Krissia Tuzroyluk, 22, Iñupiaq enrolled in the Native Village of Point Hope, Alaska

Applied Economics & Management, Cornell University; Minor: Real Estate & American Indian and Indigenous Studies

Krissia Tuzroyluk (she/her) is proud to be Iñupiaq from the Native Village of Point Hope, Alaska. She was born and raised in Alaska and plans to return to her home state after graduation. She will graduate from the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management at Cornell University with minors in Real Estate and American Indian and Indigenous Studies in May 2026. She served as Co-Chair of the Native American and Indigenous Students at Cornell, where she worked to build a strong, supportive community for Indigenous students. She was a Student Ambassador for the American Indian and Indigenous Studies Program, where she connected prospective students to academic and cultural resources, creating pathways for future Indigenous scholars. In recognition of her leadership, Krissia was honored with the 2025 Janine Jamieson-Huff Memorial Award, nominated by her peers for her commitment to the Indigenous community on campus. She was also a 2025 Brave Heart Fellow with the Center for Native American Youth, where she developed workshops on coastal erosion for students in Alaska and interned with the Shinnecock Indian Nation Environmental Department, where she authored business plans to support the Shinnecock Oyster Initiative. Krissia’s work is grounded in Indigenous self-determination and community care. As a first-generation college student, she draws strength from her upbringing and experiences in Point Hope. Back home, her elders have always encouraged her to use her education to help her community. After graduation, she plans to center her career on creating safe and affordable housing for Indigenous people across Alaska.

Summer Wildbill, 21, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon

International Relations, New York University

Summer Wildbill is an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and is deeply committed to advancing culturally relevant financial education for Indigenous communities. Her work centers on incorporating behavioral approaches to money that reflect and uphold Indigenous values. Summer is currently a junior at New York University, where she studies International Relations. As both a 2026 Truman Scholar and a 2026 Udall Scholar, as well as a Martin Luther King Jr. Scholar at NYU she has spent multiple summers researching financial literacy inequities on reservations and identifying strategies to close educational gaps in order to strengthen tribal economies. Through her research, grant support, and the backing of her Tribe, Summer has been developing a financial education application focused on rebuilding healthy relationships with money while providing Indigenous youth with culturally grounded, accessible learning materials. In addition, she has collaborated with the Federal Reserve Bank to curate curriculum and has worked with the Center for Native American Youth (CNAY) on youth-centered financial education initiatives. Summer has also engaged in advocacy work with CNAY as both a Champion for Change and a Remembering Our Sisters Fellow, focusing on Indigenous youth empowerment, awareness, and community-centered advocacy initiatives. Professionally, Summer has a strong interest in public service and policy-driven research. She has worked with the Research Alliance for New York City Schools on Culturally Responsive–Sustaining Education (CR-SE) and previously served with the office of U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon. Most recently, she is an intern with the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, where she continues to engage in global Indigenous policy and advocacy. Summer’s academic, professional, and lived experiences are deeply interconnected, shaping her commitment to using research and public service as tools to support Indigenous communities and contribute to long-term economic and educational equity.