Tribal College Blanket Design Competition
Not accepting new submissions at this time until November 15, 2025.
The American Indian College Fund and Pendleton Woolen Mills are challenging tribal college students to express their culture and identity through original designs for our next tribal college student blanket. Blanket sales will support College Fund scholarships. Textile design experience is not necessary to enter, and student winners will receive the following prizes:
Grand Prize Winner:
- $2,000 Cash
- $5,000 Scholarship
- 6 x blankets
2nd Place Winner:
- $500 Cash
- $2,500 Scholarship
3rd Place Winner:
- $250 Cash
- $1,500 Scholarship
“Infinite Prayer” the Latest American Indian College Fund Student-Designed Pendleton Blanket is Now Available for Purchase
Diné College Student, Jenabah Yazzie, Creates Winning Design
The 2024 winning Tribal College Blanket Design, Infinite Prayer, designed by Jenabah Yazzie (Diné), is now available for purchase. Chosen from over 40 submissions, the blanket is the latest addition to Pendleton Woolen Mills’ American Indian College Fund collection. The heritage brand has created wool blankets in partnership with the College Fund for more than 20 years.
“Infinite Prayer” the Latest American Indian College Fund Student-Designed Pendleton Blanket is Now Available for Purchase
Diné College Student, Jenabah Yazzie, Creates Winning Design
The 2024 winning Tribal College Blanket Design, Infinite Prayer, designed by Jenabah Yazzie (Diné), is now available for purchase. Chosen from over 40 submissions, the blanket is the latest addition to Pendleton Woolen Mills’ American Indian College Fund collection. The heritage brand has created wool blankets in partnership with the College Fund for more than 20 years.
Meet Past Winners
Meet the 2022 contest winner and Diné College student, Dustin, and learn more about his design “Many Nations.” Dustin explained that the design of Many Nations is meant to represent the identity crisis felt by Indigenous people who are descendants of more than one tribe or have some non-Native ancestry. Indigenized DNA strands pay tribute to water as the element we cannot exist without. The hourglass shape is made up of the initial M and B for “mixed-blood,” but the hourglass also symbolizes the Tsiiyéeł, or matriarchal society, for many Navajo artists. Star shapes represent parents, both biological and figurative, that pass along traditional teachings and help those struggling with their identity to navigate the world on and off the reservation.
Meet the 2021 contest winner and Fort Peck Community College student, Chelysa, and learn more about her creation “Unity.” Chelysa’s piece, titled “Bloom,” is a self-portrait that represents her personal growth with blooming flowers, open arms, and butterflies representing a healed soul and new beginnings. “The overall visual I wanted the piece to show is that no matter where you’re at in life, no matter what hardships you are going through, you have the ability to heal, the ability to start over. When we go through our different stages in life, relationships, hardships, pain, love, etcetera… we bloom through it all.”
Meet the 2020 contest winner and Little Big Horn College student and College Fund scholar, Deshawna Anderson and how she draws inspiration from historic and contemporary Apache beadwork, quillwork, and burden baskets (conically shaped and fringed baskets that traditionally were used by women to carry everyday items like food and firewood).
