Chief Washakie Memorial Endowment Funds

Education offers the greatest opportunity for improvement from one generation to another. For many Native American students, education – especially higher education – has been the route to an improved quality of life. There are many opportunities for the University of Wyoming and the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone people to work together in ways that empower tribes, nurture innovation for Native American sustainability, and demonstrate respect for tribe’s cultures, traditions, laws, and diverse expressions of sovereignty. The Chief Washakie Endowment and the Zedora Teton Enos Excellence Fund are good examples of the cooperation between UW and the Wind River reservation. A major focus is on educating graduates who are grounded in their own culture, yet are prepared with the social, civic, and work skills they need to live and contribute to a multicultural, global society.  

ABOUT THE FUND

This Excellence Fund is named in honor of Zedora Teton Enos, an elder of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe, exemplary woman entrepreneur, champion of education, and Chief Washakie Foundation trustee. 

Her life story is one of overcoming obstacles, finding her own way, setting an example for others, and never believing anyone who told her that she couldn’t do something.

Zedora Teton Enos is the great-granddaughter of Chief Washakie, and Shoshone was her first language. She was born December 11, 1941 in Fort Washakie, Wyoming to Marie Washakie and Charlie Teton, a Shoshone-Bannock from Fort Hall, Idaho. For her first several years, she was raised by her maternal grandmother Josie Trehero Washakie, who gave her a foundation in moral and cultural teachings. “Grandma Josie” was the daughter-in-law of Chief Washakie and wife to Washakie’s son George Washakie. Josie learned many of the “Old Man’s” stories from 1890-1900 and passed these to her granddaughter Zedora in the 1940s. In this way, Zedora became a keeper of more than 200 years of family lore. 

Chief Washakie championed education and forged a way for his people through great challenges. Zedora Teton Enos has humbly followed in his footsteps. The Chief Washakie Foundation established this Excellence Fund in service of education and entrepreneurship for the Tribes of the Wind River Indian Reservation.              

“I wanted to see this endowment created because of a passion for education and being an entrepreneur, and to help others know that they can get out and do something,” Zedora said. “At the beginning, I wanted to set an example, and set a good example, and let others know what we can do. I want our people to know that they can roll up their sleeves, and do something for themselves.”