Buffalo Bill Center of the West Announces Hunter C. Old Elk as Recipient of Rare Distinguished Alumni Award from Native American Jumpstart

In response to receiving the award, Old Elk stated, “It’s an honor to be recognized for my contributions in helping Native American students achieve post-secondary and internship success. NAJS has supported my academic career with three grants and I don’t know where I would have gone without them. Because of NAJS, I have found meaningful work as the Harriet and Edson W. Spencer Curator of the Plains Indian Museum at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Wyoming. At the Center, I am able to share Native cultures with a global audience.”

Old Elk, Apsáalooke (Crow) and Yakama, grew up on the Apsáalooke Reservation in southeastern Montana. She holds membership in the Big Lodge and Whistling Water clans and participates in the Night Hawk Dance Society. Academic credentials include a Master of Arts in Cultural Heritage Management from Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor of Arts focused on Native American Histories from Mount St. Mary’s University. Her research and professional practice emphasize Indigenous sovereignty, tribal consultation, and repatriation work guided by the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA).

Old Elk supports Indigenous students and emerging professionals through mentorship and service. Her roles include Vice Chair of NAJS, alumna mentor with St. Labre Indian Schools, and volunteer service on the Little Bighorn College Museum and Cultural Center steering committee.

Award presentation available here: Native American Jumpstart Award Presentation