Tre Simons is an incoming Software Engineering intern at Amazon, founder of a stealth startup, and COO of NIJE. He is currently pursuing a double concentration in Computer Science and Government, with a minor in Public Health, at Harvard University. Tre is driven to positively contribute to Indigenous students who have faced educational barriers.
Aidan Whitedeer is the Founder and CEO of NIJE. He is an advocate and activist for Indigenous rights as well as an avid coder and mathematics enthusiast. He currently attends the University of Pennsylvania where he aspires to major in Artificial Intelligence, with an emphasis on Data/Society. He is interested on the intersection of technology, law, and Native American Studies. He intends to pursue a future career in both the fields of business development and tribal law.
Colin O'Reilly is a Jane Street UNBOXED Scholar, Cobell Scholar Finalist, CAO of NIJE, and a first-year student at Dartmouth College, where he is pursuing a degree in Computer Science modified with Economics. He graduated as Valedictorian of his high school with a 4.0 unweighted GPA and was accepted to 12 colleges, securing over $500,000 in scholarships. As a passionate advocate for Indigenous education, Colin is dedicated to creating new opportunities and advancing educational equity within Indigenous communities.
Sruti Peddi is a U.S. Presidential Scholar (1 of 161 students selected nationwide), Coca-Cola Scholar (1 of 150 students selected from 100k+ applicants), 13x National Finalist in Extempt, and ISEF Finalist. She currently attends Brown University and is the CFO of NIJE. She hopes to use her passion for technology to help connect and strengthen relationships within Indigenous communities.
Gary Gao is a first-year student at the University of Pennsylvania and a Benjamin Franklin Scholar. In high school, he conducted award-winning research, took 14 APs, scored 1560 on the SAT, and graduated as a Cum Laude inductee. He now hopes to make a positive impact on the Indigenous community by bridging it with technology.
Ryder Cuch, an Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribal member, is a first-year student at Dartmouth College. He is a DJ, writer, and has a deep interest in politics, history, and sustainability. Ryder is particularly focused on sustainable development, climate change, data analysis, and aiming to drive progressive change.
Vincent Castillo, a Lenfest Scholar and International Baccalaureate Diploma recipient from a rural community, maintained a 4.0 unweighted GPA in high school while participating in various clubs and activities. Dedicated to serving systemically marginalized communities, Vincent hopes to bring Inclusion and equal opportunities across the professional and academic world, especially to those of Indigenous, African, and Hispanic backgrounds.
Nzinga Sombo is a Rogar-Billings Scholar, a Georgia District 9 Honor Student, and a 2023 scholar at the University of Oxford’s John Locke Institute. In her spare time, she works as an advocate and fundraiser for internally displaced women and children in the Tuareg-Sahel, Tigray region of Ethiopia, and northern Ivory Coast to access educational and medical tools. Just as she combats inequity across Sub-Saharan Africa, Nzinga is dedicated to advocating for Indigenous peoples’ access to essential and elevational resources and rights and is committed to empowering these groups to thrive.
Indigenous learning for the 21st century