MCKINNEY, Texas (KTAL/KMSS) - A Native American nation that once called parts of the ArkLaTex their home has donated more than $160,000 to a scholarship program for tribal members who seek degrees in fields including hospitality management, hotel management, business, management information systems, economics, finance, or marketing at a vocational, two-year or four-year institution. Presenting the check for the Chahta Foundation Gaming & Hospitality Scholarships are from Left to right: Choctaw Nation Senior Executive Officer of Commerce Heidi Grant; Executive Director of the Chahta Foundation, Angela Palmer; and Choctaw Nation Senior Director of Gaming Brand and Partnerships Erica Kosemund. These funds raised through the annual golf tournament are matched by the Choctaw Nation. (Source: Choctaw Nation) The donation was awarded in early November when the Choctaw Nation matched funds collected during the second annual Chahta Nation Gaming & Hospitality Scholarship Golf Tournament, which was held in late October. The golf tournament was held in McKinney, Texas at TPC Craig Ranch in late October. Thirty-three teams and 37 sponsors, including Aristocrat and Gaming Capital Group, sponsored the tournament. The Choctaw Nation Gaming & Hospitality Scholarship Golf Tournament is affiliated with Choctaw Casinos & Resorts. The funds raised during the tournament (and matched by the Choctaw Nation) total more than $323,000 to be distributed through the Chahta Foundation Gaming & Hospitality Scholarship Program. The scholarship program aims to help tribe members become leaders in the gaming and hospitality industry. The executive director of the Chahta Foundation, Angela Palmer, said the scholarship is life-changing. "One of our recipients last year was headed into her senior year of college and didn’t have the funds to cover tuition, so she was about to drop out of school, but this scholarship allowed her to continue her education,” said Palmer.  Scholarship recipients Matthew Brame, Moyers, Okla.; Gavin Crouch, Atoka, Okla.; Ainsley Abernathy, Lucas, Texas; Karsen Jefferson, Tahlequah, Okla.; Tucker Dry, Durant, Okla.; and Sarah Turner, Atoka, Okla., attend the Chahta Foundation Gaming & Hospitality Scholarship Luncheon on October 15. (Source: Choctaw Nation) In October, the Chahta Foundation awarded fifteen $10,000 scholarships to the following Choctaw students:  Ainsley Abernathy (University of Oklahoma)  Braylen Lyday (Southeastern Oklahoma State University)  Carolyn Billy (Eastern Oklahoma State College)  Edward Cobb (Delaware Technical Community College)  Gavin Crouch (Southeastern Oklahoma State University)  Gracelyn Tramba (United States Naval Academy Preparatory School)  Karsen Jefferson (University of Oklahoma)  Kayla Bacon (Oklahoma State University)  Mackenzie Kimmel (University of Mississippi)  Marissa Barnett (University of Oklahoma)  Matthew Brame (University of Oklahoma)  Sarah Turner (Mid-America Christian University)  Shelbi Goss (Rogers State University)  Tucker Dry (Southeastern Oklahoma State University)  Zackery Wilson (Florida State University)  The Choctaw Nation has more than 225,000 tribal members and is the third-largest Indian Nation in the United States. Its oral tradition dates back more than 14,000 years. The Choctaw tribe's historic reservation boundaries in the southeast corner of Oklahoma cover almost 11,000 square miles. The tribe's tribal vision, “Living out the Chahta Spirit of faith, family and culture,” helps it focus on providing opportunities for growth and prosperity. Check out the Choctaw Nation's website for a list of the Choctaw Nation's upcoming events. Visit the Chahta Foundation's website for more information if you want to apply for a Chahta Foundation scholarship.