Albuquerque, NM – February 25, 2021 – REDW LLC, one of the Southwest’s 10 largest public accounting and business advisory firms, is pleased to announce the 2020 recipients of the REDW Native American Scholarship in Accounting are Isabel Yasana Hawley (The Klamath Tribes) and Christian Hopkins (Narragansett Indian Tribe of Rhode Island). The American Indian Graduate Center, a national nonprofit organization providing educational assistance to American Indian and Alaska Native college students throughout the United States, administers the scholarship. Both recipients are currently pursuing their Master of Business Administration degrees and focusing on tribal economic development and entrepreneurship.
“We congratulate Isabel and Christian as the 2020 REDW Scholarship recipients, in taking this important next step in completing their education,†said Corrine Wilson (Ft. McDermitt Paiute-Shoshone Tribe of Nevada), REDW Principal and Co-National Tribal Practice Leader.
“We’re proud to honor their hard work and determination with recognition and financial support. These young people have already shown their dedication to continue using their knowledge and skills to improve life in tribal communities.â€
Isabel Yasana Hawley
Hawley has been building her career as a brand manager for an internationally known sportswear company and is pursuing her MBA in American Indian Entrepreneurship at Gonzaga University to acquire leadership skills and executive advancement. “I hope to inspire the next generation of Indigenous leaders to chase their crazy dreams and bring them into fruition,†she said.
In 2019, REDW renewed its commitment to an annual scholarship program administered by the American Indian Graduate Center. Deserving students awarded the REDW Native American Scholarship in Accounting are pursuing degrees in the field of accounting and finance; the scholarship is open to undergraduate and graduate level Native American students.
Christian Hopkins
After earning his MBA from the University of Kansas, Hopkins plans to pursue a career in teaching in order to help tribal youth see the benefits of entrepreneurship and encourage them to see cultivation of wealth as one of the many methods they can employ to preserve their tribes’ cultural values. “I see the potential of entrepreneurship in my community and I hope to introduce it through the teaching of personal finance,†he said.
“Our scholarship continues a long tradition at REDW of supporting tribal youth and encouraging them to pursue careers in accounting and finance,†said Wesley Benally (Navajo Nation), REDW Senior Manager and Co-National Tribal Practice Leader.
“Through our work with tribal governments and their enterprises, we understand how funding education for young tribal leaders is an investment in the future. Our program benefits not only these individual students, but every tribal community they give back to.â€
Angelique Albert (Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes) Executive Director of the American Indian Graduate Center said, “Partnering with organizations like REDW allows us to increase our impact across Indian Country and empower more Native scholars to achieve their educational goals. Building partnerships like the one we have created with REDW is critical to continuing our success as an organization. We look forward to continuing this relationship and strengthening our mutual commitment to Native education.â€
Through the American Indian Graduate Center scholarship, REDW is able to achieve two key objectives: 1) encourage Native Americans who want to pursue a career in accounting and finance, and 2) build the pool of top talent from which to recruit for the firm’s Internship program and National Tribal Services team. REDW has long supported the American Indian Graduate Center through financial donations and the personal volunteerism of its team members. Additional information on American Indian Graduate Center scholarships and eligibility requirements is available at www.AIGCS.org.
About American Indian Graduate Center
American Indian Graduate Center is a national private 501(c)(3) non-profit providing scholarships to American Indian and Alaska Native undergraduate, graduate and professional students throughout the United States. American Indian Graduate Center and American Indian Graduate Center Scholars have awarded more than $350 million in scholarships since inception and are proud to empower Native students from over 500 Tribes in all 50 states with educational funding and academic support services. For more information, please visit www.AIGCS.org.
