A Susanville woman is one of four Native American students from across California who have received a $10,000 scholarship from the Morongo Band of Mission Indians near Palm Springs as part of the 14th Annual Rodney T. Mathews Jr. Scholarship program.
Deserea Langley, a member of the Susanville Indian Rancheria, attends UC Davis where she is pursuing a Ph.D. in Native American Studies.
Her doctoral research will be the first comprehensive history of the Susanville Indian Rancheria and the implementation of the Dawes Act in Northern California.
She plans to be an Education Counselor at a tribal college or state university to help educate future leaders.
“I’m so thankful for tribal communities like Morongo supporting student success,” Langley said. “It is important to have educated Native Americans for the future of our culture, communities and tribal governments.”
American Indians and Alaskan Natives comprise less than 1% of the nation’s college students, the lowest college enrollment rate of any ethnic group, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Similarly, only 15% of American Indians hold bachelor’s degrees, fewer than any ethnic group in the U.S., according to the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
“The Rodney T. Mathews Jr. Scholarship at Morongo was created to reverse the trends that have left Native Americans as the most underrepresented group in colleges and universities,” Morongo Tribal Chairman Robert Martin said. “We are happy to be supporting each of this year’s deserving recipients in attaining the education and skills they need to pursue their goals and improve their tribal communities.”
Since launching the program, Morongo has provided $470,000 in scholarships to 49 Native American students seeking to secure a college or post-graduate degree. The scholarship program is unique in that it is open to enrolled members of any of the more than 100 federally recognized tribes in California.
The scholarship program honors the late Rodney T. Mathews Jr., a Morongo tribal member and Hastings Law School graduate who passed away in 2004 after serving as a judge pro-tem for more than a decade.
Scholarship applicants are considered based on their academic success and community service. Candidates must be full-time students at an accredited college or university; complete 60 hours with a designated California Indian agency; and be actively involved in the Native American community.
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