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Paige Kimiksana Kreps Pursues Passion to Have Inuit Voices Heard

June 10, 2026/in News, Toronto Metropolitan University

This article was originally written by Toronto Metropolitan University, one of the Johnson Scholarship Foundation’s grantee partners. It is shared here with permission.

Johnson Scholarship Foundation supports Public Administration and Indigenous Governance Program

Growing up near Toronto, Paige Kimiksana Kreps felt removed from her Inuvialuit culture. As a teenager, she began reconnecting with the Inuit community, and eventually working in Toronto and across Ontario, helping to build programs and services for urban Inuit.

After completing a business degree, Paige was feeling disconnected from her work and wanted a career aligned with her values. Then she discovered the Public Administration and Indigenous Governance program run by the Yellowhead Institute and the Department of Politics and Public Administration at TMU, and everything shifted.

“I really wanted to move towards somewhere where you can do more research, focus on policy work, and hopefully ensure there are Inuit voices in these rooms.”

A gift that opens doors

Scholarship support from the Johnson Scholarship Foundation is helping make that possible. In 2025, the Johnson Scholarship Foundation made a three-year investment to strengthen the Public Administration and Indigenous Governance program, a partnership between Yellowhead Institute and the First Nations Technical Institute (FNTI). The program is training the next generation of Indigenous leaders through culturally grounded, academically rigorous learning, leading to university degrees, and stronger governance capacity and self-determination in Indigenous communities.

This builds on the foundation’s Indigenous Student Excellence Scholarship program at TMU, launched in 2020, which supports five Indigenous students each year with peer mentoring, career development and renewable financial support.

Removing barriers with the Vernon Yellowhead Zhooniya

The 2025 investment created a new fund called the Vernon Yellowhead Zhooniya, named for the advocate of environmental stewardship and Indigenous knowledge from Rama First Nation. The fund helps cover practical costs like travel, child care and technology – barriers that can prevent students from completing post-secondary programs.

The investment also allows Yellowhead to continue developing an Indigenous-centred curriculum, co-designed with students, faculty and Indigenous communities.

“This collaboration with Johnson Scholarship Foundation will result in sustainability for the Public Administration and Indigenous Governance program and much needed support for students,” says Hayden King, executive director of the Yellowhead Institute.

“The Johnson Scholarship Foundation is proud to continue partnering with Toronto Metropolitan University by expanding access to higher education for Indigenous students,” says Bobby Krause, chief executive officer of the Johnson Scholarship Foundation. “By supporting the Vernon Yellowhead Zhooniya, we can empower even more Indigenous students to lead and strengthen the communities they serve across Canada.”

Leading from a place of strength

For Paige, the goal is clear. She looks up to national organizations like Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and Inuit Circumpolar Council – and wants to work with them.

“I want to be working in one of these organizations where I can effect change and spend time with politicians, leaders and make sure that voices are heard,” she says. “I am really grateful to the Johnson Scholarship Foundation and Yellowhead for supporting this program and students.”

Photo courtesy of Toronto Metropolitan University.

Encouraging Community, Connections, and Collaboration

October 19, 2025/in Annual Report, News

Bridget Kimsey speaks at the 2022 ASCEND space industry conference in Las Vegas. Photo by David Becker.

Growing up, Bridget Kimsey (Lenape/Irish) always wondered how the world worked. She recalls throwing a blue spoon across the room as a young child to see if it would fly.

“I can see the beauty,” she admits. “But I immediately go into ‘How is that constructed?’ and ‘What does that mean?’”

Her curiosity paid off. With 30 years of experience in healthcare, particularly in oncology medicine, the Vermont-based researcher holds a master’s degree in space studies with a concentration in astronomy/physics. She is currently pursuing a PhD in artificial intelligence.

Kimsey’s love for STEM runs in the family. Her father and grandmother were scientists. As a 51-year-old Native woman in STEM, Kimsey sought a community with like-minded individuals.

While attending the annual National Institutes of Health Visit Week for Native American students in 2016, she met representatives from the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES).

With offices in Albuquerque, New Mexico and Boulder, Colorado, AISES works to increase the representation of Indigenous Peoples in STEM. The organization also offers academic, professional, and emotional support to students. JSF’s matching grant supports educational programs at AISES and the STEM & Business track at its annual conference.

