NOTICES
Tribal America’s Brightest and Most
Promising Need Apply
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Ameri
cans for Indian Opportunity (AIO) is
searching for 16 American Indian lead
ers to participate in the award-winning
leadership development initiative - the
American Indian Ambassadors Program.
These emerging leaders will undergo
a two-year fellowship, including three
one-week gatherings across the U.S. and
one international gathering (past gather
ings have occurred with the Indigenous
people of New Zealand, Guatemala, Bo
livia, Venezuela, and Mexico).
LaDonna Harris (Comanche), cham
pion of indigenous rights, leads the am
bassadors program. Along with her fel
low American Indian leaders, including
tribal chairmen, judges, social workers,
lawyers, politicians, and artists, Harris
founded AIO in the 1970s and became
a force to be reckoned with, revolution
izing and challenging Native American
legislation.
In the 1990s, the AIO board of direc
tors realized the need to pass on the col
lective wisdom of AIO, like their ances
tors, to the next generation. Twelve years
later, 150 American Indian ambassadors
and a new Maori Ambassadors Program
in New Zealand are having an impact on
Indigenous communities worldwide.
“The AIO Ambassadors Program is
a dynamic gift to Native America. When
I meet ambassadors, they are aglow with
this exciting experience that touches their
hearts and minds, and inspires them to strive
for leadership and service,” proclaims Ada
Deer (Menominee), a former assistant
secretary of the Department of Interior.
The ambassadors program provides
a creative combination of mentorship,
personal inquiry into one’s own “medi
cine” or inner strength, community orga
nizing skills, dialogue with national and
international decision-makers, and a dis
covery process into tribal values. Ambas
sadors bring the rich backgrounds and
unique values of their tribes and commu
nities to the program.
“It’s the only leadership development
in the United States that allows Native
Americans to define for ourselves, within
the context of our own cultural values,
what kind of leaders we need to ensure
the future of tribal America,” says Harris.
Because of its national reputation,
AIO can recruit skilled leaders to engage
the ambassadors in discussions and inter
active sessions. From tribal elected offi
cials and directors of national organiza
tions to members of the U.S. Congress
and the president’s Cabinet to indigenous
leaders from throughout the world, the
ambassadors are exposed to many different
leadership styles and levels of influence.
“I support AIO and the ambassadors
program because of the new leaders it pro
duces and the honor these leaders bring
to their tribal nations,” says the Honor
able Phillip Martin, chief of the Missis
sippi Band of Choctaw Indians. His tribe
has had two tribal members go through
the program.
AIO is conducting an extensive na
tional campaign to enlist America’s
brightest and most promising emerging
American Indian, Alaska Native, and
Native Hawaiian leaders between the ages
of 25 and 35. To be considered for the
highly competitive program, candidates
must submit an official application and
two nominations by Jan. 8, 2006, to AIO
national headquarters at 1001 Marquette
Ave. NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102. For
more information, phone 505-842-8677
or visit www.aio.org.
Americans for Indian Opportunities
envisions a world that recognizes and cel
ebrates the contributions and continuation
of indigenous values. AIO catalyzes and
facilitates culturally appropriate initia
tives and opportunities that enrich the cul
tural, political, and economic lives of
Native peoples.
IHS Scholarship Applications
Available
The Portland Area Indian Health Ser
vice (IHS) has scholarship applications
available. To request an application,
please forward your name and address to
the following:
Indian Health Service - Portland Area
Office
Attn: Athena Bezahaloni, IHS Scholar
ship Coordinator
1220 SW Third Ave., Suite 400
Portland, OR 97204
503-326-7428
Fax: 503-326-5787
E-mail: abezahal@pao.portland.ihs.gov
IHS scholarship applications
are due in the Portland Area Office hy
Feb. 28, 2006.
Interested students are encouraged to
visit www.ihs.gov/JobsCareerDevelop/
DHPS/Scholarships/Scholarship_index.asp
for information on this scholarship pro
gram. Forms can be downloaded from this
Web site that will provide students with
an idea of what they will be required to
submit with their application.
