On Dec. 18, Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin speaks at a press conference in Bascom Hall to announce the Wisconsin Tribal Educational Promise program. Seated, from left, are Carla Vigue, director of tribal relations for UW–Madison; Shannon Holsey, president of the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians and chairwoman of the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council; Jon Greendeer, president of Ho-Chunk Nation; and Kalista Memengwaa Cadotte, UW student and member of Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe. Photo: Bryce Richter
Beginning in the fall of 2024, the University of Wisconsin–Madison will offer financial support to cover the full cost of pursuing an undergraduate degree for Wisconsin residents who are enrolled members of federally recognized Wisconsin Indian tribes, Chancellor Jennifer L. Mnookin announced today.
The commitment covers not only tuition and fees but also housing, meals, books and other educational expenses.
Additionally, a 5-year pilot program will cover in-state tuition and fees for students pursuing a J.D. (law) or M.D. (medical) degree who are Wisconsin residents and enrolled members of federally recognized Wisconsin tribes.
Together, the two new initiatives will be called the Wisconsin Tribal Educational Promise program. The program does not rely on taxpayer funding; rather, it’s supported by other institutional resources, such as private donations.
“As a university, we are deeply committed to a future of mutual respect and cooperation with the American Indian tribes in Wisconsin,” Mnookin says. “This program is another tangible, meaningful step in that direction.”
As university leaders developed the initiatives over the past year, they consulted with the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, a consortium that includes the tribal chairperson or president of each of the 11 federally recognized American Indian tribes in Wisconsin. Mnookin met with…