Native News Online Article: https://nativenewsonline.net/education/american-indian-graduate-centers-2017-students-of-the-year-at-national-gaming-association-tradeshow-convention/?fbclid=IwAR1Vg12CPanPHvZAzGAxyOzrew2sK8eH-vstvBSueIKeoVC4XPuyYAqq-Cg
AIGC Article: https://www.aigcs.org/news/american-indian-graduate-centers-2017-students-of-the-year/
AMERICAN INDIAN GRADUATE CENTER’S 2017 STUDENTS OF THE YEAR AT NATIONAL GAMING ASSOCIATION TRADESHOW & CONVENTION
Published April 26, 2018
LAS VEGAS – The American Indian Graduate Center (AIGC) has announced the inaugural selections for the “Making the Grad” campaign designed to showcase elite scholars. Brook Thompson (undergraduate) and Rebecca St Germaine (graduate) were selected as AIGC 2017 Students of the Year.
“We are thrilled to have such an impressive alumni presence across Indian Country. Brook and Rebecca are the epitome of why AIGC was established; to empower leaders in all sectors across this country,” said Angelique Albert, Executive Director of AIGC.
The theme of the event centered around education and leadership. NIGA Chairman and AIGC board member Ernie Stevens Jr. said of the event, “These leaders are not future leaders, they are leaders of today and we need to see them as such”.
Brook Thompson, a citizen of the Yurok Tribe of Northern California, is currently a civil engineering major at Portland State University. She is concurrently enrolled in political science courses at George Washington University. Brook is also a current intern in Washington D.C. at the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. In addition, Brook grew up with traditional brush dance, weaving small baskets, beading, gathering traditional foods and learning Yurok. Brook hopes to improve her tribes’ sustainability and infrastructure through her degree in civil engineering. She also plans to receive her Ph.D. in civil engineering and sit on her tribal council.
Dr. Rebecca St Germaine, a citizen of the Wisconsin Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe Nation, is a recent graduate of the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy. She is a contributing author in various publications in pharmaceutical outcomes research. Dr. St Germaine draws from her tribal background to better understand the cultural health beliefs of other indigenous nations to provide continuing education to medical staff that train in cultural competencies. In addition, she serves as the Indian Health Board Chairwoman. Dr. St Germaine’s desire is to continue to improve recognition of cultural health belief constructs for rural populations in underserved areas.
AIGC and AIGCS are the largest scholarship providers to American Indian and Alaska Native students. For nearly 50 years, we have empowered tribal students from 400 tribes in all 50 states. AIGC funds undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees in any field at any institution of choice. AIGC is the scholarship center for Native students.