Previously, students were required to
submit their BIA Form 4432; the schol
arship committee would not consider stu
dents who submitted their tribal cards.
Depending on the submission require
ments for 2006/07, students are strongly
advised to obtain their BIA Form 4432
now in order to be prepared.
Students can obtain this form on the
Internet. For filing instructions regarding
BIA Form 4432, please contact your res
ervation BIA agency.
QEM Offers Internships for
Science Students
The Quality Education for Minorities
(QEM) Network, a Washington, D.C.-
based non-profit organization dedicated
to improving the education of minorities
nationwide, is offering 10-week summer
internships for students from tribal
colleges and universities that run from
May 29 to Aug. 4, 2006.
The QEM Network Internship Pro
gram is designed to enhance students'
ability to apply their knowledge to the
internship assignment, increase their
understanding of the educational and
health needs of minorities, and instill a
sense of responsibility to help others in
their communities.
The Tribal Colleges and Universities
Program (TCUP) provides five intern
ships for students enrolled at TCUP in
stitutions to give them the opportunity to
become familiar with science education
policies and how they affect the educa
tion of American Indians; learn about
health disparities disproportionately af
fecting American Indians; and design a
science, technology, engineering, or
mathematics (STEM(-focused commu
nity outreach program that will engage
K-12 students in their respective commu
nities in hands-on science and mathemat
ics activities.
The application deadline for these
internships is March 20, 2006.
These internships provide under
graduate and graduate students the oppor
tunity to interact with program officers
at the National Science Foundation (NSF)
who are involved in making science
policy; to participate in, and further
develop their skills through, mathemat
ics, science, or engineering ( MSE)-related
research; and to further develop their
potential for becoming leaders and pro
ponents of increased MSE participation
by students from minority and low-
income families.
For science policy-oriented intern
ships, applicants must be majoring in the
physical or life sciences, mathematics,
engineering, or technology at an accred
ited U.S. institution.
Up to five science internship oppor
tunities will be available to students at
tribal colleges and universities who meet
the eligibility criteria.
In addition to a $3,000 stipend, in
terns will be provided round-trip travel,
housing on the campus of George Wash
ington University, and support for local
ground transportation.
Applications can be downloaded at
http://qemnetwork.qem.org/
IntemshipTribalApp2006.pdf.
Mail applications and direct inquiries
to QEM Network, Internship Program. 1818
N St. NW, Suite 350, Washington, DC 20036;
202-659-1818; Fax: 202-659-5408;
e-mail: qemnetwork@qem.org.
Join New Northwest Indian
Storytellers Association
A group of Oregon and Washing
ton storytellers and cultural advisors
are forming the Northwest Indian Sto
rytellers Association (NISA). Its pur
pose is to encourage, preserve, and
strengthen traditional storytelling among
tribes in Oregon and Washington.
The group is especially reaching
out to younger generations who want
to apprentice in storytelling.
NISA is sponsoring the First An
nual Northwest Indian Storytellers
Conference and Apprenticeship Work
shop on Jan. 5-7, 2(X)6, in Portland,
Ore. Events will include a one-day ap
prenticeship workshop, one-day story
tellers conference, and two public
storytelling events hosted by Portland
areatribal and educational organizations.
Events will be held at the Native
American Student and Community
Center at Portland State University
and other venues. The Mark Spencer
Hotel is providing a special $59 rate
for lodging on the weekend of Jan. 5-8.
This project is sponsored by Wis
dom of the Elders, Inc., the Native
American Student and Community
Center at Portland State University,
and the Mark Spencer Hotel, with
funding from the National Endow
ment for the Arts, the Multnomah
County Cultural Coalition, and
Umpqua Bank.
For more information, contact
Elaine Lanegan, (Siletz) Tribal liaison,
at liaison@wisdomoftheelders.org or
503-777-7140.
January 2006
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Siletz News
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