Students Selected for Chief Washakie Scholarship at UW

Chief Washakie scholarships recently were awarded to 14 University of Wyoming students for the coming academic year.

Current recipients of the Chief Washakie Scholarship, who will continue to receive support for the coming year, are: Tonya Dewey, criminal justice junior, from Riverton; Ashlee Enos, a senior in management with a minor in American Indian studies, Taryn Jim, a junior in speech language and hearing science with a minor in disability studies, Lee Tendore, a senior in Native American studies, and Kailyn Washakie, a senior in English with a minor in professional writing, all from Fort Washakie; Contessa Bonds, seeking a Master of Science degree in health services administration, Mia Holt, a senior in physiology with a minor in American Indian studies, and Tucker Russell, a junior in zoology, all from Lander; Colleen Friday, seeking a Master of Science degree in rangeland ecology and watershed management, and Vanessa Sorrels, seeking a Ph.D. in pharmacy, both from Laramie.

New recipients of the Chief Washakie Scholarship are: Antonia Valdez, a senior in elementary education with a concentration in creative arts, and Stephen Valdez, a senior in American Indian studies, both from Ethete; Eric Bennett, a junior in social science, and Katie Hines, an undeclared freshman, both from Fort Washakie; and Piram Duran, a junior in psychology, from Riverton.

Students will be recognized at the American Indian Studies Honoring of Graduates ceremony Thursday, May 11.

The scholarship program was created in 2003 when the Chief Washakie Foundation gave $200,000 to UW. Funds were collected to create Chief Washakie statues in the U.S. and Wyoming capitol buildings, and the joint tribal headquarters in Fort Washakie. The gift was matched by the state, creating a $400,000 endowment that annually produces income for the scholarships.

The Chief Washakie Memorial Endowment at UW helps students and educators -- with significant ties to the Wind River Indian Reservation community -- gain formal knowledge, skills and abilities.

“The spirit of the award assumes that the recipients have, as part of their ultimate goals, some direct participation, appropriate to their educational background, in activities that will further the common good of the people of the Wind River Indian Reservation,” says Debra Littlesun, UW Student Financial Aid associate director.

The selection committee is composed of representatives of the Wind River Indian Reservation community and UW. Members are James Trosper, Chief Washakie Foundation chairman; Mark Harris, Chief Washakie Foundation co-chairman; Zedora Enos, great-granddaughter of Chief Washakie; May Raynolds, a Lander resident and member of the Chief Washakie statue committee; Littlesun; Angela Jaime, UW College of Education associate professor; and Amy McClure, retired UW Outreach regional office academic coordinator at Central Wyoming College.

For more information about the Chief Washakie Scholarship, call Littlesun at (307) 766-2411 or email her at dreed14@uwyo.edu.