Kimsey quickly got involved in AISES—participating in computer science and Google programs, the conference, and mentoring services. The business cohort helped her grow professionally, sparking ideas and refreshing her business skills, while the rematriation program connected her with other women in STEM.

“Bridget Kimsey’s dedication and expertise have elevated our STEM & Business cohort,” says Stacy Ledford, PK-12 student success program officer at AISES. “Her willingness to share insights and engage in meaningful conversations has been invaluable, and her passion for advancing Indigenous STEM is truly inspiring. We are grateful for the impact she continues to make in our community.”

Kimsey is also a solar system ambassador for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Volunteering under the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, she hosts community programs and guides local students in designing resilient AI products for space.

She says AISES helped her connect with her heritage and navigate feelings of impostor syndrome as she pursued her education.

“I don’t know what I would be doing without AISES,” says Kimsey, who is also a published author. “AISES keeps us moving forward. It’s exciting to be in my knowledge-bearing years and work with new roles coming up around me.”

She encourages Indigenous women and students in STEM to take their time in whatever they’re pursuing and stay true to themselves.

“I was able to get through because of AISES,” she says. “I was raised [to] keep tribal stuff separate— you don’t mention it to anyone. This is a new concept [of] Natives helping Natives. AISES raised that bar to say, ‘You deserve money for your time and thoughts; you’re worth it.’”

This article was originally published in the Johnson Scholarship Foundation’s 2024 annual report about the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES). Click here to read more content from the annual report.

National Center’s Chris James Shares Insights on the State of Native Business and What’s Ahead

November 22, 2024/in National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development, News, Sherry Salway-Black

Written by Sherry Salway Black, Johnson Scholarship Foundation board vice chair

There are few people in Indian Country who have the well-rounded experience and depth of knowledge about Native business and economic development than Chris James. He comes from a family of small business owners in western North Carolina, the homelands of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. He grew up with firsthand experience. And he learned more about business in his youth through Junior Achievement USA, coming full circle as he now sits on the board of the national Junior Achievement organization.

Sherry Salway Black is Board Vice Chair of the Johnson Scholarship Foundation. She is wearing a black blazer and has short silver hair.

Sherry Salway Black, JSF board vice chair, sat down with Chris James, president & CEO of the National Center.

Before he left his Cherokee home, he served as staff for the Sequoyah Fund, Inc., a Native Community Development Financial Institution (NCDFI)—serving his home community with business technical assistance and capital. Chris took that hands-on experience to Washington, D.C, where he worked as a liaison between the Treasury Department CDFI Fund, Tribal governments, and other federal agencies. He was appointed in 2011 by President Barack Obama to serve as Associate Administrator at the U.S. Small Business Administration, where he led the Offices of Field Operation and Native American Affairs and launched the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.

In 2017 Chris became the president and CEO of the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (National Center), the oldest and largest Native organization providing business development and training. During his tenure, he doubled the National Center’s revenue, expanding procurement and training programs throughout the country while boosting attendance at the annual Reservation Economic Summit by nearly 30 percent in the last five years.

I was fortunate to visit recently with Chris and his amazing staff in their Mesa, Ariz. headquarters—and participate in a podcast episode (ep. 14). As a quid pro quo, Chris kindly agreed to an interview with me to honor Native American Heritage Month.

Q: Describe your view of the state of Native business and entrepreneurship today and the major changes over the past 20 to 30 years.

A: I see the state of Native business and entrepreneurship from a global perspective in two key areas: growth in diversification and growth in federal and corporate partnerships.

Gaming was a new sector for tribes 30 to 40 years ago. Going from bingo halls to casino gaming was a big transition in the late 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s and had been the laser focus of tribal economic development. Now gaming is just one piece. Diversification of tribal businesses might include agriculture or building an IT company or government contracting. There are so many diverse business opportunities. These businesses can be tribally- or individually-owned.

Q: Could you explain what you mean by federal and corporate partnerships?

A: Twenty years ago, a federal agency or federal program may have had one Native coordinator, but they were few and far between. Even 15 years ago when I was in the federal government, I was sometimes the only Native voice in the room. Fast forward to today—the Biden Administration has really increased that number. This growth is a big deal. Now, instead of one voice in the room, you often have four to five voices. That’s all the way from the White House level and trickling down through the agencies. The National Center did a profile in 2020 of Native individuals in key positions in the federal government. We identified more than 10 in high-level key leadership and decision-making positions, starting with Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland.

