February 2020
 
Wilma Bearshield-Robertson’s Blog
 
Greetings Relatives (Mi-ta-ku-ya-pi)
According to the Lakota calendar, the month of February is called Cannapopa Wi, which means Moon of the Popping Trees. This is the period when the weather is so cold it causes the trees to crack.  With the advent of cold weather, it’s a challenge for students to attend class when they have young children. Sinte Gleska University has a child care facility available for use, but at a cost, so some students are unable to afford to send their children due to financial hardship.
 
Sinte Gleska University students are strongly influenced by Lakota tradition.  Their individual educational experience at SGU helps their individual development and career choice.  During the time of a student’s pathway to success unforeseen challenges occur that may impede their focus and career development.  
 
Fortitude (Wo-wa-cin-tanka) is one of the four Lakota virtues.  It means facing challenges with courage, strength and confidence.  Believing in oneself allows a person to face challenges.  Fortitude includes the ability to come to terms with problems, to accept them and to find a solution that is good for everyone.  Fortitude may require patience perseverance and strength of mind in the face of challenges. It involves having confidence in oneself and the courage to continue even when all odds are against you.  
 
Please give to help pay child care costs for Sinte Gleska University students who are parents of young children.  To donate easily and securely, simply scroll to the bottom of this page and hit that DONATE button!

Your generous support is greatly appreciated and is tax-deductible in accordance with IRS regulations.
 
Wopila – Thank you
 
 

Greetings Relatives, (Mi-ta-ku-ya-pi)
 
Happy New Year (O-ma-ka Te-ca  O-i-yo-ki-pi)

Our new year, 2020, begins a significant milestone as Sinte Gleska University celebrates 50 years at the center of Higher Education on the Rosebud Indian Reservation.  Sinte Gleska University serves the people of the Sicangu Lakota Oyate by providing students with the opportunity to vision and plan a positive future through higher education. 

Wa-can-tog-naka is a Lakota value meaning “generosity”.  On the Rosebud Reservation our holiday season began with Sinte Gleska University’s Tribal Elder Christmas Day.  Student volunteers and staff helped with BINGO, entertainment, dinner and gift giving to make the event fun and meaningful for our tribal treasures.

A new year is an exciting time to restart our lives in a myriad of ways.  New and returning students are registering for spring semester classes.  January also brings planning for the annual Founders’ Week, which is held the last week of January. Founder's celebrates the origins of Sinte Gleska University’s graduation ceremony, when it was held the first weekend in February, and was known as Wambli Day.  The Wambli Day activities included:  Miss SGU coronation, concert featuring American Indian musicians, meal, and wacipi.  Later, Wambli Day evolved into our current week-long event of forums, youth night, Ms. SGU coronation and culminates with our annual wacipi.  The SGU Wacipi kicks off the pow wow season in Indian Country.
 
 

 
Wilma Bear Shield-Robertson’s Blog
Greetings Relatives, Mi-ta-ku-ya-pi– In our Lakota Language
Sinte Gleska University will celebrate 50 years at the center of Higher Education on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in 2020.  Our students receive the opportunity to envision a career, a positive future and a productive life.
Wa-ni-ye-tu Wi is our Lakota word for Winter.  Preparation for winter begins in the summer the annual winter campsites and hunting areas were known by our Sicangu Lakota O’ ya’ te’ people.  The winter season provided the Oyate people time to reflect on the past year. 
Our tribal historians kept our annual accomplishments, incidents and overall yearly events painted on animal hides a visual display we call a Winter Count, Wa-ni-yet-tu-Wi Iya-wa-pi.  Our tribal leaders, elders and oyate were able to plan, design and make preparation to implement the upcoming year’s goals.
Continuous planning and implementation was made for the survival of the people through the winter season and throughout the year.
Sinte Gleska University serves the people of the Sicangu Lakota Oyate by providing the students with the opportunity to vision and plan a positive future through higher education. 
Your kindness and generous support will help Sinte Gleska University continue our important mission to provide a quality education to help our students succeed.
Please continue to visit our website for current information and activities. www.sintegleska.edu
 
 

 
Greetings Relatives, Mitakuyapi (Lakota)
Sinte Gleska University is the center of Higher Education on the Rosebud Indian Reservation located in south central South Dakota.  Established 49 years ago the university provides students the support and academic programs to envision a career, a positive future and a productive life for themselves, their families and community.
 
