Montana Tribal College Students Earn Honors

The American Indian College Fund (College Fund) honored 35 Tribal College and University Students of the Year and 35 Coca Cola First Generation Scholars at a ceremony held on Sunday, March 10 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. Dr. Charles M. Roessel, President of Diné College, was also named the College Fund’s 2023-24 Tribal College and University President Honoree of the Year.

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. Each Tribal college and university (TCU) selects one student to represent their institution and the College Fund selects the TCU President Honoree. Students receive a $1,200 scholarship and the president is awarded a $1,200 honorarium.

The Coca-Cola Foundation provides scholarships for first-generation Native students who attend a TCU. The Coca-Cola Foundation has awarded almost $3.6 million in scholarship support to the College Fund since 1990 to assist more than 500 students with their college education. Students can reapply to 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 are so proud of our students who are representative of the amazing and talented students who attend our tribal higher education institutions. Our values and vision are reflected in each of them. We look forward to all the ways that they will continue to contribute to the self-determination and wellbeing of our Tribes and families.”

2023-24 Tribal College Students of the Year: Aaniiih Nakoda College-Alexis Bixby, Blackfeet Community College-Gwynne E. White Quills, Chief Dull Knife College- Jozette Limpy Fort Peck Community College-Gib Medicine Cloud, Little Big Horn College- Kayle Addison, Salish Kootenai College-Bryce Norling, Stone Child College-Jazmyne Torres.

2023-24 Coca-Cola First Generation Scholars: Aaniiih Nakoda College-Lyle Stiffarm, Blackfeet Community College-Brandi Harwood, Chief Dull Knife College-Kyla Kwandibens, Fort Peck Community College-Sherry Ross, Little Big Horn College-Dvera Tolbert, Salish Kootenai College-Bobbi Brooks, Stone Child College-Kaycee Chiefstick.