Denver, Colo., March 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American Indian College Fund (College Fund) held a ceremony on Sunday, March 15, in Bismarck, N.D. to honor the 2025-26 Tribal College and University Students of the Year and Coca-Cola First Generation Scholars. Held as part of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium’s 2026 Student Conference, this event also honored Tribal College and University President Honoree of the Year, Dr. Leander “Russ” McDonald of United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck.
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. Every year, each of the 34 tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) selects one student to represent their university, with students receiving a $1,200 scholarship. The TCU President Honoree, selected by the College Fund, receives a $1,200 honorarium.
The Coca-Cola Foundation awards 36 Native scholars, with at least one scholar from each of the 34 partner TCUs, who are the first in their family to attend college. Awardees receive $5,000 per academic year and may reapply for the scholarship each year if they maintain a 3.0 grade point average and are active in campus and community life. The Coca-Cola Foundation has awarded more than $4 million in scholarship support to the College Fund since 1990.
Cheryl Crazy Bull, President and CEO of the American Indian College Fund, said, “We always look forward to taking this time to honor the students representing our tribal colleges and universities and their classmates. They are living out the values and visions of our TCUs, determined to obtain a higher education and dedicated to using their knowledge and skills to build better futures for their communities.”
2025-26 Tribal College Students of the Year Are:
- Aaniiih Nakoda College - Kylee Zander (Fort Belknap Indian Community of the Fort Belknap Reservation of Montana), Business Administration
- Bay Mills Community College - Nicole Maleport (Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians), Anishinaabe Language
- Blackfeet Community College - Allen Walker (Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation of Montana), Sales Marketing
- Cankdeska Cikana Community College - Bethany Brown (Spirit Lake Tribe), Early Childhood Education - Preschool
- Chief Dull Knife College - Britney Gonzalez (Northern Cheyenne Tribe of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation), Business Management
- College of Menominee Nation - Gracie Waukechon (Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians of the Bad River Reservation), Liberal Studies
- College of the Muscogee Nation - Jess Waterdown (The Muscogee (Creek) Nation), General Education
- Dine College - Tanya Begay (Navajo Nation), Education
- Fort Peck Community College - Kody Stump (Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation), Business Administration
- Haskell Indian Nations University - Therann Moore (Cherokee Nation), Elementary Education
- Ilisagvik College - Audrey Saganna (Arctic Slope Regional Corporation), Wildlife Biology
- Institute of American Indian Arts - Myles Miller (Navajo Nation), Creative Writing
- Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College - Tony Magnant (Keweenaw Bay Indian Community), Business Administration
- Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University - Kevin Stevens (Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin), Human Services
- Leech Lake Tribal College - Jeremy Clark (Minnesota Chippewa Tribe (Six component reservations: Bois Forte Band (Nett Lake); Fond du Lac Band; Grand Portage Band; Leech Lake Band; Mille Lacs Band; White Earth Band)), American Indian Languages
- Little Big Horn College - Ote Plentyhoops (Crow Tribe of Montana), Liberal Arts
- Little Priest Tribal College - Laila Petite (Rosebud Sioux Tribe of the Rosebud Indian Reservation), Indigenous Science and Health
- Navajo Technical University - Della Wilson (Navajo Nation), Biology
- Nebraska Indian Community College - Esther Del Angel Loera (Omaha Tribe of Nebraska), Education
- Northwest Indian College - Lee Lopez (Navajo Nation), Environmental Science
- Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College - Zaysha Grinnell (Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation), Native American Studies
- Oglala Lakota College - Julie White Dog (Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe of the Cheyenne River Reservation), Arts in Leadership
- Red Lake Nation College - Andrea Cobenais (Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians), Criminal Justice - Corrections
- Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College - Tiana Escobar (Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan), Liberal Arts
- Salish Kootenai College - Marie Aripa (Coeur D'Alene Tribe), Business Administration
- Sinte Gleska University - Michael Spears (Lower Brule Sioux Tribe of the Lower Brule Reservation), Native American and Indigenous Studies
- Sisseton Wahpeton College - Karley Heminger (Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate of the Lake Traverse Reservation), General Studies
- Sitting Bull College - Brendan Traversie (Standing Rock Sioux Tribe of North & South Dakota), Business Administration
- Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute - Danielyn Loretto (Pueblo of Jemez), Vision Care Technology
- Stone Child College - Ridge Parisian (Chippewa Cree Indians of the Rocky Boy's Reservation), Cyber Security and Data Privacy
- Tohono O'odham Community College - Marcello Manuel (Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona), Fine Arts
- Turtle Mountain College - Gracie Herman (Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation), Business
- United Tribes Technical College - Joetta Windy Boy (Spirit Lake Tribe), Criminal Justice
- White Earth Tribal and Community College - Delayna Heisler (Minnesota Chippewa Tribe (Six component reservations: Bois Forte Band (Nett Lake); Fond du Lac Band; Grand Portage Band; Leech Lake Band; Mille Lacs Band; White Earth Band)), Ojibwe Language Instruction
2025-26 Coca-Cola First Generation Scholars Are:
