ALANA HOPE Award winners named

At this year’s University of North Dakota ALANA “Helping Our People Excel” (HOPE) Awards BBQ Celebration, 38 UND students were announced as award winners. The HOPE Awards—formerly known as the ALANA Leadership Awards—are based on students’ contributions to the campus community within the theme “Helping Our People Excel.”

The awards celebration was sponsored by the following organizations at UND: African, Latino, Asian, Native American (ALANA); Indian Studies Association (IAS); UND Multicultural Student Services (MSS); UND American Indian Student Services (AISS); UND Indian Association (UNDIA); Cultural Awareness Committee (CAC).

ALANA nominee citations (in alphabetical order)
Francine Counts-French – Francine was dedicated and persistent in her work as Secretary on the UNDIA board for the planning of this years’ 40th Annual Wacipi.  She did a great job in taking charge of organizing the large, and sometimes trying, task of working with the vendor’s for the event.  She is a regular and smiling face at the American Indian Center, helping around the center (including cooking for the students and staff), and taking part in activities through volunteer work, encouraging others to participate, and participating herself.  She regularly encourages others to participate in volunteer work and events at the center and throughout the campus community.

Brittany Crawford—Brittany is a junior majoring in dietetics and currently serves on the UNDIA board as vice president. Brittany has flourished into a brilliant young leader throughout her time at UND. She offers a calm presence when facing projects that is reassuring to all. Brittany was a key player in ensuring that the 40th annual Time-Out and Wacipi was a success; she was the event’s head female dancer.

Courtney Davis, a senior in pre-management, not only does well as a full time student and parent but puts forth extraordinary efforts for UNDIA, including for this year’s Time Out and Wacipi powwow.  Coordinating the volunteer efforts for the powwow is one of the biggest jobs for the event, and she demonstrated exceptional leadership skills in this role.

Sierra Abe Davis –Sierra has provided leadership through her membership and service to student organizations, the Multicultural Awareness Committee, the American Indian Programs Council, and the Native Health Research Team.  Additionally, Sierra is contributing in organizing a non-profit for an Urban Indian Center in Grand Forks.  As the UNDIA publicity coordinator, Sierra demonstrated calm and thorough leadership in promoting the 40th Annual Wacipi event.

Deanna Rainbow—Deanna has exhibited exemplary leadership skills that extend far beyond her elected position as current treasurer of the UND Indian Association. She was vital to the overwhelming success of this year’s Annual Time Out Wacipi. She also shares her cultural knowledge and expertise with the campus community. Deanna is the backbone of the operation and success of UNDIA holiday and other campus events; and she does all this as a full-time student, mother, and wife.

Robert “BJ” Rainbow—BJ has demonstrated great leadership skills as president of UNDIA, in assisting with Indian Studies courses as a course assistant, in promoting Native and other underrepresented populations rights on campus, and in promoting and sharing his traditional values and beliefs.  BJ is always there to stand up for those silenced voices to be heard, to promote Native culture on campus, and to lead others in times of need.  His work in leading the organization of the 40th Annual Wacipi allowed for the event to be a great success.

UND-Indian Studies Association (ISA) Executive Board Members:
Amber Annis-Bercier – Amber graduated this spring with a double-major in history and Indian Studies. As the president of the Indian Studies Association she worked on planning and organizing Time Out Week. She is dependable and has fulfilled obligations beyond expectations; additionally, Amber has been an outspoken voice for the rights of underrepresented students on campus and a strong advocate for the advancement of human rights.

Rachel Egstad—As the secretary to ISA, Rachel spent countless hours helping to plan, coordinate, and execute the many valuable and fun activities of Time Out week for this year.  Rachel is always helpful and dependable in getting the valuable work done.  She puts in many hours of volunteer time and is always helpful and concerned for others.

UND-American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) Executive Board Members:

Clifford (C.W.) Hall – currently serves as president of the UND Chapter of AISES and has promoted and provided great leadership opportunities for the ever-growing student membership.  Additionally, C.W., a highly successful pre-med student, has served as an health sciences tutor for American Indian Student Services and is a regular, enthusiastic, and familiar presence at the Center.

Jenna Hall—Jenna is public relations coordinator for AISES and does an outstanding job of promoting AISES activities throughout the University community and beyond. She is the Junior Representative for the AISES National Organization. Jenna also serves as the Native American liaison for the Student Health Promotions office and dedicates much of her time to the promotion and awareness of healthy living within Native communities.

