Indigenous scholars of Haskell Indian Nations University’s 2026 graduating class were reminded by keynote speakers that their stories are not relegated to the past — they will carry their languages, traditions and culture into the future.
The Coffin Sports Complex on Haskell Indian Nations University campus was filled to bursting Friday morning until it was standing room only as friends, family, staff and instructors celebrated about 175 spring and summer Haskell graduates.
“This is your new chapter and the first day of your new life,” said Miss Haskell Angelina Giago, Oglala Lakota and Hunkpati Dakota. “So whatever you do with it, I just want to say, all these people are in your corner. They’ve been supporting you and they’ll continue to support you.”
Commencement and special speakers shared a twin message for graduates, encouraging them to embody resilience and resolve, fight for land back and sovereignty, and turn to the paths blazed by ancestors and relatives in times of doubt.
Don’t miss a beat … Click here to sign up for our email newsletters
Click here to learn more about our newsletters first
Victoria Kitcheyan, Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, graduated from Haskell in 2006 and said her time at the university empowered her to become a tribal leader. She is a current tribal council member and former chairwoman of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska.
Through extensive litigation and negotiations, Kitcheyan and her tribe in 2024 won back 1,600 acres of land that had been illegally stolen by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the 1970s.
“Graduates, our elders tell us that there are no coincidences,” Kitcheyan said. “It’s by no mistake that you’re here today, and it’s by no mistake that you came here wrapped in the purpose and the prayers of your ancestors. You left home, you traveled far, you brought the strength of your spirit to 155 Indian Avenue.”
Kitcheyan urged graduates to make good on the sacrifices of their ancestors, hold systems of power accountable, and to keep the federal government honest on its treaty promises. She also spoke to working and growing in community, asking all graduates to “be a good relative.”
“You’re going to make a mark and you’re going to get land returned,” Kitcheyan said. “You’re going to restore your language, you’re going to uplift your health systems, you’re going to take on legal battles that are going to ripple through the generations to come. And so I just want to let you know that you’re special, you’re divine, and you’re powerful.”
William Kirkland, enrolled member of the Navajo Nation and 15th assistant secretary for Indian Affairs, celebrated Kitcheyan’s accomplishments. He said new graduates that could soar to such heights with a Haskell diploma and some good, old fashioned elbow grease.
Kirkland also acknowledged Haskell’s transformation from a Native American boarding school to as a multi-tribal, Native-led institution known across the world.
“It started as a place where young natives were sent to be told to disappear, to forget their culture and heritage, and instead became a place where you all have been able to survive, achieve, learn and thrive,” Kirkland said. “Today, it stands as an economic engine of Indian Country.”
Like Kitcheyan, Kirkland cautioned graduates that the road ahead might be rocky, but they have their communities and histories to hold them up.
From “Rocky” to “Fast and Furious,” Kirkland said, “No good story, no great movie, is full of only good things.”
Some students with extraordinary academic achievements and “impeccable character” were recognized on stage, including Haskell Brave Rickson Bullcalf, Blackfeet Nation, and the Student of the Year, Tara Roanhorse, Diné Asdzáán.
Additionally, at the end of each year, the American Indian College Fund awards one Haskell student for their accomplishments and contributions to the school. AICF is a nonprofit organization that provides financial support to Native American students, and this year, they honored Therann Moore, Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma.
Kirkland joked that, certainly, Haskell grads were destined for shining futures because some wore sunglasses to the ceremony.
“And everybody knows if you’re wearing sunglasses indoors, that’s ‘cause your future’s so bright,” he said.
Post updated at 4:05 p.m. Friday, May 8 to add more photos
If local news matters to you, please help us keep doing this work.
Don’t miss a beat — get the latest news from the Times delivered to your inbox:
Click here to learn more about our newsletters first
Wulfe Wulfemeyer (they/them), reporter and news editor, has worked with The Lawrence Times since May 2025. They can be reached at [email protected].
Read their complete bio here. Read their work for the Times here.
Jacob Rice (he/him), photo correspondent, has worked with The Lawrence Times since March 2026. He studied journalism and mass communications at Iowa State University, where he spent four years as the visuals editor for the Iowa State Daily.
Check out his photography for the Times here. Read his articles for the Times at this link.
Latest Lawrence news:
Cuyler Dunn/Lawrence Times
Cuyler Dunn/Lawrence Times
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Cuyler Dunn/Lawrence Times
More: 2026 Graduations
Jacob Rice / Lawrence TimesHaskell graduates reminded they have the support of ancestors, relatives as they change the future
Jacob Rice / Lawrence Times
Jacob Rice / Lawrence Times
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
Jacob Rice / Lawrence Times
