Tara Roanhorse named the Haskell Student of the Year

Haskell Senior Tara Roanhorse, a Business major, has been named the 2026 Haskell Student of the Year.

Tara is an outstanding student leader in the School of Business Administration at Haskell Indian Nations University, where she has maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA and earned placement on the President’s Honor Roll every semester since Spring 2022. A proud member of the Navajo Nation, Tara is a Chief Manuelito Scholar, American Indian College Fund Full Circle Scholar, and Cobell Scholar, reflecting her academic excellence and commitment to serving Indigenous communities. Her leadership and scholarship embody Haskell’s CIRCLE values and its mission to cultivate leadership, cultural strength, and student success across Indian Country.

In addition to her academic achievements, Tara has demonstrated exceptional professional and leadership impact through her work in communications, media, and public engagement. She currently serves as an IT Student Social Media Specialist at Haskell, where she elevates campus storytelling and student engagement, and she has completed prestigious internships with NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement and Office of Communications, helping grow national outreach and advancing representation in federal communications. On campus, Tara has served as President of Gamma Delta Pi and as Vice President and Editor of The Indian Leader—the longest continuously running student‑run Native American newspaper—where she has expanded participation, led strategic planning, and amplified Native student voices. Tara Roanhorse’s academic excellence, leadership, and commitment to representation make her a deserving recipient of Haskell’s Student of the Year Award.

She will be recognized at the Commencement this Friday, May 8th.