A generous estate gift from longtime Wyoming educator and public servant Diana Ohman will help ensure the continued growth of the University of Wyoming’s Native American Summer Institute, a precollege program designed to support and inspire Native American high school students across the region.

Ohman, a former Wyoming superintendent of public instruction and secretary of state, has committed her planned gift to support the institute through UW’s Native American Education, Research and Cultural Center.

“Ensuring education is available for all children is important to me,” Ohman said. “I really believe in supporting kids from small communities in ways where they feel safe, welcomed and like they belong.”

The Native American Summer Institute is a six-day residential program hosted on UW’s campus for Native American high school students from the Wind River Indian Reservation — home to the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes — as well as nearby communities. The program introduces students to college life through academic workshops, cultural experiences and leadership development, while also helping them build confidence and a sense of belonging in a university setting.

Participants stay in UW residence halls, engage with faculty and staff, and take part in hands-on learning experiences that encourage both higher education aspirations and cultural pride.

Reinette Curry, director of UW’s Native American Education, Research and Cultural Center, said the gift represents more than financial support.

“This is an investment in the future of our Native students and our Native communities,” Curry said. “We are truly grateful. This support helps us continue meaningful outreach to tribal communities and gives students the tools and confidence to see themselves thriving in higher education.”

The 2025 summer program featured a wide range of academic sessions, exposing students to fields such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, alpine lake ecology, data exploration, plant identification, soil health and sustainability. These sessions introduced potential career pathways in science, technology, health care and environmental fields that are especially important to Native communities across the region.

Beyond academics, students took part in activities designed to build connection and leadership, including a campus scavenger hunt, access to UW’s Half Acre Recreation and Wellness Center, a UW Athletics tour, and a day trip to Curt Gowdy State Park for canoeing, paddleboarding and hiking. The week concluded with a banquet celebrating student accomplishments and the friendships formed throughout the program.

Ohman’s commitment to education is deeply personal. A first-generation college student herself, she initially hesitated to pursue higher education before earning an associate degree from Casper College and later bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UW.

“That decision changed my life,” she said. “I want to help provide that same opportunity for students through this program.”

Ohman’s career spanned nearly five decades in education and public service, including roles as a rural Wyoming teacher, principal, superintendent of public instruction, secretary of state, and later leadership positions with the U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity and the Department of Veterans Affairs. She retired in 2018, but her commitment to education continues through her support of UW and its students.

UW Vice President for Student Affairs Nycole Courtney said the impact of the gift will be felt for years to come.

“We know this support will make a real difference in students’ lives,” Courtney said.

With continued community support and generosity like Ohman’s, the Native American Summer Institute will be able to reach more students, helping them imagine new possibilities, build confidence and take meaningful steps toward their futures.

“I feel so blessed,” Ohman said. “The Native American community at UW has always been incredibly welcoming.”