Chris James, president and CEO of the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development

Q: Is the same true for corporations?

A: Yes, it is. Twenty years ago, we rarely had an office or a person who was dedicated to Native American business and communities. Now Amazon, Walmart, and Alaska Airlines all have coordinators. Nike has a huge division—N7. It’s the Native voice not only diversifying the corporation but also advocating for more Native businesses in the supply chain, more support for youth programs, and support for more Native employees. We are well under one percent in those corporations, but there is an increased focus. Those employees are having an impact.

And, corporations are starting to understand the diversity of Native business. Fifteen or 20 years ago, these corporations may have had a notion of a Native business as an artisan—which is a great business. Now they are seeing that a Native business actually has the capacity to do a half-a-billion-dollar contract. Corporations now want to partner more with Native businesses.

Q: What do you see in the future for Native businesses?

A: I see the trends above continuing. Tribally-owned corporations will continue to grow and diversify. This helps the community with job creation; it helps the community foster a sense of entrepreneurial spirit, and it’s an income stream for the tribe to diversify their own portfolio. I don’t see that stopping. In fact, I think there are even more resources out there to help them grow. About two years ago the National Center launched an export office. We’re helping not only individuals, but tribes get into international markets. About 96 percent of companies do business only in the US. There are markets outside the U.S. Our tribally- and individually-owned businesses are seeing those opportunities and going after them.

There has been an emphasis in the Biden Administration with the CHIPS and Science Act, bringing more technology back to the United States, especially manufacturing semiconductors and microchips. Tribes need to be able to access these opportunities—from manufacturing all the way to an individual being part of a subcontract. It also brings in more job creation for our communities.

Another opportunity is to create more environmentally friendly businesses, looking for ways to create cheaper and more sustainable energy sources. We need to think about helping the earth heal itself. It could include solar, wind, or hydrogen energy technology. Tribes are looking at those environmental projects to not only support their communities by creating more energy for environmental sustainability, but also creating more jobs.

Q: What about the role of the individual entrepreneur or small business owner in the future?

A: There is also more focus on the citizen entrepreneur. There are opportunities with the growing number of Native CDFIs—especially the “legacy” NCDFIs that have been around for over 20 years.

When I started in the CDFI industry, we were like a start-up business. We struggled, constantly looking for funds, trying to get more clients and projects; trying to figure out our role in the community. Now over 20 to 30 years later, the established CDFIs, the legacy CDFIs—there are probably about 10 or so that I could name. They now have a track record, they know their communities, they are innovating, and they’ve built programs specifically around the needs of their communities and supporting that entrepreneur—the citizen entrepreneur—giving them the tools to build sustainable businesses, supporting them with capital and crucial training. The CDFIs have done well in our communities and will continue to do well. We need to look at the impact and what has been created over the years. The impact is multi-generational, and the institutions are stable. Now there are more than 65 NCDFIs in 27 states and more in the pipeline—supporting Native citizen entrepreneurs.

Stay tuned for more insights from Chris James this December in a second article, which will focus on Native business students and business education.

Introducing Native Forward Scholars Fund

June 14, 2022/in Native Forward Scholars Fund, News

Johnson Scholarship Foundation is proud to share the rebranding of its grantee partner, Native Forward Scholars Fund, formerly known as the American Indian Graduate Center. JSF partners with Native Forward to provide academic scholarships for students majoring in accounting or finance as well as exam fee scholarships for individuals pursuing professional licensure. The collaboration is also helping Native Forward establish a scholarship endowment.

This is what Native Forward has to say about how the new name was chosen:

Since the origin of our organization over 50 years ago, our work has supported the forward movement of Native communities — giving rise to new beginnings, advancing new opportunities, and establishing new horizons for our scholars.

We are committed to our goal of empowering Native leaders through national scholarship funding and student services to share their voices and strengthen their communities.

Today, we would like to reintroduce ourselves as Native Forward Scholars Fund. While there is no perfect single name to describe all members of our communities, “Native” speaks clearly to our collective history and cultures. “Forward” directly speaks towards the empowerment of our scholars’ success to create and enact positive change.