- Aaniiih Nakoda College - Kristie Runsabove (Fort Belknap Indian Community of the Fort Belknap Reservation of Montana), American Indian Studies
- Bay Mills Community College - Oona Burton (Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians), Medical Office Management
- Blackfeet Community College - Brandi Harwood (Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate of the Lake Traverse Reservation), Anthropology
- Cankdeska Cikana Community College - Julieann Santos (Spirit Lake Tribe), Liberal Arts
- Chief Dull Knife College - Natavia Brady (Northern Cheyenne Tribe of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation), General Education
- College of Menominee Nation - Donna Waupoose (Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin), Early Childhood Education
- College of Menominee Nation - Rose Tourtillott (Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin), Elementary Education
- College of the Muscogee Nation - Brooke Branson (The Muscogee (Creek) Nation), Tribal Services
- Dine College - Vanesha Cleveland (Navajo Nation), Business Administration
- Fort Peck Community College - Kody Stump (Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation), Business Administration
- Haskell Indian Nations University - Liliana Kester (Comanche Nation), Indigenous and American Indian Studies
- Ilisagvik College - Sally Ehmke (Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes), Business Administration - Management
- Institute of American Indian Arts - Brianna Waukau (Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin), Indigenous Liberal Studies
- Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College - Amber Loonsfoot (Keweenaw Bay Indian Community), Business Administration
- Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University - Natasha Miller (Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin), Business Administration - Small Business Management
- Leech Lake Tribal College - Candace Jones (Minnesota Chippewa Tribe (Six component reservations: Bois Forte Band (Nett Lake); Fond du Lac Band; Grand Portage Band; Leech Lake Band; Mille Lacs Band; White Earth Band)), Liberal Education
- Little Big Horn College - DeAndrey Old Bull (Crow Tribe of Montana), Business Administration
- Little Priest Tribal College - Angelica Parker (Omaha Tribe of Nebraska), Computer Information Technology
- Navajo Technical University - Allyn Allen (Navajo Nation), Electrical Engineering
- Nebraska Indian Community College - Bridgette Hoshont'omba (The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma), Business Administration - Tribal Management
- Northwest Indian College - Michelle Martin (Tulalip Tribes of Washington), Human Services Leadership
- Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College - Amiah Fimbres (Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation), General Studies
- Oglala Lakota College - Rushell Fast Wolf (Oglala Sioux Tribe), Social Work
- Oglala Lakota College - Mira Paris (Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe of the Cheyenne River Reservation), Tribal Law
- Red Lake Nation College - Taylee Kingbird (Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians), Liberal Education
- Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College - Jessica Ice (Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan), Native American Studies
- Salish Kootenai College - Nyssa Young Running Crane (Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation of Montana), Applied Science - General Science Option
- Sinte Gleska University - Lacey Dillard (Rosebud Sioux Tribe of the Rosebud Indian Reservation), Human Services and Mental Health
- Sisseton Wahpeton College - Kaci Neilan (Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate of the Lake Traverse Reservation), Behavioral Science
- Sitting Bull College - Chyanne Ducheneaux (Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe of the Cheyenne River Reservation), Business Administration
- Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute - Keisha Edmonds (Navajo Nation), Pre-Engineering
- Stone Child College - Shoshana Saddler (Chippewa Cree Indians of the Rocky Boy's Reservation), Addiction Counselor
- Tohono O'odham Community College - Shyana Stanley (San Carlos Apache Tribe of the San Carlos Reservation), Administrative Business Specialist
- Turtle Mountain College - Taveshia Peltier (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians of North Dakota), Nursing
- United Tribes Technical College - Kaytlin Nation (Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation), Criminal Justice - Law Enforcement
- White Earth Tribal and Community College - David Boswell (Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians), Child, Youth and Family Studies
About the American Indian College Fund — The American Indian College Fund has been the nation’s largest charity supporting Native higher education for 37 years. The College Fund believes “Education is the answer” and provided more than $23 million in scholarships and other student support for higher education in 2024-25. Since its founding in 1989 the College Fund has provided more than $391 million in scholarships, programs, community, and tribal college support. The College Fund also supports a variety of 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. It earned a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, a Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid (Guidestar), and the “Best in America Seal of Excellence” from the Independent Charities of America. The College Fund was also named as one of the nation’s top 100 charities to the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance. For more information about the American Indian College Fund, please visit collegefund.org.
Journalists—The American Indian College Fund does not use the acronym AICF. On second reference, please use the College Fund.
Attachments
- 2025-26 Tribal College and University Students of the Year
- Dr. Leander "Russ" McDonald (Spirit Lake Dakota)
Dina Horwedel American Indian College Fund 303-430-5350 dhorwedel@collegefund.org Colleen R. Billiot American Indian College Fund 720-214-2569 cbilliot@collegefund.org
