Think Indian

American Indian College Fund's New Blog and Web Site Has Launched!

2010-11-17T15:10:00.000-07:00

The American Indian College Fund web site has been redesigned with a new, mod¬ern look and feel and opportunities to interact more with both students and the American Indian College Fund as it pursues its mission to provide scholarships to Native students and support the nation’s tribal college sand universities.

The site will continue to offer multiple social media opportunities for students and donors to follow the American Indian College Fund’s work and weigh in about Native education issues, as well as student and alumni success stories.

As part of the redesign, the site will offer a special portal to connect our corporate and tribal donors with students and alumni. Native students and alumni will be able to share their stories and videos, apply for scholarships, learn more about the support of our tribal and corporate donors, and seek job and internship opportunities. Our new blog will also appear on this site. You can view the new design at the same url, www.collegefund.org

Our blog now appears at www.collegefund.org/blog

Fund Employee Recounts Haskell Indian Nations University Visit

2010-11-04T10:56:00.001-06:00

by Lindsay Klatt

As an employee of the American Indian College Fund, I recently visited Haskell Indian Nations University. This trip reminded me of the sense of pride I get from working for the Native community and it will continuously ignite my passion for working at the Fund on a daily basis.

All of the tribal colleges we support at the Fund are examples of self determination and are beacons of hope for the future of the American Indian community. But Haskell holds a special significance because of its history, its present state, and its future.

Haskell was established in 1884 for the reform and forced assimilation of American Indian children who were taken from their families and forced to become more like whites. They were forced to abandon their culture, their language and ultimately their own hopes and dreams for the future because their path was decided for them.

Over the years, Haskell changed dramatically. It advanced from a trade school to a high school, a junior college and is now an accredited university offering associates’ and bachelors’ degrees to students who are enrolled tribal members. Rather than assimilating Native students into mainstream culture, Haskell now embraces and teaches Native culture. Students who study here are taught about their Native roots and cultural identity is incorporated into every aspect of their education and future plans. American Indians have taken an institution rooted in negativity that was first designed to erase Native cultures and changed it into a shining symbol of strength designed to preserve and continue their heritage and traditions.

As a result, Haskell students have thrived as scholars and athletes, proving what can be accomplished with a tribally influenced education. They are qualifying for nationals in cross country running and are competing in award-winning basketball and football teams. They are scholars with breakthrough ideas and projects, such as digitizing the Trail of Tears and designing an Apple application that will translate a historic walking tour narrated in a Native language.

Haskell also has an amazing staff of dedicated educators and employees whose passion for these students is both remarkable and infectious. They eat, sleep and breathe the welfare of their students and the improvement and continuation of the university. This is no easy feat and there are always new challenges and temporary roadblocks, but with students and staff so deeply rooted in this cause, the future can only look bright. This school and the magnificent people involved are examples of what can happen when the seeds of self-determination are planted and the care is taken to let this beautiful creation flourish.

Passing of Margaret Teachout

2010-10-29T10:01:00.002-06:00

All of us at the American Indian College Fund would like to express our sincere condolences to David, Gerald, and Robert Gipp on the loss of their mother, Margaret Teachout, who entered the Spirit World Thursday, October 28.

Tribal College Student Perspective: Speaking at the Gala

2010-10-27T12:41:00.004-06:00

In addition to raising $385,000 for student scholarships, our Flame of Hope Gala on Oct. 14 presented our donors with the opportunity to meet many of our tribal college students, who came in for the event.

But from a student's perspective, the event was an opportunity for our tribal college students as well. It was a chance for them to meet other tribal college students from across the country and share their journey, while also giving them the chance to build their confidence as they shared their stories with you and built their public speaking expertise that will be invaluable as they graduate and embark upon their careers.

Colleen Tenas (Kootenai), an honors student in business at Salish Kootenai College, spoke at a private reception for the Fund's supporters prior to the gala, and wrote, "I just want to thank you and the American Indian College Fund staff for the opportunity to attend the Flame of Hope Gala, and for taking the time to listen to my story. I was very glad to be chosen to speak at the Private Reception, and a little scared, but glad I did it."