We are grateful for 50 years in community with you and look forward to the next 50 – join us at: nativeforward.org!

The Importance of STEM Initiatives to Indigenous American Communities

December 10, 2021/in News, Sarah Echohawk

Every child should have the freedom to dream big. At the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES), it’s been our mission to encourage Indigenous children to not only dream big in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math), but to make those dreams a reality.

The current, and increasing, underrepresentation of Indigenous people in STEM is cause for national concern because it deprives our nation of the potential for innovation and transformative solutions arising from a diverse STEM workforce (Corbett & Hill, 2015; National Academies, 2011). Further, research suggests diverse voices, such as those of Indigenous learners and professionals, contribute to creative and critical STEM enterprise of problem solving (Page, 2007; Spencer & Dawes, 2009). Equally, it is morally imperative to support all individuals, including Indigenous men and women, and Indigenous two-spirit and LGBTQIA+ individuals, who wish to pursue STEM education and careers.

Too many bright and talented Indigenous students at all levels encounter challenges academically for a multitude of reasons. Working with its partners, AISES creates brighter futures for them by ensuring equal access to STEM educational programming, closing gender and learning gaps, placing a premium on diversity, and improving access to essential support services and resources. And while encouraging Indigenous students to pursue STEM studies because today’s fastest growing, most in-demand jobs are in STEM fields, the skills and principles acquired through STEM education are equally important for those looking to create and manage businesses of their own someday.

For over 40 years, AISES has been committed to substantially increasing the number of Indigenous people in STEM studies and careers. AISES’ three key focus areas are student success, career support, and workforce development. In the advancement of our mission, AISES works with exceptional Indigenous students who all too often face educational and economic inequalities. As such, AISES offers programming and resources to encourage, guide, and fund Indigenous students on their pathway into a STEM field. Upon completion of their STEM degree or certification, AISES continues to provide supportive programming and resources as well as access to the nation’s largest network of individuals and institutions dedicated to supporting the ongoing career development and advancement of Indigenous people in STEM fields.

In 2017, AISES launched a STEM and Business initiative to expand opportunities and provide resources for AISES members who want to combine their interest in STEM with starting or expanding a business within their own tribal communities. Since then, AISES has engaged hundreds of students and professionals by delivering sessions at its annual conference, creating a cohort of individuals for entrepreneurship training and mentorship, and providing start-up capital to program participants. To support this work, AISES partners with allies who are also committed to providing resources to help grow and expand the numbers of Indigenous STEM students and professionals. One such collaboration is with the Johnson Scholarship Foundation.

With support of the Johnson Scholarship Foundation, AISES STEM and Business program is delivering an entrepreneurship training initiative to (1) expand access to the AISES STEM and Business curriculum via AISES microsite along with outreach and promotion of these resources to the entire AISES network; (2) create a 10-person STEM and Business cohort and recruitment of 5 professional mentors; (3) conduct a three-part series of STEM and Business trainings, two in-person trainings hosted in conjunction with AISES events and one virtual training; and (4) award mini-grants to support Indigenous STEM Business development.

Thanks to partners like the Johnson Scholarship Foundation, AISES has enabled many Indigenous people to develop businesses. It’s helped grow tribal enterprises, and supported tribal communities as they strive toward economic independence and the assertion of tribal sovereignty. Now more than ever, it is essential for AISES to further expand our partnerships to create more opportunities for Indigenous youth and young professionals seeking careers in STEM fields. It is time to make Indigenous STEM representation a priority as a critical component of the larger global effort to develop the most innovative solutions to today’s most pressing problems and issues. Together, AISES and its partners are creating those opportunities – and I hope you too will join us.

Sarah Echohawk is a citizen of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma, and is CEO of AISES.

Tribal Nations & The United States: An Introduction

November 15, 2021/in Angie Francalancia, News

Johnson Scholarship Foundation founder Ted Johnson Sr. believed strongly in supporting Indigenous people. Since 1992 Johnson Scholarship Foundation has been supporting scholarships and programs at tribal colleges and other Native-serving institutions. The goal is to catalyze economic development for Indigenous peoples by investing in entrepreneurship and business education and investing in capacity building for business and entrepreneurship in Indigenous communities.

