BANNING, CA – Four Native American students from California have each received a $10,000 scholarship from the Morongo Band of Mission Indians near Palm Springs through the tribe’s 19th Annual Rodney T. Mathews Jr. Scholarship Program.
Since its launch, Morongo’s Mathews Scholarship Program has provided $630,000 in scholarships to 62 Native American students attending universities across the country. These scholarships are only accessible to enrolled members of the 109 federally recognized tribes in California.
“Morongo’s annual Rodney T. Mathews Jr. Scholarship Program is dedicated to reversing the historical underrepresentation of Native Americans in higher education,” said Morongo Tribal Chairman Charles Martin. “This initiative provides vital support to scholarship recipients while fostering the development of future tribal leaders. Empowering Native students to advance their education and skills creates pathways for driving meaningful progress that will enhance our tribal communities for generations to come.”
The 2024 recipients include:
- Keseloh McQuillen of the Yurok Tribe – working on her Master of Arts Degree in the Language Teaching Studies Program at the University of Oregon, McQuillen grew up on the Yurok reservation, which is near the traditional village of Turip in Klamath, CA. Her goal is to return to her community in Humboldt County after receiving her masters. She believes that with the knowledge gained from the Language Studies Program, she can add strengthen language development within the Yurok community. “Receiving this scholarship from the Morongo Tribe gives me relief,” said McQuillen. “This assistance relieves financial strains and enables me to focus entirely on my academic goals. I am driven to take advantage of this opportunity to succeed and to finish my program in 11 months. I appreciate the Morongo Tribe’s commitment to education.”
- Cody Goodwin of the Wailkila Tribe – working towards his bachelor’s degree in Aviation Airport Design at San Jose State, Goodwin’s goal is to join the U.S. Airforce with hopes to one day pilot C-17 Globemasters, the largest military transport aircraft ever developed for Air Force. He also aspires to become a flight instructor. “For me, this scholarship is very significant since it allows me to continue with my pilot training and earn my commercial and multi-engine ratings,” said Goodwin. “It’s an important step toward achieving my aviation career goals. It also helps with some of my living expenses, which allows me up to concentrate more on my training and studies. I am incredibly appreciative of this support.”
- Kathleen Keller-Manuelito of the Bishop Paiute Tribe – pursuing her degree in nursing at the University of Kansas, Keller-Manuelito previously graduated from Haskell Indian Nations University in 2016 with a bachelor’s in business administration. In the past, she worked with the American Indian Records Repository, which preserves treaties between the U.S. government and Native Americans. While obtaining her clinical hours for nursing, she hopes to work with Indian Health Services. Her career goal is to create and open an Indigenous birthing center for women. “I want to thank the Morongo Band of Mission Indians for offering the Mathew’s Scholarship to all California Natives,” said Keller-Manuelito. “Being awarded this scholarship relieves a great deal of worry for me as a working mom of a toddler who is getting ready to move across the nation. This scholarship will not only help with living expenses such as daycare costs, but it will also provide me the opportunity to devote all my attention to my studies this fall semester. Once again, I want to thank the scholarship committee, the Morongo Tribe, and everyone else who made this opportunity for a life-changing award possible.”
- Yamahni Duncan of the Berry Creek Rancheria of Tyme Maidu Indians – in his final year at the University of California, Berkeley, where he is working towards bachelor’s degrees in both psychology and philosophy, Duncan intends to pursue a doctorate in philosophy or psychology. By advancing his knowledge, he hopes to have an important impact on his tribal community. “I applied for this scholarship from Morongo in part because it would be really helpful in paying for my housing costs,” said Duncan. “Despite the fact that my college provided funding for my education, I had to deal with the costs of finding housing on my own. That burden has been greatly reduced as a result of receiving this scholarship, allowing me to concentrate more on my education.”
The Morongo scholarship program honors the late Rodney T. Mathews Jr., a Morongo tribal member and Hastings Law School graduate who passed away in 2004. He worked as an attorney for 20 years before serving as a judge pro tem for more than a decade.
His mother, Eunice Mathews, said the scholarship program recognizes her son’s lifelong commitment to equity and education. “We are so proud of all that Rodney accomplished and are touched by how the Mathews Scholarship continues to honor his legacy.”
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.
