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Dina Horwedel, Director of Public Education, American Indian College Fund, 303-426-8900, dhorwedel@collegefund.org

Colleen R. Billiot, Public Education Coordinator, American Indian College Fund, 720-214-2569, cbilliot@collegefund.org

American Indian College Fund Honors 35 Tribal College Students of the Year and Dr. Michael Oltrogge, President, Nebraska Indian Community College, as Tribal College and University Honoree of the Year

Awards sponsored by The Adolph Coors Foundation

Denver, Colo.—March 7, 2023—The American Indian College Fund honored 35 tribal college and university students with 2022-23 Student of the Year awards and scholarships, and Dr. Michael Oltrogge, President of Nebraska Indian Community College, with its 2022-23 Tribal College and University Honoree of the Year at a ceremony held Sunday, March 5 at the Albuquerque Convention Center in New Mexico.

The Adolph Coors Foundation sponsors the Tribal College and University Students of the Year scholarships and the Honoree of the Year award with the College Fund. Tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) select one outstanding student to represent their institution. Awardees received a $1,200 scholarship. Dr. Oltrogge received a $1,200 honorarium.

The 2022-23 Tribal College and University Students of the Year for each TCU are:

Student of the Year TCU
Ethan Werk Aaniiih Nakoda College
James St. Onge Bay Mills Community College
Morgan Harrison-Woolf Blackfeet Community College
Danesha Leaf Cankdeska Cikana Community College
James Russette Chief Dull Knife College
Melissa Wescott College of Menominee Nation
Kogee Postoak College of the Muscogee Nation
Dustin Hughes Diné College
Ashla Ojibway Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College
Fanci Jackson Fort Peck Community College
Randy Estrin Haskell Indian Nations University
Yael Yisrael Ilisagvik College
Ethan Nopah Institute of American Indian Arts
Leeah Owens Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College
Kristy Baccam Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University
Christopher Erle Leech Lake Tribal College
Mya Walks Over Ice Little Big Horn College
Wakinyanhotunwin Flute Player Little Priest Tribal College
Charmaine Williams Navajo Technical University
Theresa Juarez Nebraska Indian Community College
Mickki Garrity Northwest Indian College
SaRaya Houle Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College
Summer Afraid of Hawk Oglala Lakota College
Vena Cobenais Red Lake Nation College
Jeremiah Little Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College
Dominique LaForge Salish Kootenai College
Keshena One Star Sinte Gleska University
Billy Keeble Sisseton Wahpeton College
Konnor Starr Sitting Bull College
Alicia Dixon Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute
Clarissa Rosette-Bumpas Stone Child College
Cory Ventura-Ramon Tohono O’odham Community College
Issac Drees-Hajicek Turtle Mountain Community College
Ayanna Maynard United Tribes Technical College
Emmett Tibbetts White Earth Tribal and Community College

 

Tribal College and University Students of the Year at the Albuquerque ceremony posed with their awards.

 

The American Indian College Fund named Dr. Michael Oltrogge, President, Nebraska Indian Community College, its Tribal College and University Honoree of the Year.

Cheryl Crazy Bull, President and CEO of the American Indian College Fund, said, “We are so appreciative of all of our tribal colleges’ students and are especially joyful to recognize the TCU Students of the Year. We think of these students as representing their classmates with their dedication to their education and their desire to give back to their communities. It isn’t easy to be a student today; college takes time and effort and many of our students have families to help to support and are among the first in their families to go to college. We thank them for sharing part of their life’s journey with us.”

About the American Indian College Fund—The American Indian College Fund has been the nation’s largest charity supporting Native higher education for 33 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 https://www.collegefund.org.

Photo 1: The American Indian College Fund named Dr. Michael Oltrogge, President, Nebraska Indian Community College, its Tribal College and University Honoree of the Year.

Photo 2: Tribal College and University Students of the Year at the Albuquerque ceremony posed with their awards.

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

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