Native American Heritage Month is a fitting occasion to share some information about tribal nations in America. The National Congress of American Indians published an update in February, 2020, to its publication, “Tribal Nations & the United States: An Introduction. It provides an overview of historical and current information on Native Americans, including a section on economic development.

Here is some data from the report:

The need for sustained economic growth is critically acute in most Native communities across the country. On reservations, 39 percent of Native people live in poverty – the highest poverty rate in America. On-reservation employment is highest in education, health care, and social services, followed closely by public administration.
Agriculture is a major economic, employment and nutrition sector in Indian Country, including 60,083 farming operations accounting for $3.33 billion in total sales.
Native-owned small businesses have grown over the last 30 years and are significant contributors to the growing tribal economy. Much of the growth is due to the Small Business Administration’s Business Development Program.
There were 272,919 American Indian and Alaska Native-owned businesses in 2012, a 15 percent increase from 2007.

Read the entire report at the National Congress of American Indians’ website here.

Angie Francalancia is a communications specialist with Johnson Scholarship Foundation

The Changing Face of Philanthropy

August 27, 2021/in News, Sherry Salway Black

This past June I was watching a virtual conference session and heard someone say there is only one Native person on a private foundation board. Interesting I thought! I knew it to be untrue because 1) I serve on a private foundation board with 11 other Native people – and 2) I know a number of other Native people who currently serve on private foundation boards. This led me to do a very quick research project over the next week to find as many Native people on private foundation boards as I could. I was moderating a panel at the RES 2021 Summit in July – the Changing Face of Philanthropy: Native people and Native foundations, and it would be useful information.

In that study, which was not exhaustive in any sense, I found 28 Native people serving on 13 private foundation boards. I also identified nine Native people serving on the boards of seven community foundations. And five Native people currently serve as the CEO or Executive Director of either a private foundation or community foundation. WOW! Definitely more than one Native person! I focused this effort on private and community foundations and on the boards to show that there are a growing number of Native people in these philanthropic leadership positions. Are there enough? Absolutely not. Should there be more? Absolutely. Is change happening fast enough? Change never happens fast enough.

Johnson Scholarship Foundation Board of Directors and staff

I have 40 plus years of working in Indian Country and 35 years of working with philanthropy to look back on to see that change has occurred. When I went to my first Council on Foundations conference in the late 1980s – as a presenter – there was nary a person of color representing a foundation board and only a handful of staff. That was the birth of Native Americans in Philanthropy (NAP) which sought to increase the number of Native people in the field and to bring attention to the amount of philanthropic funding going to Native causes and organizations. I was asked to join my first private foundation board in 1993, the Hitachi Foundation, one of three I’ve served on over the past 28 years, including currently, the Johnson Scholarship Foundation since 2006, and the Native American Agriculture Fund, since it was launched in 2018 as the largest Native private foundation.

Where real change is occurring is in Native non-profits raising funds from foundations, corporations and other donors to re-grant to Native causes and organizations. In my little research project I identified 11 Native funds, starting as far back as 1977 up to the present day. I’m sure there are more of these as well. This doesn’t include the “community foundations” or “funds” set up by tribes from enterprise funds or other sources of revenue, or the Alaska Native Corporation Scholarship Foundations funded by corporate revenues, or the Native scholarship organizations, or those set up specifically about philanthropy like NAP and Native Ways Federation. Just think of the growing cadre of Native people serving on these boards and as staff who are adding significantly to expertise in Native philanthropy.

I’ve been in conversations recently with others about this being a “moment in time” for change. From the social unrest of 2020 and growing attention to equity, diversity and inclusion in both the public and private sector, change is happening faster, opportunities and doors are opening in more places, and more resources are available for social justice. Will this continue? It should and it must. It will continue to change the face of philanthropy.

Sherry Salway Black is Vice Chair of the Johnson Scholarship Foundation Board of Directors.

San Carlos Apache Small Business Plan Competition Produces Sweet Success

March 5, 2021/in News, Robert Krause

Earlier this summer, I accepted an invitation to serve as one of five judges for the 2nd Annual San Carlos Apache Tribe Small Business Plan Competition. JSF supported this exercise as part of a two-year grant to the Center for American Indian Economic Development (CAIED) at Northern Arizona University in January of 2020.

