NEWS :: Red Cloud Indian School

Red Cloud Indian School director selected for prestigious Native Rebuilders Program
posted on February 17, 2010

Tina Merdanian, director of institutional relations at Red Cloud Indian School on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, has been selected for the Bush Foundation Native Nation Rebuilders Program. This prestigious program is part of the foundation’s goal to support the self-determination of the 23 Native nations of Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota.

“We are absolutely thrilled for Tina, and applaud the Bush Foundation for the selection of such a vibrant leader from our Red Cloud Indian School community,” says Fr. Peter Klink SJ, president. “A graduate of our school system and an employee for more than 10 years, Tina continues to make a lasting impact with her strong knowledge of the Lakota culture and compassionate understanding of the needs of our students.”

Twenty-eight Native Americans from the three state region have been invited to participate as part of the first class of Rebuilders, representing 14 of the 23 tribes. Some are elected tribal officials and some serve in the state legislature. Others are in private practice or work in the nonprofit sector with programs designed to support their communities.

“There is one thing they all have in common: a commitment to helping strengthen tribal communities through the rights of self-governance,” says Jaime Pinkham, vice president of the Bush Foundation and Native Nations team leader.

Pinkham says that the program is an outgrowth of the foundation’s meetings with tribal leaders across the region.

“These elected leaders expressed a desire to train community and future leaders in the tenets of nation building, to provide individual leadership development and create a support network of individuals committed to strengthening tribal self-determination,” he says.

The Rebuilder trainings are led by national experts on Native self-determination from the Native Nations Institute and the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development. Both organizations are dedicated to using various economic and nation-building methods to assist Native nations in realizing their political, economic and community development objectives.

In 2011, this cohort of Rebuilders will implement the action plans created in the 2010 trainings and engage in practical nation-building efforts within their communities. As the program evolves, each cohort of Rebuilders will also serve as mentors for subsequent Rebuilder cohorts.

At Red Cloud, Merdanian works closely with the Advancement Office and institutional administration to further the mission of Red Cloud. She serves as a host to distinguished visitors to the campus and works with local and state chambers to promote the unparalleled work being done in the classroom and community. Additionally, she keeps a pulse on opportunities on campus, providing leadership and strategy for key initiatives.

“Tina is a respected colleague at Red Cloud, and we look forward to the personal growth she will realize through this important endeavor,” says Matthew P. Ehlman, vice president of advancement. “Our community is only as strong as the people who are part of it. This is a great recognition for Tina—and all of those who work tirelessly at our institution each day.”

Merdanian was hired in 1997 by then-President Fr. Bill McKenney SJ as an administrative assistant in the Development Office. Shortly thereafter, she was charged with the creation of the Public Relations Office. During her tenure, Tina has helped to articulate the stories of the people whose lives have been touched by the institution, giving those stories voice through a variety of print and electronic media. Active in local and state tourism initiatives, she continues to serve as director on the board of the Pine Ridge Chamber of Commerce, working hard to promote economic development on the reservation.

A product of Red Cloud Indian School, she is married to Red Cloud alumnus Russell Merdanian, and the couple has two children. Her children represent the third and fourth generations on each side of her family to attend Red Cloud.

Join us in our mission of educating the mind and spirit of the Lakota people, now and for future generations. Please consider an online gift.