Frank and Jennie Mills of Maricopa County, AZ have developed a strong relationship with the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation and its education component. Longtime advocates of helping high school and college students achieve success through Kiwanis and other programs, once the Mills heard about the 80-85% student retention rate of graduates of the Indian University of North America Summer Program (now known as 7TH GEN.®), they wanted to participate. And participate big they have! As of this year, 40 students have benefitted from scholarship funds donated by Frank and now carried on by Jennie since Frank's passing in 2021. The scholarships mean the students obtain 12 college credits without incurring any debt.

The Mills, married in 1982, built and sold 6 businesses over the years. Their first and only visit to the Crazy Horse Memorial was in 2000. Their seminal moment was while touring the museum and looking through the window at the mountain, they saw the Custer Survivors’ portraits and a painting reflecting in the large widow. The painting was a gift from a trust. The Mills were looking for a worthy organization to benefit from their trust after a local non-profit closed. From that moment, they knew that the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation would be the recipient of their generosity.

Frank grew up in Mississippi, he found out late in life his grandmother was Choctaw. It was a family secret to protect him from ridicule and shame as a child. He spent 20 years in the US Army, retiring at the rank of Major, specializing in Communications Intelligence. He then started several private vocational schools providing pre and post licensing for professions fields like real estate, appraisers, etc., which is required in each state. Jennie was raised in West Kansas, home of flat wheat fields, similar to some of the South Dakota lands. She became a nurse and started a company providing Continuing Education for the healthcare industry. When they married, they merged their businesses.

In 2017, after a stewardship visit with Kirk David and a discussion of the Program’s student achievements, they met and decided to begin to support Summer Program students. They have supported from 5 to 10 students each year since. Support of 40 students means that it is likely 36 of them have either graduated with a college degree (2 year or 4 year) or remain in school on track to earn a degree. That fact in and of itself is heartening to Jennie as she carries on. We are grateful to couples like the Mills and many hundreds of other supporters who designate their gift to The Indian University of North America® each and every year. Your gift opens the doorway of opportunity for a lifetime of success for these students.