In our Lakota traditional ways of life/living we learn Wounspe (Lakota) we are taught individual and family life skills through a family-based approach.  Our first teachers are our parents and family members.  We gather as a family team to learn, set goals and accomplish tasks and celebrate our individual and group/team success. 
 
Yu’wita (you-wheat-ta) – means Gathering in our Lakota Language. In gathering, coming together with others, we share ideas, experiences and learn from the experiences of others.  This is an important approach that begins the process to acquire knowledge and understanding that helps individuals envision a career, a positive future and a productive life for themselves, their families and community.  As stated in my previous blog Knowledge is everywhere, we can acquire as individuals, within families, or in gathering with others in a classroom setting.  The Sinte Gleska University classroom setting is culturally unique in that individuals are guided under instruction from teachers, other student’s interaction, tribal elders and tribal community goals.
 
To receive email campaign updates please submit your email address to get added to the list.  You can do that right on the bottom of this page. Your generous support to Sinte Gleska University plays a large role in helping us continue our important educational work for student development and to preserve and interpret our evolving Lakota history, language and culture.  Your charitable contribution is greatly appreciated and is tax-deductible in accordance with IRS regulations.
 
Wopila – Thank you.

Wilma Bear Shield-Robertson’s Blog
 
Mitakuyapi (Relatives in Lakota)!
Journey to Success
Sinte Gleska University has been a guiding force for student success for forty-nine years on the Rosebud Reservation.
The University’s Adult Basic Education GED Department recently sponsored the College Readiness Seminar and Resource Fair.  Ki’ li, means wow in our Lakota language.  I heard good, exciting responses from participants who attended the day-long seminar on October 17, 2019. 
I want to send a shout-out to program organizers and participants for an action filled event engaging attendees in their Journey to Success.
Our Lakota values emphasize encouragement to an individual’s pathway to success.  Sinte Gleska University’s unique educational mission surrounds students with a myriad of opportunities to achieve their educational goals for a better life.
Please take time to view the pictures/video from the College Readiness Seminar and Resource Fair on our Sinte Gleska University Facebook page.
Wopila
 
 
 

 
Wilma Bear Shield-Robertson’s Blog
 
Mitakuyapi – Means relatives in Lakota
Sinte Gleska University sponsored a fund raising event on Sunday, October 20th in Gregory, SD. The university hosts unique cultural and learning events for our students, families and elders throughout the year.
This Gregory Fund Raising event was the first in our effort to develop local and global partnerships to collectively raise the funds necessary to further our Sinte Gleska University Mission.
Sunday was the second day of opening season for Pheasant Hunting in the state of South Dakota.  In the 2018 pheasant hunting season Gregory County was eighth in the number of pheasants harvested and for visiting out of state hunters.
I will keep you informed of upcoming events for our Future Fund Raising Campaigns that you can participate in to help our students succeed.
To view Gregory Fund Raising Event photos, Please visit our Facebook page and our SGU Foundation Giving Page http://www.sgufoundation.org/
Help us continue to make a better life for our students and our Sicangu Lakota Oyate.
Your assistance and charitable contribution is greatly appreciated
Wopila Tanka – A big thank you! In Lakota
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Wilma Bear Shield Robertson’s Blog
 
Cante wasteya nape ciuzape! I offer you a heartfelt handshake!
 
