Elmore Limberhand IV of Chief Dull Knife College

Elmore Limberhand IV is Northern Cheyenne and grew up in Lame Deer, Montana, on the Northern Cheyenne reservation. Elmore graduated from Chief Dull Knife College (CDKC) in 2023 and recently received a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Montana.

Elmore says that several factors contributed to his success when transferring to a four-year institution. First was a strong support system, whether that be friends and family or staff at CDKC, that encouraged him when the going got rough during finals. The second was staying organized and celebrating small wins whenever he could, even if it was making it to class on time, whichhe would celebrate with a few minutes at the basketball gym. The last thing was visiting instructors during their office hours and having those conversations that didn’t have to focus on their class but just carrying on a conversation as normal human beings.

Elmore found the University of Montana to be the right choice because it had a strong political science program that he wanted to use as a foundation when he started applying for law school. The professors Elmore met were some of the most patient people he has ever met, and since he has been out of high school for some time, they helped him catch up on details I had forgotten.

Following graduation, Elmore was selected as a Max S. Baucus Scholar and secured a summer internship with the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. Elmore says it was an incredible experience, giving him the opportunity to see how policy is made at the national level and the ability to contribute to the legislative process that supports Native communities.

Elmore says he owes a lot to CDKC. Addressing future students, he says, “Take advantage of every opportunity Chief Dull Knife has to offer, don’t be afraid to reach out for help. You never know what doors might open for you.”