New for 2024

Pendleton is proud to unveil three new blankets for the American Indian College Fund this year. The designs were chosen from many beautiful entries submitted by College Fund Scholars. Sales of this blanket help support the College Fund in its mission to invest in Native students and tribal college education to transform lives and communities.

This child-sized blanket, Morning Storm, was designed for the College Fund by Cydnee Shangreaux.

Morning Storm

In 1865, a young beader created this design for her own moccasins and leggings. Generations later, Cydnee Shangreaux has translated her fourth-great grandmother’s pattern to tell the Morning Storm story. Two borders of Morning Stars represent a long life with many winters. Steps represent a journey, with the two dots on either side signifying a good life from childhood to adulthood. Thunderbirds serve as messengers along the way, carrying songs through the storm.

The Designer

Morning Storm is designed by Cydnee Shangreaux (Oglala Sioux), an artist and College Fund scholar from Pine Ridge, South Dakota. She was inspired to research and preserve her family’s history by the passing of several older relatives. This led her to the beautiful beadwork that inspired Morning Storm.

In 1865, Cydnee’s great-great-great-great grandmother, Selena Marshall, adorned her moccasins and leggings with a pattern of her own creation. These beaded treasures were passed down through the maternal line until they reached Cydnee: From Selena Marshall to her daughter Nancy Red Kettle; from Nancy Red Kettle to her daughter Florence Blue Bird; from Florence Blue Bird to her daughter Deloris Bear Killer (Cydnee’s grandmother); from Deloris Bear Killer to Bobbi Jo Pourier (Cydnee’s mother); and from Bobbie Jo Pourier to her daughter, Cydnee.

Cydnee is a student at Oglala Lakota College studying Office Technology. She finds art a calming way to practice patience, and to share the history and values of her family. “I use my art to tell stories of my life, family, and the places I enjoy. I’m the first grandchild to be interested in my family’s history and patterns, and I am honored to be able to share these designs with the rest of the world."

For more information: Morning Storm

Tribal College Blanket Design Contest and The College Fund

Morning Storm is a winner of the Tribal College Blanket Design contest, which seeks to elevate the voices, work, and representation of tribal college and university (TCU) students while providing TCU students with additional scholarship opportunities. Pendleton has been supporting the work of the College Fund through the sale of special blankets since 1995, and has provided over $2.6 million in scholarship support for American Indian and Alaska Native students attending Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs). Over the years, blankets have been designed by various designers and guest artists, including Larry Ahvakana, Preston Singletary, Mary Beth Jiron, Tracie Jackson, and many more.

The American Indian College Fund has been the nation’s largest nonprofit supporting Native higher education for 33 years. The College Fund believes “Education is the answer". Since its founding in 1989 the College Fund has provided more than $345 million in scholarships, program, community, and tribal college support. The College Fund also supports a variety of academic and support programs at the nation’s 35 accredited tribal colleges and universities, which are located on or near Indian reservations, ensuring students have the tools to graduate and succeed in their careers. For more information about the American Indian College Fund, please visit www.collegefund.org.

Pendleton’s Philanthropic Partners

We work with: 

• The American Indian College Fund: Supporting education
• Northwest Native American Center of Excellence (NNACOE): at Oregon Health & Science University
• Center of Southwest Studies: Preserving Native American arts and funding Native American art education
• Native American Rehabilitation Association (NARA): Culturally informed Health care for Native women
• DigDeep: Supporting the Navajo Water Project
• National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center (NIWRC): Dedicated to restoring sovereignty and safeguarding Native women and children
• Missing and Murdered Dine Relatives (MMDR): Protecting generations and raising awareness