Meet an American Indian College Fund Scholar

2010-10-04T10:12:00.005-06:00

Attending the American Indian College Fund's Flame of Hope Gala this October 14 in Denver, Colorado at the Seawall Grand Ballroom at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts helps us raise money for student scholarships. But the gala also confers a benefit to attendees. In addition to a gourmet meal and first-class entertainment from Big Head Todd and the Monsters this year, the Flame of Hope Gala presents you with the opportunity to meet several of our tribal college students.

Iva Croff (Blackfeet) is one of those students. Iva is a Coca-Cola First Generation Scholarship recipient at Blackfeet Community College (BCC) in Montana, where she is majoring in Blackfeet language. The scholarship meant so much to her, she says. "I practically made the office assistant at the BCC Business Office start to cry because I started to cry. When I received my Pendleton blanket at the Coca Cola Scholars banquet during AIHEC 2009, my cheeks hurt from smiling so much. My husband said he had a lump in his throat because he was so proud of me."

Iva will graduate in the spring of 2011. "I have been so blessed while at Blackfeet Community College, especially by the American Indian College Fund."

We hope you can join us at the American Indian College Fund's Flame of Hope Gala so that you can meet students like Iva and share in the joy of their successes, while helping to support the success of other students to come!

For ticket information, visit our web site.

Vote Now to Help the American Indian College Fund Win Funding!

2010-09-29T10:14:00.003-06:00

Please help the American Indian College Fund to win funding from American Express through Members Project®. You can cast your vote at Members Project web site.

Welcome Mellon Fellows!

2010-09-09T16:20:00.003-06:00

The American Indian College Fund welcomes our new Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Faculty Research Program and Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Tribal College Faculty Career Enhancement Program fellows to Denver, Colorado.

Both graduated and new fellowship participants are gathered to exchange research, information, and vital knowledge, building the intellectual capacity of our tribal colleges and Indian Country itself.

Thank you for doing this sacred and vital work and welcome to Denver!

A Message to Our Students for the New School Year

2010-08-31T14:18:00.003-06:00

Many of our tribal college students are back in school or are preparing to go back now. We at the American Indian College Fund would like to wish you the best of luck in the new school year. You are on a sacred journey of acquiring knowledge--about your people, your culture, and the wider world.

As you embark on this leg of your journey, we would like to remind you that nothing good comes easy--it takes hard work and sacrifice. We know that you can achieve all of your dreams and goals if you are willing to work hard and go for it.

You have taken the first step. We are cheering for you every step of the way! If you have any questions or concerns as you take this journey, please do not hesitate to contact us at the American Indian College Fund for advice or encouragement.

Calling All Tribal College Alumni

2010-08-09T13:31:00.003-06:00

The American Indian College Fund wants your story! If you graduated from a tribal college or university and were an American Indian College Fund scholarship recipient, we want to hear from you. Your stories are inspirational to other students, and your experiences can help others.

Please contact Dina Horwedel at dhorwedel@collegefund.org or by e-mail or phone at 303-430-5350 to share your story and help us Educate the Mind and Spirit.

Letter from a Supporter

2010-07-27T16:42:00.002-06:00

I'd like to personally thank Sandra Beasley of Cleveland, Ohio, an unenrolled member of the Cherokee tribe who resides in Cleveland, Ohio, for taking the time to write to me about the Think Indian campaign.

Sandra writes that the campaign "is absolutely brilliant, sensational, awesome, tremendous, epic, and life-changing" and that the stories of traditional and non-traditional students were inspiring for her.

Sandra saw the ads in the New York Times at her local public library and copied them and posted them on her bedroom door for inspiration to cause her to reflect on what it means to be American Indian.

She adds, "As I always say, if you change one person's life for the better, you have succeeded, and the American Indian College Fund has done it, time and again."

We'd like to hear from more people. How has the American Indian College Fund's Think Indian campaign helped change your perceptions about what it means to be an American Indian or helped you think about culturally based education?

Summer is Time for Native Students to Prepare for School in Fall

2010-07-14T11:35:00.001-06:00

Summertime. For many people across the nation, summer is a time to kick back, relax, and celebrate! But for many of our students in Indian nations, summer is a time to cobble together several jobs and pinch pennies to ensure they can continue their college education in the fall.

