Monique Giago Apple

The George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis, along with the Buder Center helped me tremendously to reach my professional goals within community development and program management. Since graduating with my MSW in 2004, I have worked extensively with the Oglala Lakota Nation on the Pine Ridge
Reservation as a Family Outreach Coordinator and Outreach Supervisor. I have also held an Executive Director position for a tribal children’s mental health agency. In addition, I have served as Research Coordinator for a Native Health Research Center for western South Dakota tribes.

Today, I am the Director of the Social Work Department for the Oglala Lakota College. I endured many hardships while pursuing my Master’s degree at the Brown School and I must express my gratitude to the Buder Center staff and fellow classmates for their encouragement and support for helping me reach graduation. Without the added financial support through the Kathryn M. Buder Scholarship, I don’t think I would have attempted to apply for graduate school. Programs such as this give tribal members like me the opportunity to not only pursue their own individual educational and professional endeavors, but also to provide much-needed services and advocacy for tribal communities.