Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Council Announces Two New Scholarships

AKWESASNE – The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Council recently announced two new scholarships – the Theresa Gardner Memorial Nursing Scholarship, an Endowment Scholarship, and the Minerva White Graduate Scholarship, an Endowment Scholarship. Both scholarships were created through the Tribe’s Community Development Fund.

The Theresa Gardner Memorial Nursing Scholarship will provide financial assistance to students pursuing a certification or degree in nursing, in honor of the late Theresa Gardner and her commitment to care for the health needs of the Akwesasne community.

"Theresa’s legacy has touched many lives, especially those of her patients. With this scholarship opportunity, we hope more nursing students achieve higher education and nursing professionals enter the workforce," stated the Tribal Council.

She took immense pride in her many years of work as a Family Nurse Practitioner and Outreach Chronic Care Supervisor. She once shared, “When they are doing well, this makes me happy,” when reflecting on the patients she helped on their path to recovery.

When the COVID-19 pandemic first threatened Akwesasne in March 2020, Theresa quickly joined her colleagues in assembling a response team. Her efforts earned her and others the United States Department of Health and Human Services’s Indian Health Service Directors Award for COVID-19 Heroism (2020). In addition to her award, she pioneered the Wound Care Program to assist patients with hard-to-heal wounds and avoid amputations with an evaluation and treatment plan.

She worked tirelessly alongside her colleagues to provide excellent patient care for over 33 years with the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe Health Services.

The Theresa Gardner Memorial Nursing Scholarship is open for applications for the 2024-2025 year. For full eligibility and how to apply, please email [email protected] or call the Education Division at (518) 358-9721.

The SRMT Endowment Scholarship is intended to provide students with financial assistance in pursuit of a certification or degree in nursing. These could include but not be limited to the following: Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or Registered Nurse (RN) program, Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). The deadline for the Fall 2024 semester is July 15th. December 31st is the deadline for the Spring 2025 semester.

The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe announced the Theresa Gardner Memorial Scholarship on June 24, 2024.

The Minerva White Graduate Scholarship will provide financial assistance to students in pursuit of an advanced degree that pays homage to the dedication of Minerva in bringing equal educational opportunities to our community.

In 1977, Minerva earned an honorary Ph.D. from Clarkson University. Almost a decade later, she graduated with distinction from St. Lawrence University and also earned an honorary Ph.D. from the State University of New York.

Minerva pushed for the development of education outreach programs such as Upward Bound, Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP), Special Services, and the Masters in Education course previously offered at SRMT.

Minerva received the Regents Medal for Excellence from the New York State Regents and the North Country Citation Award from St. Lawrence University and the State University of New York.

In addition to her awards, Minerva achieved success pushing New York State to change laws prohibiting Native American participation on school boards.

She remains a strong proponent of finding ways to strengthen education in the community.

The Minerva White Graduate Scholarship is accepting applications for the 2024-2025 year. Candidates enrolled full-time (12 credits or more, award amount not exceeding 12 credits) and part-time (1 or 2 credits) will receive $250 per credit hour. For full eligibility and how to apply, please email [email protected] or call the Education Division at (518) 358-9721.

Tribal Council identified preferred fields of study in Education, Health, Finance, Legal, and Leadership, though all fields of study are welcome to apply. The deadlines for the Fall 2024 semester are July 15th and December 31st for the Spring 2025 semester.

The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Council announced the Minerva White Graduate Scholarship on June 14, 2024.