Wyoming Tribal License Plates Help Native American Scholarships

Wyoming license plates honoring Wind River Reservation Tribes can now be purchased through the University of Wyoming Alumni Association to benefit Native American scholarships at the university.

The plates were introduced in 2018 by the Wyoming Department of Transportation and honor the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes. The university says proceeds will benefit two UW scholarship programs - the Chief Washakie Scholarship and the Northern Arapaho Endowment Scholarship.

The plates are $100. $70 of the coast will go to the scholarship fund, the other $30 is a WYDOT processing fee.

“We process the orders promptly on a regular basis and forward them to WYDOT so they can assign the plate number and forward the plate to the proper county treasurer,” Alumni Association executive director Keener Fry told UW News. “The plates will be available for pickup by the purchaser at the county treasurer’s office within a few weeks of the order being submitted.”

The university says the Northern Arapaho Endowment Scholarship Program was created in 1987 when the Northern Arapaho tribe gave $500,000 to UW. The gift was matched by the state, creating a $1 million endowment that annually produces income for the scholarships. The Northern Arapaho Endowment at UW was established to help students from the Northern Arapaho tribe.

The university says the Chief Washakie Scholarship Program was created in 2003 when the Chief Washakie Foundation gave $200,000 to UW. The gift was matched by the state, creating a $400,000 endowment that annually produces income for scholarships. The Chief Washakie Memorial Endowment at UW helps students and educators with significant ties to the Wind River Indian Reservation community.

More information on ordering a tribal license plate is available by calling the alumni office at (307) 766-4166.