Pukúu Cultural Community Services is pleased and honored to announce the 2017 awardees for the Tomiar Rudy Ortega, Sr. Scholarship and the Caitlin Gulley Memorial Scholarship:
Tomiar Rudy Ortega, Sr. Scholarship for 2017 awardee
Ms. Renee White Eyes is a proud tribal member of the Quechan Indian Nation from Yuma, Arizona and doctoral student at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Her interest and goal is to investigate and research the cultural nature of the holistic review at UCLA, and how much cultural diversity impacts the review, particularly for Native students.
Tomiar Rudy Ortega, Sr. Scholarship for 2017 awardee
Ms. Clementine Bordeaux is of the Oglala and Sicangu tribes, was raised on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, and is a doctoral student at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Her interest and goal is become a professor and lead a program similar to the UCLA’s American Indian Studies Inter-departmental Program.
Caitlin Gulley Memorial Scholarship for 2017 awardee
Ms. Heidi Lucero is a tribal member of the Juaneno Band of Mission Indians Acjachemen Nation, and is currently enrolled at California State University Long Beach (CSULB). She is involved in the American Indian Student Council as Vice President and as a member of the Committee on Native American Burial Remains and Cultural Patrimony. She is a tribal representative and volunteer in the NAGPRA lab, and assists in cataloging and updating the NAGPRA and National Register sites, as well as documents cases that are still pending.
The Board of Pukúu has reached their final decision after carefully reviewing a wide variety of submitted applications. These awardees’ applications, including their recommendations and essays and/or personal statements, were particularly moving and powerful with respect to their commitments to their tribe(s), and the American Indian Community as a whole. The Board is proud of these community-engaged scholars who enhance the space of academia and promote critical thinking and comprehension in the academic fields that impact Indian Country.
Our honorable awardees will be formally awarded at our 13th annual Night with the Stars Gala, which would not be possible without our generous Title Sponsor, FivePoint, and other sponsors including Latham & Watkins, LLP, Gilbert Foundation, Newport Pacific Land, Clear Cloud Solutions, Mel Wilson & Associates-Realtors, Dr. Joseph Averna, JSB Development and the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians.
