Osiyo,
Summer has always been a season of growth, learning and opportunity. Across the Cherokee Nation, hundreds of young people are spending these months building skills, gaining work experience, strengthening their connection to our tribe, and preparing for successful lives.
Creating those opportunities for tomorrow’s leaders is one of the most important investments we make as a people and tribal government.
This summer, more than 1,500 Cherokee youth and young adults are participating in programs through Cherokee Nation and Cherokee Nation Businesses that are focused on employment, skill development, career exploration, volunteerism, culture and education. Together, these efforts reflect our commitment to ensuring Cherokee young people have meaningful opportunities to learn today and earn a living in the future.
Every Cherokee young person who wants to spend their summer gaining experience and contributing to their community should have opportunities available to them. We can assist students in taking their first step into the workforce, and we continue to find new ways to create opportunities for them to succeed.
This year, through Cherokee Nation Career Services, we are investing more than $2.8 million in summer programs designed to help young people gain experience and prepare for successful careers.
About 856 young people, ages 16 to 24, are participating in Summer Career Pathways, gaining valuable workplace experience while earning a paycheck. Another 40 students, ages 14 and 15, are exploring future careers through the Cherokee Nation Career Exploration program in Tahlequah and Sallisaw. And our Summer Youth Leadership Program is helping 15 college students, ages 18 to 22, with leadership skills and preparation for future service to their communities and the Cherokee Nation.
Cherokee Nation is also continuing to expand its College Internship Program, now in its third summer. This year, 33 college students and recent graduates are participating in paid internships throughout our tribal government. The program is open to Cherokee citizens living within the reservation, as well as at-large citizens across the country.
These programs don’t necessarily end in the fall either. Since 2024, Cherokee Nation has hired about 25 of our past Cherokee Nation College Internship Program participants into full-time positions.
Likewise, Cherokee Nation Businesses is hosting 55 interns this summer, investing about $670,000 in wages and programming. These internships provide hands-on experience in fields ranging from hospitality and healthcare to technology, engineering, and business management.
In addition to workforce and internship opportunities, Cherokee Nation is helping young people develop a lifelong commitment to service through the newly established Gadugi Summer experience through the Gadugi Corps. Rooted in the Cherokee value of working together for the common good, the program is providing an opportunity for 15 young adults who are all over 18 years old to give back to local communities during the summer while increasing their exposure to civic engagement.
Through volunteer projects, Gadugi Corps participants are learning that success goes beyond personal achievement and how our tribe contributes to the well-being of others. After six weeks, each participant will earn a $1,000 service stipend and a $1,000 academic scholarship. During the program, Cherokee Nation also covers food and travel for this inaugural group of participants. Gadugi Corps is cultivating a new generation of Cherokee leaders from around the country who understand their responsibility to strengthen our Nation.
Cherokee Nation’s Education Department continues to offer transformative summer experiences that help young people strengthen their connection to Cherokee culture while exploring future educational and career opportunities. This summer, 450 students are participating in Camp Cherokee — a program that blends cultural learning, arts, STEM education, leadership development, and traditional Cherokee activities. Through the Remember the Removal Bike Ride, nine Cherokee participants and mentors are undertaking the life-changing journey along the northern route of the Trail of Tears, gaining a firsthand understanding of Cherokee history. Meanwhile, the tribe's Health Exploration Program is serving 30 Cherokee students to introduce them to potential careers in healthcare. These experiences — collectively, about a $500,000 investment — provide young people with opportunities to learn about our history, deepen their cultural knowledge, and see a better future for themselves.
All the tribe’s programs combined ensure that summer opportunities are not only about employment, but also about building stronger citizens and stronger connections to our Cherokee culture.
When I meet these young Cherokees, I am reminded that the future of Cherokee Nation is bright. They bring talent and energy while remaining deeply connected to our culture. By providing opportunities to learn and lead, we are helping prepare a new generation to carry our Nation forward and build an even stronger future for our people.
Wado,
Chuck Hoskin Jr.
Principal Chief
