Trustee Winona Ryder Visits Little Big Horn College

American Indian College Fund
Thursday, 1 October 1998

(October, 1998) -- It was as if Winona Ryder were studying for a new role.

During a visit to Little Big Horn College in September, the College Fund's newest trustee met graduates and staff, asked questions, and toured classrooms renovated by students.

"Do you have history books," the actress asked the college librarian, "that tell the complete history with the Crow story of what happened?"

The answer was "yes." The Crow Tribe's college has Montana's largest collection of books about the Crow. Later, Ryder was impressed to see a collection of audio tapes from a tribal oral history project.

During her visit, Ryder signed many autographs. To the college, she wrote, "To Little Big Horn College. With Huge Respect, Love, Winona Ryder."

For Ryder, the Montana trip provided a first-hand look at a tribal college's successes and needs. Little Big Horn College is housed in trailers and a converted tribal gymnasium. Ryder met scholarship recipients, visited a computer lab and saw the tribal archives. As a member of the College Fund's board of trustees, Ryder helps direct fundraising and public awareness efforts on behalf of the colleges.

Magdalene Moccasin showed Ryder the Crow Tribe's archives, which are temporarily housed at the college in a former commodity food storage building.

"This was a very special event," said Dr. Janine Pease-Pretty on Top, Little Big Horn College president. "We all just fell in love with her special nature."

In between signing dozens of autographs, the actress told graduates that, as a student herself, she gave her high school history teacher trouble for failing to include an Indian perspective.

"I served detention in history class," she said.

Ryder met many students, including Landon Means, who drove from nearby Dull Knife Memorial College on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation.

During an hour-long meeting, Ryder was told of challenges faced by Indian students. Students told of going to college with meager resources, of racial discrimination, and of the struggle to pass on Crow traditions to their children.

In gratitude for her support, Ryder received several gifts from individuals. The school gave her a quilt stitched by a College Fund scholarship recipient, as well as a shawl which had been hand-made by a college board member.

"I had a really amazing day," Ryder told her new friends. "I hope to come back and bring more help for your wonderful work."

College staff members gave Ryder a hand-made shawl that is traditionally used for ceremonial dancing.

For more information, or to contact American Indian College Fund, see their website at: www.collegefund.org