Friday, May 16, 2008

Dallas event raises $60,000 for student scholarships

By Pegasus News wire

DALLAS — The American Indian College Fund's (the Fund) event at the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas, Texas on May 1 raised $60,000 for student scholarships and celebrated 40 years of tribal colleges.

Student scholarship recipient Trivia Afraid of Lightning (a member of the Miniconjou Band of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe) spoke to the gathered business leaders, American Indian educators, and donors about the challenges she faced as an American Indian student and how a chance at education transformed her life. Afraid of Lightning is a senior graduating from Oglala Lakota College with a bachelor's degree in literature and communication. The Bear Claw Drum Group performed at the event.

Mildred Carrethers, Diversity Manager at ExxonMobil Corporation; Jerry Swank, founder of The Swank Group; and Rich Beck, Executive Vice President of PepsiCo. were honored by the Fund for their support of American Indian education. The Fund also honored the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma by repatriating $25,000 worth of historical artifacts it received from a private donor.

"The Choctaw nation is honored to be the recipient of these valuable items from our past. Tribal history is very important to all generations, and having the opportunity to display these letters, telegrams, Bible and other items in our Capitol Museum is incredibly exciting," said Chief Gregory E. Pyle. "The Council, Choctaw People and I are very thankful that the American Indian College Fund has ensured the return of these artifacts to the great Choctaw nation."

The Fund and Fund board members, Steve Denson of the Edwin L. Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University and Chuck Hensley of Williams Financial Group, co-hosted the event.

The tribal college movement began in 1968 when the Navajo nation founded the first tribal college, Dine College, in Tsaile, Arizona in 1968. "We are delighted that our board members, Chuck Hensley and Steve Denson, combined their efforts with Dallas area supporters to raise awareness of the tribal college movement and the nation's 32 tribal colleges and universities," said Richard B. Williams, Fund president and CEO. "Tribal colleges are transforming Indian Country through education, and we are grateful to Dine College. It pioneered the tribal college movement, which embodies self determination and preservation of culture as part of education. We would not be here today without their leadership. And as part of preserving culture and tradition, the Fund is delighted to honor the Choctaw nation of Oklahoma by returning historical documents and other national artifacts, which the Fund received as a gift from a supporter," Williams said.

Source: American Indian College Fund

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