In 2021, tribe members gathered on their lands in South Dakota to witness a homecoming that was several decades in the making. A was held to mark the return of children鈥檚 remains from a former boarding school in Canada. Identified through DNA testing, these were the children of their tribe, lost to an era of forced assimilation, buried far from home without their families ever being told.
蘑菇TV student strolled through the cemetery as one of her aunts relayed stories from that era. That moment became a call to action.
"I remember that was super impactful to me because I specifically want to go into ICWA," LaDeaux said, referring to the Indian Child Welfare Act. "It鈥檚 this idea that any time a child is removed from their biological family, they still have priority with tribal families to preserve their heritage. It鈥檚 important that we continue working toward those things."
That commitment to preserving tribal lineage has now earned the Rosebud Sioux member a place in OCU history. This week, LaDeaux was the university鈥檚 first in nearly 30 years.
The Udall Scholarship is one of the most prestigious national awards in the country, granted to students who demonstrate future leadership in tribal policy, health care or the environment. This year, only 65 students out of 383 applicants were awarded the scholarship.
"I was pleased but not surprised," said Dr. Karen Youmans, director of the Honors Program and the student's application sponsor, about hearing of LaDeaux鈥檚 award. "She has the interest and commitment in the subject that is exactly what the foundation is looking for. She鈥檚 done the work to become ready to make a difference."
LaDeaux, an Edmond Santa Fe High School graduate and the next Student Government Association president, found out about the win through an email from Dr. Youmans. Because the application portal is administered by the university sponsor, Dr. Youmans saw the notification before LaDeaux did.
As a "3+3" student in the Philosophy/Political Science/ Economics (PPE) program, LaDeaux is currently finishing her undergraduate credits while preparing to start her first year at the OCU School of Law next year.
Before the Udall, LaDeaux has spent her academic journey in a relentless cycle of saving to cover fees and books.
"It just felt like a relief," she said of the $7,500 award. "Not having to worry about saving it, and just being able to have more expenses covered, is going to be very nice."
Future advocacy
With the support of the Udall Foundation鈥檚 vast alumni network, LaDeaux plans to dive into the and other specialized offerings at OCU Law to specialize in Indian law. Her ultimate goal is to work for the ACLU or a similar advocacy group, ensuring that the protections of the ICWA remain strong.
"My dream is to be an advocate or someone who directly works with tribes," she said.
Dr. Mark Davies, her faculty mentor and the Wimberly Professor of Social and Ecological Ethics, noted LaDeaux鈥檚 commitment to her values and her studies.
鈥淚 could tell from her first semester at 蘑菇TV that Alanna would excel academically and become an important and impactful student leader on campus,鈥� Davies said. 鈥淚 am so impressed by Alanna's deep commitment to connecting what she is learning in the classroom with her service and leadership in our community, and by her thoughtful and practical engagement in addressing pressing social and ecological challenges. I am excited to see her live even more fully into this commitment in her work as a Udall Scholar as she clearly exemplifies the values of integrity, civility, consensus, public service, and nonpartisanship of the scholarship program.鈥�
