The Washington Indian Gaming Association (WIGA) is pleased to announce that $100,000 will be awarded to 45 Native American students for scholarships in the 2018-19 school year. Scholarship recipients are students who come from or attend school in Washington State.
“We are pleased to contribute to tribal members’ education,” said WIGA Chairman, W. Ron Allen. “We had so many qualified applicants to choose from this year. While it made our selection process difficult, it also reflects the growing qualification among tribal members to attend institutions of higher education.”
WIGA educates the Indian gaming community, the public and all levels of government about gaming issues in Indian country. The WIGA Scholarship Program is designed to promote tribal self-sufficiency by providing scholarships for Native American students in Washington seeking to advance their own self-sufficiency and broaden their personal and professional potential through higher education.
Enrolled members of the WIGA tribes, and state residents enrolled in other tribes, are eligible. The scholarships are awarded to students pursuing degrees at community and technical, bachelor, and graduate colleges and universities.
WIGA scholarships awarded seven community college students, 27 undergraduate students and 11 graduate students.
Community College and Technical School Scholarship Winners
• Faith Bent, Colville Confederated Tribes, Wenatchee Valley College
• Nolan Charley, Quinault Indian Nation, Grays Harbor College
• Dawn Halsey, Port Gamble S’klallam, Bates Technical College
• Alicia Loomis-Jimenez, Makah Indian Tribe, Peninsula College
• Kamimi Papp, Quinault Indian Nation, Grays Harbor College
• Cody Torstvet, Cowlitz Indian Tribe, Pierce College & South Puget Sound
• Joseph Yallup, Makah Indian Tribe, Seattle Central College
University Scholarship Winners
• Scott Abrahamson, Colville Confederated Tribes, EasternWashington University
• Vonte Aguirre, Makah Indian Tribe, University of Washington
• Johnny Buck, Yakama Nation, Northwest Indian College
• Kylee Butler, Makah Indian Tribe, Western Washington University
• Cameron Buzzell, Makah Indian Tribe, UC Berkeley
• Madison George, Suquamish Tribe, University of Washington
• Monica Gregory, Colville Confederated Tribes, Washington State University
• Craig Hill, Spokane Tribe, University of Washington
• Patricia Hill, Spokane Tribe, University of Washington
• Dylan Hyland, Colville Confederated Tribes, Cornish College
• Hannah Jantz, Lummi Nation, Northwest Indian College
• Emma Johnson, Cowlitz Tribe, Washington State University
• Lorna Johnson, Makah Tribe, Northwest Indian College
• Claudia Kauffman, Nez Perce Tribe, Central Washington University
• Randle Kinswa, Cowlitz Indian Tribe, Washington State University
• Madison Mail, Quinault Indian Nation, Western Washington University
• Krista Marchand, Colville Confederated Tribes, Central Washington University
• Guilia Perini, Quileute Nation, Saint Martin’s University
• Benjamin Poplin, Quinault Indian Nation, College of Idaho
• Samantha Rae, Quinault Indian Nation, University of Idaho
• Jada Rasmussen, Spokane Tribe, Saint Martin’s University
• Samuel Remeirtz, Cowlitz Indian Tribe, Montana State University
• Evan Rhoades, Quinault Indian Nation, Northwest University
• Haley Smith, Makah Tribe, University of Arizona
• Cole Svec, Makah Tribe, University of Washington
• Jeremie Walls, Squaxin Island Tribe, University of Washington (Bothell)
• Kayla Winck, Makah Tribe, University of Washington
Graduate Program Scholarship Winners
• Alexis Ballew, Lummi Nation, University of Washington School of Social Work
• Angela Barnick, Cowlitz Indian Tribe, Washington State University
• Ryan Booth, Upper Skagit Tribe, Washington State University
• Rosina DePoe, Makah Tribe, The Evergreen State College
• Alicia Edwards, Colville Confederated Tribes, Eastern Washington University
• Christian Kamkoff, Lummi Nation, Columbia University
• Kayla Keniston (Peters), Squaxin Island Tribe, Pacific University
• Sharayah Lane, Lummi Nation, University of Washington
• Jasmine McDonald, Nisqually Indian Tribe, University of Southern California
• Carly Peters, Squaxin Island Tribe, University of Puget Sound
• Candice Wilson, Lummi Nation, Seattle University
2018 Bob Bojorcas Memorial Scholarship
In addition to these scholarship winners who applied through the WIGA Scholarship program, the Washington Indian Gaming Association will award a $1,000 scholarship to the Bob Bojorcas Memorial Scholarship Fund, administered by the Shoalwater Bay Tribe, in Tokeland, WA.
If you have any questions please contact Glenda Breiler, Deputy Director at 360-352-3248 or email her at [email protected].