Students like Nahnbah Ciccarello, who finished her first year of studies at Navajo Technical College in New Mexico, wonder whether they will have enough saved to be able to enter school again in the fall. Nahnbah has a small child that she leaves at home with relatives while she commutes the 100-mile round trip journey each day to attend school.

Thanks to your support and encouragement, students like Nahnbah have the funds to complete their education and ensure a better future for themselves and their families.

Thank you for helping American Indian students, who never have a summer vacation from poverty.

Congratulations Graduates!

2010-06-28T15:44:00.003-06:00

As June ends, the last of graduations at our nation's 33 tribal colleges and universities are winding down.

Our students have worked long hours, often juggling work and family responsibilities with their studies, to earn their college degrees.

Here at the American Indian College Fund, we understand the hard work, long hours, and dedication it takes to achieve and succeed. We want to congratulate all of you, and wish you the best in your professional careers.

We also want to remind you to keep in touch as you embark on your life's journey. We love hearing about your adventures, your new career paths, and your families. Please drop us a line at info@collegefund.org to let us know where your journey takes you!

In a good way,
Richard B. Williams
and the American Indian College Fund team

Native Students Thank You for Sharing Your Summer Bounty

2010-06-24T15:24:00.004-06:00

June 21 marked the first day of summer solstice. Summer was traditionally a busy time among Native peoples, as sedentary tribes planted gardens and tended to their crops; and nomadic peoples followed the moving animals across the landscape and hunted and fished. Summers were and still are a time of bounty.

As we enjoy our modern summer and it fades into autumn, I think back on these months of my own youth. Autumn was a time to gather stores and prepare for a long winter, while also preparing to go "back-to-school." Returning to school is an echo of tradition, as preparing one's mind for harvesting ideas to use throughout one's life is one way to guarantee success.

Wherever you are and whatever your plans, as you enjoy your summer's bounty, we want to thank you for remembering our students by sharing your commitment to their education as they harvest knowledge, their traditions, and cultures at tribal colleges across the land.

On the Road Again-South Dakota

2010-06-14T09:30:00.000-06:00

Be sure to watch our blog this week as Jonas Greene and Jaime Aguilar set out for South Dakota to visit tribal colleges, interview students, and learn about their projects, passions, challenges and joys.

Jaime and Jonas will share video, still photography, and many stories here.

Thank You to the College of Menominee

2010-06-01T08:20:00.012-06:00

Thanks to the staff and students of the College of Menominee, the second portion of our visit was as successful as the first. We were able to interview some amazing students, including Liberal Arts and Sustainable Development major, Justin Gauthier. Justin had a unique perspective with regard to Menominee Nation's natural resources, explaining that while his grandfather's generation had the primary task of harvesting their trees, he and his generation have everything riding on maintaining the successful sustainable practices that have kept the Menominee Forest thriving since time immemorial. We anticipate great things from Justin as he navigates through his academics in preparation for graduate school and a successful career.

In many of the tribal communities we visit, we rely heavily on the tribal college faculty to help us connect with students. Challenges arrive in different forms and are usually rooted in having only a day or two to share time with students whose days are filled with classes, projects, and family obligations. We would like to thank the College of Menominee for not only welcoming us, but accommodating our every need. This is their way and each time we visit the Keshena campus, the faculty do everything they can to help us.

If we had such a thing as a most valuable faculty award it would go to Communication and Project Specialist, Dale Kakkak. A few years ago Dale helped us connect with students and locations for our Think Indian campaign.

As an accomplished photographer and journalist, Dale knows every nook of the Menominee reservation with all of its beautiful vantage points. We would like to say thank you to Dale as well as all of the students and faculty at College of Menominee for making our shoot a success. We will leave you with a few of our most memorable images of our visit.

Arriving at the College of Menominee Nation

2010-05-26T08:03:00.008-06:00

We arrived in Wisconsin on this fifth and penultimate leg of our trip to an unseasonably hot and humid climate of Green Bay, then to the thicket of the Menominee Nation. Making our way through the forest, we arrived at the College of Menominee Nation (CMN) in Keshena to meet our our subjects for this project. They were gathered on the steamy afternoon planting their sustainable, permaculture garden under the blue water tower on campus at the entrance to the Menominee Nation Reservation.

