With her attention always on the needs of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation and its members, Margaret Zientek has already hit the ground running as the new Workforce and Social Services department director. She spoke with the Hownikan about her work with Workforce programs and advocacy at the federal level to improve them, as well as her involvement with the Potawatomi Leadership Program.
The Citizen Potawatomi Nation awarded the first Michael John Kennedy Scholarship to University of Wisconsin-La Crosse junior Jozie Arenz in fall 2021. Open to college juniors and seniors, the scholarship welcomes children and grandchildren of veterans to apply.
As an anthropology major, Tribal member Katie Simpson loves museums and teaching others about underrepresented cultures. This summer, she worked as an intern for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian in NYC.
The 2021 Potawatomi Leadership Program participants spent the summer learning about the Citizen Potawatomi Nation virtually due to the pandemic. The 2021 class consisted of 23 members, and the Hownikan asked every participant some introductory questions.
The 2021 Potawatomi Leadership Program participants spent the summer learning about the Citizen Potawatomi Nation virtually due to the pandemic. The 2021 class consisted of 23 members, and the Hownikan asked every participant some introductory questions.
The Medtronic American Indian Employee Resource Group created by CPN member Ryan Thompson has awarded several scholarships to deserving students, including 2019 Potawatomi Leadership Program participant Lilly Lewis.
In March 2019, Citizen Potawatomi Nation tribal member Trae Trousdale became the first Native American to hold the position of Oklahoma City University Student Government Association president in the school’s history.
The 10 members of each Potawatomi Leadership Program class are required to present a final project, which is a major goal of their time with Citizen Potawatomi Nation.
During Citizen Potawatomi Nation’s Potawatomi Leadership Program, the 10 college students chosen to experience the Tribe in a six-week, crash course internship learn a substantial amount about Potawatomi culture and businesses.
The 2019 PLP class stretches from coast to coast; the participants attend colleges from Florida to Washington. Their career goals range from sports journalist to surgeon, and their personalities vary just as widely.