Tyler (TJ) Parisien—TJ is a dedicated member and the vice-president of AISES. He has grown as a leader through personal experience and insight into the dynamics of organizational conflict. TJ was recently elected to serve as the national AISES Region 5 Representative, serving a region that includes numerous rural and tribal communities that do not have active AISES chapters.  TJ is committed to promoting the sciences in Native communities and others, promoting the benefits of involvement in AISES, and increasing UND’s visibility on a regional and national level.  He serves as a model for the youth of his home tribal community of Turtle Mountain by working one-on-one with high school students to assist them in applying for financial aid and admission to college

Shyleen Poitra—Shyleen exemplifies leadership by serving as the AISES fundraising coordinator and contributing volunteer time to promote science to the Native community of Grand Forks and beyond. Additionally, she promotes higher education throughout Indian Country and serves as a strong and successful role model for tribal youth in her work as a research assistant at the UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences. She shares haring her time to express the importance of college to young people from her home community of Turtle Mountain.

Other Accomplished Students:
Jason Champagne—Jason is always willing to help in any way that is necessary. He provides a positive, smiling face and attitude in addressing whatever needs to be done. He also goes out of his way just ask little things like “how are you today?” Jason consistently serves as a positive role model for tribal youth and an ambassador for UND, and is helping do this through his work with the McNair Program, where he is researching and working to create new approaches to tackle the daunting task of childhood obesity among Native youth.

William Crawford—William has exhibited exemplary leadership skills through his willingness to share his traditional Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate (Lakota) culture with the campus and Grand Forks community.  Will stepped up and volunteered to present on his culture and perform his traditional flute music for the campus celebration of ND First Nation’s Day held at the American Indian Center last fall, and performed again at this spring’s Feast of Nations event.  He takes great pride in his traditional tribal culture and consistently demonstrates traditional tribal values and outstanding leadership qualities through the desire and self motivation to improve the level of understanding, kindness, and respect between non-Native students and Native American students. He accomplishes this through his volunteer participation in presentations and events designed to highlight diversity and increase public awareness of the diversity represented on campus.

Mike Eshkibok—As a graduate student in communications, Mike has served as a strong voice for the Native community at UND. Mike has written and published numerous letters and articles to help raise awareness of issues that impact American Indian communities and youth. Mike continually strives to educate the greater Grand Forks and campus community on the problematic use of American Indian names and images for sports.

Geri Fischer—Geri, a Communication major and mother of three, is always helpful and willing to offer her assistance whenever it is needed, and volunteers regularly for events such as UNDIA’s Time Out and Wacipi powwow, fundraisers, and more. Geri’s leadership is expressed through action, in that she can be seen working for long hours at almost every event that UNDIA, AISES, and ISA hosts.  She leads through action in her support of student activities and programming, her gentle parenting, and her kindness and friendship to others.

Delbert Lamb—Delbert is an outstanding pre-med student who exemplifies qualities of responsibility, dependability, and independence. He is committed to becoming a family physician and giving back to his home community of Cheyenne River.  Delbert puts in countless hours mentoring high school students in his home community and elsewhere as they prepare for college. Delbert is an excellent role model for Native youth and others.

Cynthia A. Michaelsen—Cynthia is a first-semester nursing student who is doing very well in her courses. She serves on the Nursing Student Council and the Nursing Student Association. She attended the North Dakota Student Nurses Convention this past semester and continues to be a great representative of UND and the Native community at UND.

The 2010 ALANA Student Leadership HOPE Award Recipients, in alphabetical order:
Jeremy Alameda, Amber Annis-Bercier, Jamila Brown, Vincent Bulus, Jason Champagne, Francine Counts-French, Brittany Crawford, William Crawford, Courtney Davis, Sierra Abe Davis, Brian Domingo, Rachel Egstad, Mike Eshkibok, Matthew Finley, Geri Fischer, Nicole Fitzgerald, Tyrone Grandstrand, Clifford (C.W.) Hall, Jenna Hall, Enoch Hankerson, Mercedes Holte, Chanae’ Jones, Roozbeh Khavanin, Delbert Lamb, Sharmon Lebby, Jameson Liu, Joseph Mandala, Nikki Manuel, Cynthia Michaelson, Anna Munbi, Tyler (TJ) Parisien, Shyleen Poitra, Deanna Rainbow, Robert  “BJ” Rainbow, Shaylee Star Rodriguez, Jose Saavedra, Jose Tavarez, Miriam Wood, Shoua Xiong, and Mai Yang.

— Multicultural Student Services.