Denver, Colo., March 20, 2025—The American Indian College Fund (College Fund) honored 34 Tribal College and University Students of the Year and 35 Coca Cola First Generation Scholars at a ceremony held on March 9 in Rapid City, South Dakota. Dr. Carla Sineway, President of Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College in Michigan, was also named the College Fund’s 2024-25 Tribal College and University President Honoree of the Year. These individuals represent the passion, determination, and community spirit of Native scholars of the tribal colleges.

The Adolph Coors Foundation sponsors both the Tribal College and University Students of the Year and the Tribal College and University President Honoree of the Year. Every year each tribal college and university (TCU) selects one student to represent their institutions, and the College Fund selects the TCU President Honoree. Students receive a $1,200 scholarship and the president receives a $1,200 honorarium.

The Coca-Cola Foundation provides scholarships for first-generation Native American students who attend a TCU. The Coca-Cola Foundation has awarded over $4 million in scholarship support to the College Fund since 1990 to assist more than 790 students with their college education. Students can reapply for the scholarship each year 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, “We experience great joy when we gather to celebrate students and to congratulate them and their families. The College Fund thanks the students for joining us and shares its appreciation with the funders and supporters who made our celebration possible.

2024-25 Tribal College Students of the Year

• • Aaniiih Nakoda College – Etcibetat Madera
  • Bay Mills Community College – Oscar Reo
  • Blackfeet Community College – Melisa Trombley
  • Cankdeska Cikana Community College – Shanell Paul
  • Chief Dull Knife College – Madison Doney
  • College of Menominee Nation – Dawn Tiger
  • College of the Muscogee Nation – Nora Tiger
  • Diné College – Rowena White-Claw
  • Fort Peck Community College – Tiffany Weinberger
  • Haskell Indian Nations University – Star Her Many Horses
  • Iḷisaġvik College – Sasha Derenoff (Carlile)
  • Institute of American Indian Arts – Tru West
  • Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College – Jenna Maki
  • Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University – Kay Jensen
  • Leech Lake Tribal College – Mya Morgan
  • Little Big Horn College – Shelby Big Lake-Hill
  • Little Priest Tribal College – Raven Turner
  • Navajo Technical University – Ronald Benally Jr.
  • Nebraska Indian Community College – Rosalind Grant
  • Northwest Indian College – Catherine Goble
  • Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College – Reilee Lee
  • Oglala Lakota College – Mato Hinton
  • Red Lake Nation College – Alyssa Fisher-Vizenor
  • Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College – Sam Hassan
  • Salish Kootenai College – James Douthwaite
  • Sinte Gleska University – Devin Whirlwind Soldier
  • Sisseton Wahpeton College – Kenyon Budack, Jr.
  • Sitting Bull College – Derek Gates
  • Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute – Luke Gibson
  • Stone Child College – King Ragged Robe
  • Tohono O’odham Community College – Isaiah Pashano
  • Turtle Mountain Community College – Amari Larocque
  • United Tribes Technical College – Rebecca Keepseagle
  • White Earth Tribal and Community College – Raeanna Connor

2024-25 Coca-Cola First Generation Scholars

• • Aaniiih Nakoda College – Lyle Stiffarm
  • Bay Mills Community College – Oona Burton
  • Bay Mills Community College – Audie Petrosky
  • Blackfeet Community College – Brandi Harwood
  • Cankdeska Cikana Community College – Aisha Ironhawk
  • Chief Dull Knife College – Linda Bahr
  • College of Menominee Nation – Rose Tourtillott
  • College of the Muscogee Nation – Brooke Branson
  • Diné College – Vanesha Cleveland
  • Fort Peck Community College – Waynette Boyd
  • Haskell Indian Nations University – Taylor Butterfield
  • Iḷisaġvik College – Kristina Cisneros
  • Institute of American Indian Arts – Brianna Waukau
  • Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College – Gabrielle Picciano
  • Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University – Clarice Roberts
  • Leech Lake Tribal College – David LeDoux
  • Little Big Horn College – Shelby Big Lake-Hill
  • Little Priest Tribal College – Angelica Parker
  • Navajo Technical University – Allyn Allen
  • Nebraska Indian Community College – Bridgette Hoshont’Omba
  • Northwest Indian College – Julie Bosch
  • Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College – Michelle Graham
  • Oglala Lakota College – Laweka White Hawk
  • Red Lake Nation College – Amanda Defoe
  • Salish Kootenai College – Arlene Rogers
  • Sinte Gleska University – Lacey Dillard
  • Sisseton Wahpeton College – Kaci Neilan
  • Sitting Bull College – Chyanne Ducheneaux
  • Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute – Keisha Edwards
  • Stone Child College – ShoShana Saddler
  • Tohono O’odham Community College – Christy McGaughey
  • Turtle Mountain Community College – Quentin Brien
  • United Tribes Technical College – Kaytlin Nation
  • United Tribes Technical College – Dasean Marquese
  • White Earth Tribal and Community College – Precious Hoagland

 

About the American Indian College Fund — The American Indian College Fund has been the nation’s largest charity supporting Native higher education for 35 years. The College Fund believes “Education is the answer” and provided $20.5 million in scholarships and other direct student support for access to a higher education steeped in Native culture and values to American Indian students in 2023-24. Since its founding in 1989 the College Fund has provided more than $349 million in scholarships, programs, community, and tribal college support. The College Fund also supports a variety of programs at the nation’s 34 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. It earned a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, a Gold Seal of Transparency from Guidestar, and the “Best in America Seal of Excellence” from the Independent Charities of America. The College Fund was also named as one of the nation’s top 100 charities to the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance. For more information about the American Indian College Fund, please visit www.collegefund.org.

Reporters: The American Indian College Fund does not use the acronym AICF. On second reference, please use the College Fund.

Photo Credit: Eunice Straight Head, Straight Head Creatives