West River Eagle

Sovereignty In Action: Summer Continuing Education Awards



The Native BioData Consortium, Eagle Butte, will be awarding $10,000 in Sovereignty in Action Continuing Education Awards. In collaboration with Cheyenne River Tribal Ventures and other partners, the NBDC will award four $2,500 practicums to enrolled students of the Oglala Lakota College, Cheyenne River Campus, in May, 2022. Cheyenne River tribal members and descendants will have preference, although others will be considered.

Nominations will be accepted from the public to honor deserving students. Anyone can nominate, such as a teacher, instructor, elder, employer, mentor, or other community member. Students should be invested in and working to strengthen some aspect of tribal sovereignty through their academic major, coursework, or their other actions (examples: Cultural, Spiritual, Traditional Knowledge, Political Strength, Criminal Protections, Biomedicine, Agriculture, Environment, History, Business, Voting, etc.), and will consider how data, data regulation and data use can increase that sovereignty. Once nominated, Tribal Ventures will contact students and invite them to apply for one of the awards.

Monetary awards can be used as the recipient chooses to help them to educate themselves or others about tribal sovereignty, including, but not limited to: attending conferences, lectures or workshops, travel money to sovereignty actions, learning from a Lakota elder or other mentor, learning about food or agricultural sovereignty, providing education about sovereignty and rights to others, a history project, creating educational materials, etc.

To nominate someone for a practicum award, please answer the following questions:

– Is the nominee currently enrolled at OLC/CRCC?

– Is the nominee enrolled at or a descendant from Cheyenne River?

– How do you know and for how long have you known the nominee?

– What do you think this person is deserving of this award?

– How does the nominee exemplify their commitment to tribal sovereignty?

Please also provide contact information for the nominee, including name, address, phone number and email address.

Applicants will be asked how they might use this practicum and coursework to increase their knowledge of Indigenous data sovereignty and how they might share that knowledge with their tribe and tribal members. If interested, we may be able to connect you with a mentor in your chosen field.

Please call Tribal Ventures at 605-964-2016 to nominate a student or request a nomination form.

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