“Each year in partnership with Adolph Coors Foundation, tribal colleges and universities recognize students who represent the best of their institutions. Being the best means being culturally rooted, committed to achievement, and representing the opportunities that tribal colleges and tribal communities offer,” said Cheryl Crazy Bull, President and CEO of the American Indian College Fund.
In addition, the Adolph Coors Foundation also funded the 2014 American Indian College Fund Tribal College Honoree of the Year award. The College Fund named Dr. Sherry Allison (Navajo), president of Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI) in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as the recipient.

Dr. Sherry Allison poses with her students and staff representing Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI) at the Annual Student of the Year Awards Banquet “photo booth” during the 33rd Annual AIHEC Student Spring Conference in Billing, Montana, on Sunday, March 16, 2014.>>>more photos at Flickr.com

For the past five years Dr. Allison has served as President of SIPI. She served as Interim President from January—December 6, 2010, at which time she was appointed to the position of President by Mr. Larry Echo Hawk, Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs. SIPI is one of two federally operated colleges operated by the U.S. Department of Interior—Bureau of Indian Education.

The 34 tribal college students of the year for 2013-14 are as follows:

Corey Fox, Aaniiih Nakoda College, Computer Information Systems
Renae Carrick, Bay Mills Community College, General Studies
Josh Horn, Blackfeet Community College, Carpentry
Myron Wanna, Jr., Cankdeska Cikana Community College, Business Administration
Donald Widdicombe, Chief Dull Knife College, Business
Lloyd Frieson Jr., College of Menominee Nation, Public Administration
Brandi Scott, College of the Muscogee Nation, Tribal Services
Amanda Means, Diné College, Social Science
Jeremy Wilson, Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, Human Services
Michael DeVille, Fort Berthold Community College, Undeclared
David James, Fort Peck Community College, Business Administration
Bobby Crow Feather, Haskell Indian Nations University, American Indian Studies
Alison Bankston, Ilisagvik College, Allied Health
Louva Hartwell, Institute of American Indian Arts, New Media Arts
Stephanie Kozich, Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College, Environmental Science
Jordan Isham Winrich, Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Comm. College, Business Management
Vincent Morris, Leech Lake Tribal College, Liberal Arts
Riley Singer, Little Big Horn College, Business Administration
Yvette Doty, Little Priest Tribal College, Teacher Education
Malanie Begay, Navajo Technical University, Environmental Science
Samantha Goodbird, Nebraska Indian Community College, General Studies
Noelani Villa, Northwest Indian College, Native Environmental Science
Jeremy Vu, Oglala Lakota College, Social Work
Jennifer Arnold, Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College, Liberal Arts
Loga Fixico, Salish Kootenai College, Environmental Science
Ashley DuMarce, Sisseton Wahpeton College, Business Administration
Raechel Herman, Sinte Gleska University, Business Management
Maya St.Cyr, Sitting Bull College, Business Administration
Waylon Ballew, Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute, Liberal Arts
Erika Torres-Hernandez, Stone Child College, Mathematics
Marilyn Francisco, Tohono O’odham Community College, Liberal Arts
Cassandra Trottier, Turtle Mountain Community College, Early Childhood Education
Gene Declay, United Tribes Technical College, Media Arts
Desiree Linden, White Earth Tribal and Community College, Early Childhood Education