Keiser University Fort Lauderdale campus alumna Cheyenne Kippenberger was recently crowned Miss Indian World. In the role, she will serve as a cultural goodwill ambassador, bringing awareness regarding the fortitude and resilience of Native American and indigenous people.
Kippenberger, formerly Miss Florida Seminole, is the first woman from the Seminole Tribe of Florida to receive the Miss Indian World title in its 36-year history. Carrying on a family tradition of representing the tribe through the pageant, her grandmother was crowned Miss Seminole Florida at the first pageant held in 1960.
“Participating in Native pageantry has been a big opportunity to grow and to get out of my comfort zone,” said Kippenberger. “The opportunity to share my culture while representing my tribe and all Indigenous people is an honor,” smiled the Keiser University accounting alumna, who along with her alumnus father chose the institution for its small class sizes and one on one attention.
Kippenberger was awarded the crown at the Miss Indian World pageant held at the annual Gathering of Nations Powwow in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and looks forward to continuing her education, possibly in the fields of law or political studies.
My instructors believed in me. They were more than instructors, they tried to get to know you as a person and tried to understand your goals so they could push you towards them. Student services helped me find a job before I even graduated. Everyone was dedicated to my overall success.
