Mercer Times

Princeton University junior Ella Weber has been awarded a Truman Scholarship, a prestigious honor that provides funding for graduate studies in public service, leadership training, and internship opportunities within the federal government. Weber, a member of the Class of 2025, is among the 60 recipients selected nationwide.

Weber, who is majoring in Princeton’s School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), hails from Crookston, Minnesota, and is a member of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara (MHA) Nation. She intends to use the scholarship to pursue a J.D. with a certificate in Indian and Tribal Law from the University of North Dakota School of Law. Additionally, she aspires to undertake a summer internship with ICT News, a nonprofit news platform covering Indigenous peoples, as part of her scholarship experience.

Expressing her long-term goal, Weber shared, “I ultimately want to become a professional law and policy journalist in order to provide accessible information to tribal members about laws and policies that will directly impact Tribal Nations.”

Assistant Professor of Anthropology Ryo Morimoto commended Weber, describing her as "one of the most determined and self-driven students" he has encountered. Morimoto expressed his confidence in Weber's potential, stating, “With her dedication, open-mindedness, and interpersonal skills, I am confident that Ella will be a path-breaking researcher, policymaker, and leader whose actions and ideas will benefit not only her tribe but also Native American communities at large.”

Weber's impressive academic and leadership qualities have been recognized through various accolades. She is a 2023 Udall Undergraduate Scholar in Tribal Policy and a 2021 Cobell Scholarship recipient. Furthermore, Weber currently serves as a youth council member of the National Council of Urban Indian Health in Washington, D.C.

On campus, Weber is actively involved in research and student organizations. She holds positions such as head research fellow for SPIA’s Science and Global Security Program, co-president of Natives at Princeton, and executive board member of the Princeton Indigenous Advocacy Coalition, among others. Her research on the environmental and social impacts of nuclear missile silos has been featured in Scientific American's series, "The New Nuclear Age."

Weber's dedication to public service, commitment to Indigenous advocacy, and exemplary leadership within academic and community settings have marked her as a promising figure in the realm of tribal policy and law.