Tasunka Wakinyan

A REAL American role-model and hero!

--ryan

About Ron His Horse Is Thunder

Ron His Horse Is Thunder (Ron McNeil) is a member of the Hunkpapa band of the Lakota Sioux Nation. His Lakota name, given to him by his grandfather, is Tasunka Wakinyan-His Horse Is Thunder. He majored in criminal justice at Sitting Bull College before earning a degree in political science at Black Hills State University and a law degree from the University of South Dakota.

Mr. His Horse Is Thunder worked in a private law practice in South Dakota before turning his professional interest to Indian education. From 1991-1993, he served as president of Standing Rock College. In 1993 he became president of the American Indian College Fund, where he worked in private sector fund raising on behalf of all tribal colleges throughout the United States.

In 1996, he returned to Standing Rock College as its president. Under his leadership, the college formally changed its name to Sitting Bull College, earned ten-year accreditation status and added five collaborative four-year programs to the curriculum.

President His Horse Is Thunder has recognized the link between higher education and economic development on the Standing Rock reservation, and has developed a Tribal Business Information Center to provide technical assistance in business development for Standing Rock residents. He also developed the Sitting Bull College Construction Company to provide jobs for the college's building trades program graduates.

Mr. His Horse Is Thunder has been appointed by President George W. Bush to serve as Chairman of the President's Board of Advisors on Tribal Colleges and Universities, and also serves as a board member for the American Indian College Fund, American Indian Higher Education Consortium and the North Dakota Tribal College Association.