Five New Jones-Bowman Fellows Selected
CHEROKEE, NC, July 1, 2010 – Cherokee Preservation Foundation announced that five new Fellows have been selected to participate in the Jones-Bowman Leadership Award Program, which makes awards each year to undergraduate students who are members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and are committed to developing their leadership capabilities. The new Fellows are Kristie Fuller, Jessica Munson, Joey Owle, Kelsey Standingdeer and Noah Wachacha.
The program honors the memory and leadership of Principal Chief Leon Jones and Mr. James Bowman, members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) and founding members of the Board of Directors of Cherokee Preservation Foundation.
Kristie Fuller of the Birdtown community is a junior at Western Carolina University and studying for a career in nursing at the same time she is serving as acting manager of the Case Management Department at Cherokee Indian Hospital. As a volunteer T-ball coach, she has provided financial support for her team, and she has participated in the three-day Susan G. Komen for the Cure Breast Cancer Walk and many other health-related community activities.
Jessica Munson of the Painttown community is a sophomore at Southwestern Community College, where she is earning an Associate of Arts degree in Computer Information Technology. She is an active volunteer who has taken part in efforts such as the Aids Awareness Walk, the 5K Breast Cancer Awareness Walk, the Litter Sweep and several blood drives.
Joey Owle of the Birdtown community is a senior at the University of Tennessee who ismajoring in Environmental and Soil Science in pursuit of a career in government. He is active in the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) and the Native American Student Association. A frequent volunteer, this past winter he assisted Cherokee Emergency Management by going door-to-door after power outages to check on residents and find out if they needed help.
Kelsey Standingdeer of the Painttown community is a senior at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville majoring in psychology; she plans a career in counseling. She is a volunteer at the Ijams Nature Center and Young-Williams Animal Center in Knoxville. She is also active in the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES), the Native American Student Association and the TeamVols Volunteer Organization.
Noah Wachacha of the Yellowhill community is a junior at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville who is getting a Bachelor’s degree in Forestry in pursuit of his goal to have a career in the U.S. Forest Service. Previously, he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Communications at the University of North Carolina in Charlotte. As a volunteer, he has used his forestry skills to cut wood for indigent and senior citizens in the Knoxville area, to help in clean-ups in the Yellowhill community, and to assist in the planting of 200 white oaks at the new Cherokee school campus. He has also participated in the Cherokee Day of Caring.
The new Jones-Bowman Fellows will receive annual funding to participate in individually planned leadership learning programs that include activities such as special academic enrichment and tutoring programs, U.S. and foreign travel, conferences, leadership development training, mentoring experiences and sponsored volunteer service.
Jones-Bowman Fellows originally selected in previous years and returning for another year are Gerard Ball, Lucretia Hicks, Kevin Jackson, Sky Kanott and Damian Solis.
Carmelita Monteith, Tom Belt, Roseanna Belt and Ashleigh Brown continue to serve as mentors for the Fellows.
About Cherokee Preservation Foundation
Cherokee Preservation Foundation (www.cpfdn.org) was established in 2000 as part of the Second Amendment to the Tribal-State Compact between the EBCI and the State of North Carolina. It is an independent nonprofit foundation funded by the EBCI from gaming revenues generated by the Tribe. CPFdn is not associated with any for-profit gaming entity. Since CPFdn’s inception, it has made 621 grants totaling more than $48 million to EBCI and regional projects and programs that address cultural preservation, economic development and job creation, and environmental sustainability. Every dollar of CPFdn support has been matched by $1.69 in secured grants or other funding or in-kind resources, making CPFdn’s total contribution to the region nearly $130 million