LONGMONT, Colorado (December 7, 2023) – First Nations Development Institute (First Nations) today announced the awarding of 40 Native Agriculture & Food Systems Scholarships. The scholarships, which range from $1,000 to $1,500 each, are designed to encourage more Native American college students to enter agriculture fields.
Recipients of the 2023-2024 scholarships were chosen for their commitment to excellence in their academic studies, and represent a bright future for communities working to advance Native food sovereignty. First Nations asserts that this investment in the future of Native food-system control has the potential to increase food production, improve health and nutrition, and eliminate food insecurity in rural and reservation-based communities, while also promoting entrepreneurship and economic development.
The 40 2023 scholarship recipients and their schools and areas of study are:
- Agnes Hudson (Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation) Heritage University, Natural Resources, Science Teacher
- Arielle Quintana (Pueblo of Cochiti, New Mexico) Colorado State University, Human Dimensions of Natural Resources
- Bailey Nez (Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah) Lawrence University, Environmental Science, Geoscience, Ethnic Studies
- Bryceson Tugade (Native Hawaiian) University of Hawaiʻi-West Oʻahu, Sustainable Community Food Systems
- Caleb Williams (Sokaogon Chippewa Community) Montana State University, Native American Studies
- Cameron Macias (Lower Elwha Tribal Community) Idaho State University, Natural Resources/Fish and Wildlife Sciences
- Carly Collins (Cherokee Nation) Cowley County Community College, Agriculture Education, Agriculture Livestock Nutrition
- Celina Hall (Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin) Kansas State University, Environmental Studies, Indigenous Studies
- Ciara Benally (Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah) Arizona State University, Biosystems Engineering
- Cristina Weske (Cherokee Nation) University of Minnesota – Duluth, Tribal Natural Resource Management and Sustainability
- Cynthia Wilson (Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah) University of California, Berkeley, Environmental Science, Policy and Management, Food Sovereignty
- Darren Olney (Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation) ITEP: Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals, Environmental Science, Restoration Ecology
- Donna Kuehu (Native Hawaiian) University of Hawaii at Manoa, Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering, Data Science
- Emiliano McLane (Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone Indians of Nevada) New Mexico State University, Agricultural and Extension Education, Agricultural Strategic Communications
- Emily RunningHawk (Standing Rock Sioux Tribe of North & South Dakota) United Tribes Technical College, Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems
- Ethan Romero (Pueblo of Jemez, New Mexico) Central New Mexico Community College, Environmental Studies
- Fabian Cantu (Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation) Salish Kootenai College, Natural Resources, Park Ranger
- Faith Wells (Cold Lake First Nations) SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry, Environmental Education & Interpretation, Geoscience
- Hai-Wee Fredericks (Timbisha Shoshone Tribe, formerly Death Valley Timbi-Sha Shoshone Tribe) University of California, Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems, Native American Studies
- Hannah Corbett (Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians) Grand Canyon University, Masters in Public Health,
- Harleigh Moore (The Osage Nation) Oklahoma State University, Food Science
- Jana Stewart (Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah) Dine College, Agroecology/Environmental Science (A.A.), Public Health (A.S.)
- Jonathan Romero (Pueblo of Jemez, New Mexico) West Texas A&M University, Agriculture
- Kristi Olney (Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation) Salish Kootenai College, Natural Resource Management
- Kristy Kinlicheenie (Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah) Texas Tech University, E.D.D Agricultural Education
- Lance Owyhee (Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation, Nevada) University of Nevada Reno, Forest Ecology/ Management, Wildlife Ecology/ Conservation and Indigenous Studies
- Laticia McNaughton (Six Nations of the Grand River Mohawk) University at Buffalo, Native American Studies,
- Lelahneigh Mitchell (Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah) Dine College, Environmental Science
- Megan Baker (Ponca Tribe of Nebraska) University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Environmental Studies, Political Science
- Oscar White (Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah) New Mexico Highlands University, Public Health
- Peter Thais (Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe) Cornell University, Biological Engineering, Ecological and Microbial Systems
- Phillip PrairieChief (Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, Oklahoma) University of Oklahoma, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry
- Roberto Pacheco (Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin) Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University, Biology, Ojibwe Language
- Sage Walstrom (Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah) Fort Lewis College, Environmental Conservation and Management, Regenerative Food Systems certification
- Samantha Werk (Fort Belknap Indian Community of the Fort Belknap Reservation of Montana) Colorado State University, Agriculture Sciences
- Spencer Busick (The Chickasaw Nation) Western Colorado University, Rural Community Health
- Tierra Iron Shirt (Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation of Montana) Blackfeet Community College, Health Science, Agriculture minor
- Tynya Kee (Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah) ITEP: Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals, Forestry, Sustainable Communities
- William “Riley” Logsdon (Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Oklahoma) Northwestern Oklahoma State University, Agribusiness, Entrepreneurship
- Yusn Moore Stanger (Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation) Northwest Indian College, Native Environmental Science, Food System Science
The Native Agriculture & Food Systems Scholarship program began in 2014. For more information about the scholarship and previous recipients can be found here.
About First Nations Development Institute
For 43 years, using a three-pronged strategy of educating grassroots practitioners, advocating for systemic change, and capitalizing Indian communities, First Nations has been working to restore Native American control and culturally-compatible stewardship of the assets they own – be they land, human potential, cultural heritage or natural resources – and to establish new assets for ensuring the long-term vitality of Native American communities. First Nations serves Native American communities throughout the United States. For more information, visit www.firstnations.org.
