Julianna Benge

Julianna graduated from the University of South Dakota in May 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in Public Health. She plans to eventually earn a master’s in public health or social work and potentially a doctorate. After graduating, she returned home to Rosebud to work for Sicangu Child and Family Services, essentially Rosebud’s foster care service. Today, she lives happily with her little sister in Vermillion working for her alma mater’s admissions office and assisting John Little and Megan Red Shirt-Shaw recruit more Native American students to the University. She also diligently helped develop the Rosebud Scholarship Fund’s very own mentorship program as Director of Mentorship. This and other work has developed in her a passion for helping students pursue scholarship. Whichever one of her passions she chooses to live out, it will be amazing and benefit her Oyate tremendously. She is a proud Sicangu Lakota that is also proud to be a part of the Sungmanitu Oyaye (Coyote Nation) at USD.