SMSC gives $525,000 to Native American education initiatives in June

Reinforcing its commitment to education and Indian Country, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) has announced $525,000 in grants to Native American colleges and higher education funds.

These donations include:

· $250,000 to United Tribes Technical College to support technology upgrades (Bismarck, North Dakota)

· $150,000 to the Blackfeet Community College to support a nursing program expansion (Browning, Montana)

· $100,000 to the American Indian College Fund to support the Sovereign Nations Scholarship Fund (Denver, Colorado)

· $25,000 to the Oglala Lakota College to support its Lakota language immersion program (Kyle, South Dakota)

“Personal and professional success most often begins with a quality education,” said SMSC Chairman Charlie Vig. “Supporting educational opportunities for Native people today will help strengthen entire Native communities in the years ahead.”

The newly announced education grants bring the total to more than $6 million given by the SMSC to these four organizations in the past 20 years. This is part of the SMSC’s larger focus on Native American education, which includes an endowed scholarship program at the University of Minnesota. Nearly 200 students from 48 different tribes have benefitted from that program since it originated in 2009.