Scholarships and Awards

AWARDS

2026 UNITY J.R. Cook Advisor of the Year Award

Effective and successful youth councils consistently have one key ingredient in common; an advisor who is involved, provides wise counsel and guidance, and is willing to work closely with youth council members as they make and carry out their decisions and related activities. UNITY values the dedication of these many individuals who provide adult leadership and nurture and support the development of Native youth. In appreciation, UNITY will honor one such advisor this year during the 2026 National UNITY Conference GALA in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Deadline: May 1, 2026 at 5:00 pm (Phoenix-MST)

Link: https://forms.gle/jFpZWbZLaWcnBEJ8A

2026 UNITY Eddie Wadda Alumni of the Year Award

Do you know a UNITY alum who should be recognized for their outstanding achievement and contributions to the Native American community? UNITY is accepting nominations for its prestigious Eddie Wadda Alumni of the Year award. The purpose of the “Eddie Wadda Alumni of the Year Award” is to recognize outstanding achievement by an individual among UNITY alumni. An Alumni of UNITY is any individual who was actively a part of UNITY as a youth, advisor, trustee or staff, that is over the age of 24. UNITY values the dedication of these individuals who embody the spirit of UNITY by giving back to the Native American community. In appreciation, UNITY will honor one such Alumnus or alumna this year during the 2026 National UNITY Conference GALA in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Deadline: May 1, 2026 at 5:00 pm (Phoenix-MST)

Link: https://forms.gle/CRU2Stsu651xEU4t7

2026 UNITY Youth Council of the Year Award

Each year, the National UNITY Council asks its members to submit an annual membership report in May. Completing this report is part of the qualification process for the 2026 Youth Council of the Year Award. Youth Councils and Individual Members who submit their report and pay their membership fee by June 5th, 2026 are also eligible to vote during the National UNITY Council Business Meeting held at the National Conference. Membership perks may include, but are not limited to: access to youth council materials, helpful resources, networking opportunities, and eligibility for special awards.

Deadline: June 5th, 2026 at 5:00 pm (Phoenix-MST)

Link: https://forms.gle/X89Vai1ddDmkhZqM6

AWARDS

Golda Cook Scholarship

Deadline: May 1, 2026 at 5:00 pm (Phoenix-MST)

Link: https://forms.gle/diFqySAnNL5GDFp58

Description: One Male and One Female will receive $2,000.

In honor of the life of Golda Cook (1913 – 2005) and her ongoing support of the United National Indian Tribal Youth (UNITY), especially in the organization’s early years, Golda’s friends, family, and UNITY trustees have made contributions to establishing the Golda Cook Memorial Fund.

J.R. Cook Scholarship

Deadline: May 1, 2026 at 5:00 pm (Phoenix-MST)

Link: https://forms.gle/diFqySAnNL5GDFp58

Description: One Student will receive $2,000.

In honor of the life of UNITY’s founder J.R. Cook (1939- 2022) and his vision to empower Native youth to reach their full potential, his family and UNITY Alumni have established this scholarship award. On April 16, 1976, under his leadership, United National Indian Tribal Youth, Inc. was born. In 1978 J.R. joined forces to kick off the first of many national conferences. J.R. felt so strongly about UNITY that he took no salary for seven years but worked in other part-time jobs to survive. J.R. was a member of the St. Luke’s Methodist Church in Oklahoma City. He enjoyed sharing a good meal with family and friends, especially with his friends at the Bedlam BBQ in Oklahoma City. Supporting education in Oklahoma was always very important to J.R. and he continued to find ways to still be active even in failing health. J.R. is survived by his sister, JoAnn Carney who cared for him until his passing, his faithful dog, Jake who he so loved, and countless UNITY alumni who meant the world to him.

Criteria Information for the Two Awards:

Applicants should meet the following requirements to be considered:

show community involvement and financial need (Merit based)

must be a member or descendant of a federally recognized or state-recognized tribe.

must be enrolled full-time as an undergraduate or graduate student at an accredited institution.

If awarded, must be in attendance at the National UNITY Conference for this year (Travel expenses incurred by the recipient WILL NOT be covered by UNITY); or provide video message as acceptance speech

Note: Scholarships will be graded based on the 5 interview questions listed below. Take time to answer each question with a thoughtful and descriptive response. Respond to each question with at least four complete sentences

Questions? Please contact youthprograms@unityinc.org