Due to the pandemic, the competition was conducted over Zoom. During the week of October 12th, the judges received written business plans for the competing proposals. Contestants would pitch their proposals to judges on October 15th. Presentations were rated on marketing, product or service, competence, management capability, financial understanding and investment potential. Judges were further asked to provide written comments to the applicants. The format of the contest was modeled after the TV series “Shark Tank.”

The business ventures were varied in their industries, stages and development. They included a document scan and shred business, a coin laundromat, a children’s book proposal, a Native sewing business, a bead supply company and a sweet bread baker. Contestants were given 15 minutes to present their proposals and answer questions from the judges. All of the participants were well prepared, and the exercise was conducted well. The competition effectively promoted the intended purpose of encouraging entrepreneurial activity and education.

I was particularly struck by the resourcefulness and creativity of the applicants. The current pandemic has required them to pivot their work, and all of them had some measure of a successful testimony of adaptation. I was also struck by the resonating theme of community in all of their proposals. Many of them spoke of the benefit to others more than they addressed the viability or financial opportunity of their business. The winner was the Beaded Edge Supply with a business expansion proposal. You can see their business at www.beadededgesupply.com.

I was asked to forward a grateful thank you from the San Carlos Apache Tribe to JSF and all who participated. All participants received some remuneration. First place received $6,000 and sixth place received $100. Beaded Edge Supply will use the winning proceeds to offset the cost of a new facility to accommodate their growing business. For me, I left inspired, encouraged and appreciative for the opportunity to represent the Johnson Scholarship Foundation.

But what happened next to one of the presenters makes it doubly rewarding. Frankie Holmes, the participant who made strawberry sweet bread, landed a major contract with Freeport McMoRan to provide his desserts to their employees. One of the judges works for Freeport, and was instrumental in making it happen.

Here’s Frankie’s story:

“I had heard of the business plan competition from the year before. Baking wasn’t even my thing. But writing a business plan is nothing new for me. I’ve done it numerous times.

“I hear back from the competition. They say, ‘You’re going to be presenting.’ But I didn’t get picked. I got a phone call saying I got, like fourth place. But prior to that, one of the judges reached out to me and said, ‘Your presentation was flawless. We’d like to place an order.’ I’m thinking she’s going to order like four or five loaves. No! She put in a giant order for her whole department! Now I have a contract with them for six months for their team building activities,” he said.

“Then, she put it on Facebook, and things just took off! Prior to the competition, I was doing like a few hundred (in sales) a week. Then, for Thanksgiving and Christmas, I had sales galore! Thanksgiving alone was over $3,000!

“Word of mouth is very viable down here,” said Holmes, who works in Globe-Miami, an area of sister cities east of Phoenix and west of the San Carlos Reservation with a population of less than 10,000.

Holmes is a personal banker with Wells Fargo who got into baking when COVID-19 hit the town, he said.

“It hit our little town big-time,” he said. “Our whole town shut down. The banks shut down. I was out of work. I figured I could sit here, sulk and cry, or be the guy I’ve always been and find a muse. I never heard of anybody making a strawberry sweet bread, so in one weekend, I did it.”

Congratulations, Frankie Holmes!

Robert Krause is CEO of Johnson Scholarship Foundation

Construction Internships Lead to Stronger Workforce and More Homes

January 11, 2021/in News, South Dakota Native Homeownership Coalition

The South Dakota Native Homeownership Coalition (SDNHC) established the Construction Internship Program with a two-fold goal of expanding the capacity of Native-owned contractors and strengthening the employment-ready workforce.

The creative partnership was formed in 2017 and designed to provide training in the construction field for students. Fulfilling this goal works in tandem with helping the South Dakota Native Homeownership Coalition fulfill the ultimate goal of increasing the housing stock on South Dakota’s Native American Indian reservations.

Since many Native construction companies are small operations without significant margins, the SDNHC Construction Internship Program removed some of the risk for the companies to take on new hires. It enabled the contractors to hire new employment-ready interns who would have the chance to prove themselves over the course of the summer internship.

Despite logistical setbacks brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the partnership has met or exceeded most of its goals.

We set out to enroll 50 college students in the SDNHC Construction Internship Program to participate during the summer of 2019. During the last two summers, we had 88 interns enroll in the program. They were disbursed across four sites – Cheyenne River, Sisseton, Rosebud and Pine Ridge.

