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TAHLEQUAH, OKLAHOMA - The Cherokee Nation recently awarded more than $2 million in scholarship money to 2,256 Cherokee college students.

"The Cherokee Nation is helping develop tomorrow's leaders," said Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. "We want our students to know they have our support and we want them to succeed."

The Cherokee Nation awarded scholarships in the form of supplemental stipends to 1,311 Cherokee Nation tribal citizens who attend college full-time and are eligible to receive federal PELL grants. An additional 945 college students who are not eligible for PELL grants will receive scholarships for $1000 each semester for up to eight semesters, if the student continues to meet the requirements of the scholarship.

"I'm so glad I got this scholarship," said Crystal Washington, a Tahlequah resident and student at Northeastern State University. "I don't know how I would have paid for school without it."

The Cherokee Nation awarded scholarships to 194 more students this year than last year. The Cherokee Nation funds students, who meet the criteria, by order of school classification. For example, a college senior with only two semesters left to graduate will be funded before a college freshman attending college for the first time. Students who did not receive funding this year have been placed on a waiting list and will be funded should a funded student not return to school in the spring.

"These college seniors have a lot of expenses associated with their classes, fees, graduation gowns and degree checks, hopefully this will off-set some of that," said Dale Miller, Cherokee Nation Higher Education manager.

The Cherokee Nation begins accepting scholarship applications in February. For more information on the Cherokee Nation scholarship program, contact Dale Miller, phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2383) and/or visit the Cherokee Nation web site.

Related Cherokee Nation contact information:

Mike Miller, Cherokee Nation Director of Communications Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2210) Fax: 918-458-5580 E-mail: Communications@cherokee.org Larry Daugherty, Advertising Manager Cherokee Nation - Public Affairs Phone 918-456-0671 (Ex.2324) E-mail: ldaugherty@cherokee.org

Steven Swogger, Agriculture Liaison Natural Resources Department Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2546) FAX: 918-458-7673 E-mail: sswogger@cherokee.org Bradley D. Peak, Cherokee Nation Natural Resources Specialist Phone: 918-456-0671 (ex.2843) E-mail: bpeak@cherokee.org