(Missoula)The Barbara “Malia” Kipp Scholarship has been established to celebrate the life of Lady Griz great Malia Kipp and support a tribal member from the state of Montana.
The scholarship will be annually awarded to a University of Montana undergraduate student who is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe, with preference given to Montana natives. The honoree must also be a Missoula College student who is in a Health Professions Program, with a nod given to students studying nursing.
Malia received her R.N. from Salish Kootenai College and passionately served her elders and community for 22 years, before passing away in December 2024.
During her time at the University of Montana, she was a trailblazing basketball player by becoming the first female tribal member in Montana to earn a full-ride scholarship. She is known to have opened the doors for many future Native American female athletes who looked up to her and aspired to play Division-I athletics. She later became the first female inducted into the Montana Indian Athletic Hall of Fame.
Malia was a member of the Blackfeet Tribe. She grew up in Browning, Montana, where she graduated in 1992 from Browning High School. She spent much of her adult life living and working in Ronan.
