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Native American Scholarship established at DSU 

            Dakota State University, along with the DSU Diversity Office has established a Native American Scholarship.

The Tate Topa, “Four Directions,” Scholarship Fund has been established for the further educational advancement of Native American students choosing to attend Dakota State University.

“We anticipate this incentive will help to build bridges of outreach into the Native American Communities,” Scott Zlotak, Director of Diversity Services said. “Two of our main partners in these programs are Flandreau Indian School and Marty Indian School. We hope to build relationships of reciprocity with the various Sovereign Nations to create a better future for American Indian Students.”

The phrase Tate Topa is taken from the Lakota language meaning “Four Winds,” or referring to the four directions; North, South, East and West. According to Zlotak, the phrase was selected to indicate that these scholarships are open to all Native American students from all tribal affiliations from the four directions.

The Tate Topa Fund offers four types of scholarships to qualified students. American Indian students may apply for an Institutional, Student of Excellence, Non-traditional, or General (need-based) scholarship. The scholarships are open to full-time college level undergraduate and graduate students.

Awards will be granted based on criteria such as tribal affiliation, class rank, ACT/SAT, cultural and community involvement, recommendations, and essays.