May-Lyric Smith Awarded MEIA’s Indian College Student of the Year 2024

For the past year, May-Lyric—Lakota and Pikuni—has been an active and engaged participant in the University of Montana Environmental Studies Programs’ efforts in Indigenous justice and food sovereignty. Few students have such a profound sense of purpose and vocation as May-Lyric.

During the first year of their college experience, May-Lyric demonstrated a high degree of seriousness and commitment to their learning, combining theory and hands-on practice to create a more peaceful and connected world for Native communities. As a standout Indian scholar, and Indigenous horticulturalist. May-Lyric helped to organize the Stolen Waters Summit, offering insightful and clear feedback on the types of speakers, events, and workshops the group should host. They went far beyond the normal call of academic events, contributing family and tribal knowledge in leading students and faculty in harvesting chokecherries and bison to prepare a traditional Lakota food called wasna. They were also the liaison to Indigenous musicians and quilters who contributed greatly to the Summit.

May-Lyric also participated in planning and preparing for the third season of our Four Sisters Garden at the PEAS Farm. This traditional garden was created in the tradition of the Buffalo Bird Woman, a Hidatsa farmer and seed saver. May-Lyric has approached this work of caretaking the garden with humility and an eagerness to deepen their practice as an Indigenous horticulturalist. They are eager to share this knowledge. This spring, May-Lyric brought in new partners, reaching out to contacts they had at Missoula County Public Schools to ensure that tribal youth have access to the garden and its knowledge.

May-Lyric is an exceptional student and a natural leader who is poised to meet the challenges of college with passion
and commitment. The Indian Student of the Year Award cannot have gone to a more deserving student. Congratulations May-Lyric!