Ordell Joe is the recipient of one of Friends of Hubbell new $3,000 scholarships for graduate studies. Growing up in Teesto, AZ, on the Navajo Reservation, Ordell was raised in the traditional Navajo environment that taught and valued language, prayer and song. Ordell is now pursuing his PhD in Higher Education from the University of Arizona.

“I am choosing this field of study because my Indigenous relatives and other minorities often require a voice within the higher educational system,” Ordell said. “We are regularly overlooked, under-represented, and in some cases ‘cheated’ in certain aspects of the academy. I want to better educate my native people to better understand and navigate a system that is not in place for us,” he said.

Throughout his career, Ordell has worked to make a positive difference for younger Native Americans pursuing their educational dreams and goals. He has worked to improve financial aid opportunities, which he sees as the number one barrier for students. “I have revealed my commitment, obligation, and leadership to my native community by working in the field of financial aid since 2011, the past four years working financial aid programs at the University of Arizona.

“As a first-generation college graduate and someone in my immediate family to make it this far in higher education, this demonstrates my commitment to my education, my livelihood, and my culture.” Ordell plans to use his education and life experiences and apply them to real-world challenges faced by Native Americans throughout “Indian Country.”