Foundation Announces Individual
Grantees
MINNEAPOLIS – The Tiwahe Foundation
is honored to announce that at their Oct. 8 board meeting, 12 grants
were awarded to Native American individuals in the Twin Cities area
through its American Indian Family Empowerment Program. This program
awards $70,000-$80,000 annually to Native individuals and families
seeking financial resources to achieve their goals, shape their
future and make positive contributions to their community through
three priority areas: Economic Self-sufficiency, Education and
Cultural Connections.
Grants range from $500 to $2,500
enough to make a significant impact on grantees and the community and
contributing to the self-determination of individuals. Individuals
who received awards were in the following focus areas:
Goal 1: Preserving and Renewing Native
Cultural Connections: Travis Decory, Sicangu Lakota and Zhawin
Gonzalez, White Earth Band of Ojibwe.
Goal 2: Educational Achievement:
Robert Blake, Red Lake Ojibwe; William Carter, Grand Portage Band of
Ojibwe; Nicole Hendrickson, Sokaogon Band of Ojibwe; Charles Jackson,
Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe; Kateri Palacio-Traxler, Sisseton Wahpeton
Oyate; Gianna Strong, Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate; Carrie Warren, White
Earth Band of Ojibwe; Tia Williams, White Earth Band of Ojibwe.
Goal 3: Economic Self-Sufficiency:
Sandra Jones, Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate and Nicole Koenig-Roy, Leech
Lake Band of Ojibwe.
AIFEP strives to reverse the social,
educational and economic challenges facing American Indians by
investing in human capital, skills, resources and cultural strengths
that people possess that allow them to live healthy and productive
lives, build strong relationships and make meaningful contributions
to their communities.
Mille Lacs Member Named to Native
American 40 Under 40
ONAMIA, Minn. – The Mille Lacs Band
of Ojibwe announced on Oct. 14 that Joseph Nayquonabe Jr.,
Commissioner of Corporate Affairs, is a 2013 “Native American 40
Under 40″ award recipient from the National Center for American
Indian Enterprise Development.
This prestigious award recognizes 40
emerging American Indian leaders from across Indian Country who have
demonstrated leadership, initiative, dedication and have made
significant contributions in business and/or in their communities.
“As a young Mille Lacs Band member,
Joe is a positive influence on our community’s youth,” Melanie
Benjamin, Mille Lacs Chief Executive said. “His leadership and
integrity extend beyond the business world. He understands the
importance of hard work and has committed to lifelong education and
cultural responsibility to the Mille Lacs Band. For a national
organization to recognize him – like NCAIED – says a lot about
who he is as an individual and I’m very proud of the work he has
done both personally and professionally.”
The awards was presented on Oct. 24 at
NCAIED’s 38th Annual Indian Progress in Business awards gala in
Chandler, Ariz.
Nayquonabe was appointed Commissioner
of Corporate Affairs in September of 2012. He serves as the chief
executive officer and chair of the board of directors for the Mille
Lacs Band’s Corporate Commission. The Commission analyzes new
business opportunities and oversees the band’s existing businesses,
including Grand Casino Mille Lacs, Grand Casino Hinckley, Crowne
Plaza St. Paul Riverfront hotel and the DoubleTree by Hilton Downtown
St. Paul, as well as numerous small businesses. Nayquonabe played a
key role in the purchase of two downtown St. Paul hotels by the Mille
Lacs Band in 2012.
He has a bachelor’s degree in
marketing from St. Cloud State University, a master’s degree in
business administration from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson
School of Management and a master of tribal administration and
governance from the University of Minnesota – Duluth.
Leech Lake Organization Elects New Members
MINNEAPOLIS – The Leech Lake Twin
Cities Local Indian Council announced the election of new members
Carrie Day Aspinwall, Laurie Harper, Christine Roy, Richard White.
The recently-elected members were
seated at October meeting of the Local Indian Council Meeting. Leech
Lake Twin Cities Local Indian Council Meetings are held the last
Tuesday of each month at the Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource
Center, 2300 15th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55404