The cold weather has arrived here on the Rosebud Reservation.  During this time at Sinte Gleska University we prepare for our upcoming winter events we sponsor for our reservation students, elders and families. 
We have our Elder Christmas Day Event held in mid-December at our Wakiyan Wambli Multi-purpose building.  The holiday turkey dinner includes a traditional meal of soup, fry bread and wojapi followed by prize bingo, gift giving and live entertainment throughout the day.
Our student and staff Christmas Holiday Dinner is an event enjoyed by all with recognition of individuals and entertainment. 
The above events are held before our Founders Day weeklong forum events culminating with Founders Day Pow-wow.
In preparation for the University sponsored events we are fundraising to offset expenses associated with our valuable cultural gatherings that uplift our Sicangu Lakota Oyate.
We are sponsoring a Fundraising Event to be held on Sunday October 20th at the Community Room, Gregory Auditorium in Gregory, South Dakota.
See attached event flyer.
Please visit our website at http://www.sgufoundation.or/  Your charitable donation is greatly appreciated. 
Wopila, Thank you
 
 

Greetings, (Mitakuyapi) – Relatives in Lakota Language
Wounspe – Lakota word for Learning
The Sinte Gleska University’s Main Campus and Lakeside Campus are busy gathering places for our students this Fall Semester 2019. 
In our Lakota language Wounspe means learning.  In the Lakota Way of Life we begin learning while nurtured in our mother’s womb, Ina is the Lakota word for mother.  Ina talks, sings and prayers with her unborn child so learning – Wounspe begins and is a process to help us move forward in Life.
Knowledge is everywhere, we can acquire as individuals, within families, or in gathering with others in a classroom setting.  The classroom setting is unique in that individuals are guided under instruction from teachers and from the other student’s interaction.
Kili – is the Lakota word for WOW.  Kili, sums up the atmosphere surrounding students and teachers eager to learn and share knowledge. 
Best wishes to all students, faculty and staff at Sinte Gleska Universtiy  your hard work and team work will benefit many.
Please visit our SGU Foundation Giving Page http://www.sgufoundation.org/ to donate in support of our students and university.  Your donation is greatly appreciated and is tax deductible in accordance with IRS regulations.
Wopila – Thank you
Willma Bear Shield-Robertson
 
 
 
 
 
 

Anpetu Was’te – Lakota words for Good Day.
The Free Native Eye clinic 2019 was the second eye clinic sponsored by Artists for World Peace for the Rosebud Indian Reservation. The Free eye clinic was held the week of June 2-7, 2019 and hosted at Sinte Gleska University’s Wakinyan Wanbli Multi-Purpose building on the universities Lakeside Campus Mission, South Dakota.
Over two-thousand Rosebud Sioux tribal members have received free eye exams and free eye glasses at the 2018 and 2019 eye clinics.  This year Artists for World Peace team consisted of forty-two Optometrists, six eye surgeons, a pediatric ophthalmologist and volunteers.  The surgeons would’ve been able to do cataract surgeries if we had the use of a sterile facility.
Wendy Black-Nasta, Founder-Executive Director of Artists for World Peace invited a small group of doctors specializing in the areas of; critical care, nephrology and behavioral health. The group met with the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Health Board Committee to discuss obstacles impeding the health care needs of Rosebud Sioux tribal members. From this initial meeting the doctors may suggest ways to help address and improve health issues of our tribal members.
Artists for World Peace purchased a mobile van equipped to give eye exams for our tribal elders residing at the tribes White River Health Care facility located in White River, SD.
This year Wendy selected two students who will receive training to become Opticians and work here on the Rosebud Reservation.  The students will begin their training in January 2020 at the Southwest Indian Polytechnic Institute SIPI in Albuquerque, NM.
Local volunteers from Sinte Gleska University’s Staff, Headstart Staff and the Tree of Life program assisted during the week long free eye clinic.
Sinte Gleska University’s partnership with Artists for World Peace helps us in our endeavor for student success, improves our quality of life and our work toward a healthy tribal nation.
We are grateful to Wendy and the entire team from Arts for World Peace for providing the Free Native Eye Clinic for the Rosebud Sioux Tribe.