NEWS RELEASE                     

For Immediate Release 

 

Contact:  


  Eric Davis, Marketing & Communications Director

                505.424.2351, or [email protected] 

 
 
Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) 
Names Student of the Year

Derek Santos to Receive Honor
  SANTA FE, NM - February 13, 2020

During the Student Success Safety Summit on Wednesday, February 12, 2020, The Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) has announced IAIA's 2020 Student of the Year -- Derek Santos, an enrolled member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. This award is sponsored by the American Indian College Fund. Derek has a cumulative GPA of 4.0 and is majoring in Studio Arts.
 
Derek's goal upon graduation is to return to his reservation in Pine Ridge, South Dakota and become an Art Instructor at Oglala Lakota College.
 


Derek Santos


     
Nena Martinez Anaya, Chief Admissions & Student Success Officer, commented:   "Derek has demonstrated excellence here at IAIA with his academic work and commitment to art.  It's always a pleasure to see an outstanding student shine and be recognized.  Derek will receive a scholarship from AIHEC and be recognized at their banquet in Albuquerque next month.  Derek will also be honored by having his photo framed in the Student Success Center."

To interview Derek, please contact Eric Davis at 505.424.2351 or at [email protected].

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Offering undergraduate degrees in Studio Arts, Creative Writing, Cinematic Arts and Technology, Indigenous Liberal Studies, Museum Studies, and Performing Arts -- an MFA in Creative Writing -- along with certificates in Business and Entrepreneurship, Museum Studies, and Native American Art History -- IAIA is the only college in the nation dedicated to the study of contemporary Native arts. The school serves 405 full time equivalent (FTE) Native and non-Native American college students from across the globe.  IAIA is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission -- and is the only college in New Mexico accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design.      

About IAIA  -- For over 50 years, the Institute of American Indian Arts has played a key role in the direction and shape of Native expression. With an internationally acclaimed college, museum, and tribal support resource through our Land Grant Programs, IAIA is dedicated to the study and advancement of Native arts and cultures -- and committed to student achievement and the preservation and progress of their communities.  Learn more about IAIA and our mission at www.iaia.edu .

The Institute of American Indian Arts Foundation is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization.  To make a donation on-line, please click here -- or call toll free: 1.800.804.6423.