September 23, 2009

MEDIA CONTACT:
Michelle Sherrard
202-994-1423; mcs1@gwu.edu

GW'S NATIVE AMERICAN POLITICAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM SEEKS SCHOLARSHIP CANDIDATES FOR 2010

Full Scholarships will be Awarded to Qualified American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Students

WASHINGTON - The George Washington University's Semester In Washington Politics program is searching for students to apply for its Native American Political Leadership Program (NAPLP), which provides a unique opportunity for students to study politics in the heart of the nation's capital on full scholarship for the spring 2010 academic semester.

The NAPLP scholarship program is available to qualified American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian students and covers tuition, housing, airfare, books and a stipend upon arrival. Generously funded by the AT&T Foundation, NAPLP offers undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to study applied politics with some of the brightest professionals in the field, intern in the middle of the action and network with officials who are making important decisions every day. After leaving the program, students will return to their tribal communities armed with the latest techniques in making a difference at the local level.

Marcus Grignon, a spring 2009 alumnus of the program, created a non-profit called "Citizens for a Sustainable Future," which highlights renewable energy and sustainable development efforts in his own tribal community, the Menominee. Because of that work, Mr. Grignon has been awarded a Clinton Global Initiative grant and has made numerous media appearances in print and on radio. "I learned at NAPLP that my people can lead in a new way," he said. "I feel confident that I can go back home with the skills I learned and influence positive change."

Jessica Koski, a spring 2008 alumnae and a member of the Ojibwa tribe of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Environmental Management at Yale University. "The program opened many doors for me," said Ms. Koski. "I witnessed where Native representation is desperately needed, and I began picturing different career opportunities that would allow me to serve my tribal community and other Native people."

For more information on the program, visit www.naplp.gwu.edu or call (202)994-8908.

-GW-