Brent Tallman, one of the interns participating in the program, was offered a full-time position mid-way through his internship. Above, participants at Sisseton test the integrity of a harness during a safety training.

Over the course of the two-year program, we worked with 25 contractors for placement of the interns. But in addition, the South Dakota Native Homeownership Coalition Contractor Workshop has become a must-attend event for local Native contractors from all across the state. Held annually in Rapid City in February, the workshop provides contractors with information useful to their industry, including topics such as workman’s compensation insurance, performance bonding, and the HUD 184 validation process. We use the event to recognize and celebrate the contractors, interns and supporters of this intensive work.

In 2019, 82 percent of the interns completed the program, well-exceeding the 75 percent goal. In 2020, we’re thrilled to have a 62 percent retention rate – given the challenges presented by COVID-19. Although none of our interns participating this year tested positive for COVID to our knowledge, many were placed on quarantine due to exposure, which interrupted their participation.

Another success was the Financial Literacy component, in which 100 percent of the interns participated. Classes were held bi-weekly to correspond with paydays, and all the interns learned the value of automated banking when the Lakota Funds staff was under quarantine. We were able to pay the interns safely, and without risk of exposure utilizing ACH payments.

The program has resulted in permanent employment for many of the interns, completing the fulfillment of increased capacity among the Native-owned contractors.

Many partners came together to make this project possible. In addition to participating colleges and the Lakota Funds, other participants were the Cheyenne River Housing Authority, the Enterprise Community Partners, Johnson Scholarship Foundation, Native Connections, Oglala Sioux Lakota Housing, Sicangu Nation Education and Training Program, Sisseton Wahpeton 477 Program, Sisseton Wahpeton Housing Authority and Sicangu Wicoti Awanyakapi Corporation.

The South Dakota Native Homeownership Coalition is a collaborative group of key agencies dedicated to increasing homeownership opportunities for Native Americans in the state of South Dakota.

More Than a Statistic: How Nebraska Indian Community College Students Redefine Success

December 3, 2020/in Megan M. Miller, News

By Megan M. Miller

The following article first appeared in Tribal College Journal of American Indian Higher Education. It is shared here with permission.

Empower your tribal community to grow their own food sustainably. Find your career calling as you celebrate three years of sobriety. Earn a tuition waiver to continue your education. Complete a semester while undergoing chemotherapy treatments. Teach your grandson his Native language. Feel connected to your culture for the first time. These accomplishments are no small feat. Yet, they are just a few examples of the success and strength of so many students at Nebraska Indian Community College (NICC). Through resiliency and grit, tribal college student achievement encompasses something much larger than standard institutional measurements of grade point average, enrollment headcount, and graduation rate. For tribal college students, success is as much about achievements made outside the classroom as within.

NICC, like many other tribal colleges, is redefining success through its students. How students view success differs immensely. Each individual has a different path, strengths, challenges, and goals for their future as well as that of their tribal community. NICC’s campuses are located in Macy on the Omaha reservation, Santee on the Santee Sioux reservation, and in South Sioux City, Nebraska. Serving the Umonhon (Omaha), Isanti (Santee Dakota), and other learners, NICC shares stories highlighting students’ accomplishments that extend well beyond the classroom. Through cultural identity, community connection, and goals for future generations, NICC students holistically define what success is for themselves, their families, and their tribal communities.

Nakomis Merrick

Nakomis Merrick (Umonhon) is a freshman at NICC’s South Sioux City campus. “In the past, I thought of success as being able to complete the task quickly,” Merrick says, but adds, “No matter how long it might take, the completion of something is still an accomplishment.” Indeed, many successes are not strictly linear, but rather part of a life-long process. Merrick, who is interested in teaching Umonhon or becoming a social worker, explains this new perspective since attending NICC: “As a graduated high school teen, I had no idea what I was doing or where I was going. . . . I lacked motivation. The classes at NICC eventually gave me purpose and helped me have a better understanding of who I am and where I come from. This made me want to continue [my] education at the college, because I’m finally getting the answers I’ve been searching for.”

Read the remainder of the article at Tribal College Journal.

Megan M. Miller

Megan M. Miller is a resource specialist and community educator at Nebraska Indian Community College’s Santee campus.