Nicole Alkire Grady

Nicole Alkire Grady is a mother of five and current sophomore at Sitting Bull College pursuing a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with the hope of one day attending law school. For the 2022-2023 academic year, Nicole is the recipient of the American Indian College Fund’s Full Circle Scholarship, St. Joseph’s Indian School Scholarship Program, and Massachusetts Indian Association Scholarship, and is a member of Standing Rock Scholars in the Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Education Department. She is also student government president and very active in the campus community, including planning family-friendly events and campus spaces. Nicole works as a Business & Technology Manager for Oyate Community Development Financial Institution; the first financial institution on Standing Rock to provide loans within Standing Rock Reservation boundaries for economic development. Nicole’s future aspirations include using her education to provide legal aid within Standing Rock Reservation and to low-income families; advocating for changes in the Tribal Justice Code and the return of stolen Indian land; and fighting against environmental crimes across Indian Country.