Education Briefs | Yepa named IAIA’s 2022 student of the year

SANTA FE

Jacquelyn Yepa, Diné/Jemez Pueblo, is the Institute of American Indian Arts’ 2022 student of the year, an award sponsored by the American Indian College Fund.

Yepa is a responsible, diligent, and accomplished student with excellent writing and speaking skills. She has a 3.74 cumulative GPA.

In December, she will graduate with honors, earning a bachelor’s in studio arts. In addition to studio arts, she is enrolled in business and entrepreneurship courses.

Upon graduation, she plans to open an art store to support the efforts of Indigenous artists.

Yepa maintains deep connections to her Pueblo and Diné cultures.

Jacquelyn Yepa

At IAIA, she participated and served in a leadership role in the Keeping Indigenous Values Alive, or KIVA, club. She helped organize a traditional Pueblo Feast Day on campus with singers, traditional foods, and dances.

In the essay she submitted to the college fund, Yepa said, “I want to work with young Indigenous artists and put together an organization that will provide support services for Native youth.

“The organization will provide them with a platform to express their voice—all while being paid to do creative work,” she said. “I want to lead by example and prove to the youth that they can succeed as artists. This work will have a positive effect on Indigenous youth and their communities.”