08/20/2025
Shoshone Tribe Applauds News of New Scholarship Endowment at University of Wyoming
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 20, 2025
Fort Washakie, Wyoming -- Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho students will now receive additional financial support to attend the University of Wyoming, following action taken by the UW Board of Trustees, which was announced last week.
“It was a long time coming,” said Shoshone Business Council Chairman Wayland K. Large. “The SBC expresses profound satisfaction with the recent announcement. For decades, the Eastern Shoshone Tribe has voiced the crucial need for this endowment and has pressed University leadership to take a closer look at their commitment to fostering educational opportunities and increasing accessibility for a vital segment of Wyoming's population.”
Trustees have allocated $2 million to establish an endowment and an additional $250,000 in expendable funds. These funds will launch a new scholarship program for students enrolling in fall 2026. The SBC believes this initiative will open doors to higher education for many deserving students, fostering greater access and opportunity within the region, while strengthening the relationship between the tribes and UW.
“The University of Wyoming is a land grant institution, and it is key that they work with tribes and provide student support. This endowment is the first step in continuing those efforts while at the same time alleviating some of the financial burdens associated with university attendance for students from the Wind River communities,” said Harmony Spoonhunter, Director of the Eastern Shoshone Education Program, which facilitates scholarships to students who are members of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe. "While the tribe endeavors to support students nationwide with limited funding, this endowment will increase enrollment at UW and will empower tribal students to pursue higher education within the state of Wyoming and a little closer to home.”
The SBC and the Education program acknowledge that many students pursue double majors in Native American and Indigenous Studies (NAIS) and other disciplines. We believe this combination is valuable for strengthening our tribal sovereignty in Wyoming, particularly in the fields of education, economic development, natural resources, and health. Therefore, the SBC and the Education program support the continuation of the NAIS program at UW.
The tribes' Memorandum of Understanding with UW will be revisited, and efforts will be made to ensure our students are staying connected with our tribal communities through internships, mentorships, and the workforce. We applaud the efforts made by the Trustees, and we acknowledge that this is a culmination of past Councils and Education Leaders, who were always bringing this effort to the table.
The SBC also recently met with Colorado State University to discuss an MOU. This initiative also aims to target the financial constraints that hinder the educational pursuits of tribal students and ways in which we can collaboratively help them achieve their academic aspirations.
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