Sinte Gleska University Shines at AIHEC 2026: Students Bring Home Top Honors

By: Teddie Rae Herman, SGU Media

BISMARCK, ND - Many of our Sinte Gleska University students excitedly left the morning of March

14th, 2026, to travel to Bismarck, ND, to attend the annual  2026 American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) Student Conference, held at the Bismarck Event Center.

Before leaving at 10am the students and staff circled up for a prayer from Delmer Forgets Nothing, SGU Lakota Studies Faculty member and Alumnus. After traveling through diverse weather - sunshine, rain and snow - followed by heavy snow upon reaching Bismarck - the students were happy to arrive and were able to immediately register for the conference alongside their coaches, mentors, and staff. 

Every year students from the 35 Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU's) across the nation gather for the AIHEC Student Conference to represent their institutions in academic and non-academic competitions, including our own students from SGU. According to its website, AIHEC held its first student conference in 1980 with a small number of participants to over 1,000. It is an unforgettable experience featuring individual and team competitions, cultural exchange, leadership development, and the opportunity to build lasting relationships with fellow Tribal College and University students.

This year, the SGU Students brought back with them several trophies, plaques, and ribbons, including the 2026 AIHEC/SGU Student of the Year Award, earned by Michael Spears, a Senior studying for his Bachelors of Arts Degree in Lakota Studies, and, the coveted "President's Choice Award", awarded to Raechel "Rae" Herman for her "Olami Sni" ledger art in the Mixed Media Art competition. Herman also won the Women's Traditional Bow in Archery, having competed with her SGU Archery Team, that didn't place but was a tough team to beat.

Also, in the Archery competition, Chayce Stoneman and Brylee Waukazoo brought home the 2nd place trophy in the Mixed Team division. SGU student archers also included: Greyson Bordeaux, Brandon Black Moon, Christopher Black Bear, Kelsy Haukaas, Kaylee Haukaas, Lynell Hare, and were coached by Deane Oliver, SGU Interim Dean and Academic Counselor - Recruitment & Matriculation, and Bryan Waukazoo, SGU Maintenance/Security Director. 

The SGU Handgames Team, "Pispiza Diva's", took the 2nd Place trophy after a tough loss to Dine College, from Tsaile, Arizona. The Pispiza Diva's included: Jeslyn Felix, Michal Beardt, Shania Black Bear-Searby, Brandon Black Moon, Kara Condon, Rae Herman, Karen Iron Shell, Charlene Roan Eagle, DJ Searby, and Allen Stead.

SGU student Zachary New Holy won 3rd place in Chess. He had two other team members who also competed in the Chess competition: Simon Watts, who placed16th, and Allen Stead, who had a 20th place finish. 

Michal Beardt, SGU Education major, earned two 3rd-place prizes for her Digital Design, "The Great Escape", and for her parfleche/leather container, titled "Nikus", in the Dimensional art competition.  She also won 1st place in the Leather competition with "Nikus".

Cassidy Bordeaux, an Art major, won 3rd-place in the "Beadwork" competition with a pair of moccasins she titled, "Dusty Rose Moccasins".

Kaylee Haukaas won 2nd-place for her photo, "Still Life", which she displayed in the AIHEC Photography competition. Other SGU Art students exhibiting their art were: Drayton Clark, Treasure Gunhammer, Kasheena One Star, and Lynelle Hare. They are instructed by Ned Day, SGU Great Plains Art Institute Director and Art Faculty.

The Knowledge Bowl Team, also coached by Ned Day, included members: Maria Left Hand Bull, Jordan Arrow, Karen Iron Shell, and Michal Beardt, lost to College of Menominee Nation for a 4th-Place finish. 

The E-Sports Team, made up of Sebastian Del Rio, DJ Searby, and Samuel Beardt, and coached by Nicholas Del Rio, SGU Lakota Studies Administrative Assistant, had many close games but did not place in the top three. 

Isabelle Provost, Jordan Delgarito, and Jordan Arrow, participated in the Science Poster Competition. Although they didn't place, they went up against tough competition. Delgarito's poster was titled, "How Botanical Sexism Affects Allergies"; Provost's poster was titled, "Cross Sectional Study of Soil Fungal Diversity in Riperian Zones of the Northern Great Plains"; and, Arrow's was titled, "Comparative Analysis of Commercial vs 3-D Printed Weather Stations". Their Coach was Jackson Furlong, SGU Science Faculty.

After the judging of the posters and talking to the judges, Provost and Delgarito went on to compete in the Science Bowl but didn't secure a place. 

The Business Bowl Team members who participated in AIHEC's Business Bowl competition, ibut also did not secure a place, included: Elton Menard, JoHanna Whiting, and Justin Beardt. They were coached by Maureece Heinert, SGU Business Education Faculty. 

Congratulations to all our SGU Students and all 2026 AIHEC Student Conference participants. We'll see you next year!