“As a huge advocate for education, receiving the Chickasaw Foundation scholarships have been nothing short of a blessing,” said Kaitlin Johnson, a multi-year awardee of Chickasaw Foundation scholarships. “With them I have been able to learn, connect, and work toward my goals without bearing all the financial burden that often causes many to be slowed down or have to step away altogether.”

Johnson, a native of north Texas, currently resides in Savannah, GA where she attends the Savannah College of Art & Design. “I graduated from Texas Christian University [in 2024] with my bachelor of fine arts in acting,” Kaitlin mentioned. “My goal is to one day become a professional actress on television and film, as well as sponsor other students looking to study performing/fine arts.”

Kaitlin is 2024-2025 recipient of the Robert L. Walton Memorial Scholarship, and in previous years has been awarded the Chickasaw Foundation Fine Arts Scholarship and the Ataloa Memorial Scholarship. For her, these scholarships have proven extremely helpful. “I’ve been able to study under the brightest, most well-respected people, including Tony Award nominees and Oscar Award winners,” Johnson gleefully explained, “and [have] received opportunities that I would have never gotten had I not gone to college with a Chickasaw Foundation scholarship.”

Out of all the benefits of receiving a scholarship, Johnson said the best part was about family. “The most rewarding part … would be the pride on my dad’s face when I told him I would be able to pursue higher education with a scholarship,” she said. “To all future applicants, I advise you to go for it! Be bold, be you, be willing—I know you will go far.”