Choctaw Students Begin Studies in Ireland

DURANT, Okla. – Choctaw tribal members Cayden Keith Cooke Kirkpatrick and Jake Martin recently started classes at University College Cork in Ireland. They are this year’s recipients of the prestigious Choctaw-Ireland Scholarships from the Chahta Foundation. Both are working on master’s-level degrees in their respective fields.

The Choctaw-Ireland Scholarships program was initiated in 2017 by the government of Ireland in recognition of Choctaw communities helping Irish people during the Great Famine, sometimes called the Potato Famine of the mid-19th century. In 2024, Ireland’s gift of scholarships includes tuition and expenses for a full year of study for two Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma students each year.

Kirkpatrick, 22, graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a bachelor’s degree with comprehensive honors in history, astronomy-physics and French. He also earned a certificate in American Indian and Indigenous studies. He served as president of the school’s American Indian Science and Engineering Society chapter. Kirkpatrick also received support from the Choctaw Nation Higher Education Program.

Kirkpatrick previously studied abroad for a semester at Sciences Po Aix in Aix-en-Provence, France. In Cork he is pursuing a master’s degree in philosophy.

“I am extremely grateful to the Chahta Foundation, the Choctaw Nation, Cork, and the Irish government for sponsoring this program and selecting me to participate in it,” Kirkpatrick said. “This is a wonderful way to strengthen the historical and enduring connection between our communities and I am excited to play a role in this relationship.”

After graduating from Cork, Kirkpatrick plans to attend law school and focus on federal Indian law, then work in support of indigenous communities.

Martin, 28, a graduate of Broken Bow High, attended Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Durant, where he received the Dr. David Parsons Scholarship. A perennial honor roll student, he graduated with distinction from the SOSU Honors Program and was an Honors Program Council member for multiple years and became a member of Phi Alpha Theta, the National History Honor Society. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in history.

“I am eternally grateful for the generosity of the Choctaw Nation and Chahta Foundation,” Martin said. “I think this is an amazing opportunity to further my education, immerse myself in Irish culture, and be a spokesman and educator on behalf of the Choctaw Nation.”

Martin is looking forward to pursuing a master’s degree in museum studies. Upon graduation, Martin plans to seek a position as a curator or administrator at a “great museum or heritage center, preferably with the Choctaw Nation.”