Fruit trees, carrots, corn -- all types of veggies and fruits remain from the previous growing season and newly planted foliage are near the walking trail that leads into the forest behind the campus. Some of the beds are plotted to shape out the letters CMN. The garden, set up by a grant from the Clinton Global Initiative, is led by education major Dee Cobb. Using plants that replenish themselves by seed or annual fruit production, this sustainable garden is much like the students we meet to interview, being that they are all looking for their role in what types of seeds they have planted for themselves at this small tribal college.

The college on this reservation and the people here seek to thrive through education to better their community and traditions. One group, coming off a busy day of interviewing from their own video project, hope to learn and study elders' experiences and observations concerning climate change.

We enjoyed a visit with tribal college president Verna Fowler and learned more about the programs at the school and what we could expect from CMN in the future. There is an excitement towards the development of niche, Native American-driven, four-year degree programs beyond the sole four-year major in education currently offered. Many of the students we met are completing their degrees to move on to one of the many other colleges in the state of Wisconsin. Everyone remaining on the campus since classes ended is preparing for their commencement ceremonies on June 5.

One of our highlights of the trip has been the opportunity to talk with Cedar - one of our students featured in our Think Indian PSA campaigns. We found her on campus, no longer a student, but a recent graduate from a nearby university and now employed as an alumni employee of the college. We took time to interview her in a stunning atrium joining Shirley Daly Hall and Glenn Miller Hall in the center of the campus. The glass-paneled room, lined with hand-carved wooden accents, has a large Menominee ancestral bear carving bearing a ceremonial pipe and wearing a headdress, and made from the trunk of a butternut tree.

We also met one of our students and wer honored to be invited to see where he lives. Ironically, we were delayed by troubles with the vehicle he uses to commute to school, underscoring his financial need, but we continued on with our meeting and shared stories and songs along the shores of Legend Lake as he welcomed us into his life.

-Jaime Aguilar and Jonas Greene

Northwest Indian College - Day 2

2010-05-21T20:39:00.016-06:00

After an amazing visit in Tulalip, Phillip and I continued north to Lummi where we had the great fortune of taking part in honoring the ruturn of the salmon. During the annual First Salmon Ceremony, the Lummi people celebrate the return of the salmon to the region's rivers. There were hundreds of tribal members and visitors gathered to take part the honoring. The treat of fresh-caught salmon was a delicious detour on our visit to the Northwest Indian College main campus.

In the few years since my last visit, the vision of the new campus has started to take shape. Three of the new buildings across the road from the original sight are now complete. There is now student housing as well as a new cafeteria and student services building.

We met many amazing American Indian College Fund scholars and were graciously welcomed by students and staff. We even ran into Sunny Guillory, who worked with the College Fund several years ago on a public service piece. Sunny has since graduated from Sitting Bull College as well as University of Mary. She now has a beautiful family of five, and her husband, Justin Guillory, Ph.D., serves as NWIC's dean of academics and distance learning.

On our way out, we stopped to admire the buildings and structures on the original campus. It's always natural to stop and admire the beautiful totem pole next to the NWIC library, one of the community's oldest buildings. Phillip was kind enough to take some time to tell us about this historical work of art.

--Jonas Greene

Northwest Indian College Visit

2010-05-21T11:47:00.010-06:00

May 19, 2010

This week the tribal college tour continued to Northwest Indian College. We recruited former College Fund Media Manager Phillip Hillaire (Lummi) to serve as a liaison to his Native community. Of the tribal colleges, Northwest Indian College (NWIC) is very well known for pioneering distance learning programs. The college has several tribal locations in Washington and Idaho, making it possible for students to complete degree programs without having to travel to the Lummi campus.

As we made our way north on I-5 we could feel that this would be a very special trip. Our first stop was in Tulalip, where we met with American Indian College Fund scholar, Jennifer Cordova-James (Tlingit), who attends the Tulalip campus of the Northwest Indian College. Jennifer was more than happy to tell how this distance learning actually works and walk us through a typical day at the Tulalip campus.

--Jonas Greene

Coaching and Investing in Our Students' Futures

2010-05-18T11:13:00.003-06:00

Most of us who have achieved a measure of success in our lives had someone special who believed in us—a family member, teacher, coach, or other caring individual who provided encouragement at a critical time.

I was raised by my grandmother from the time I was five months old. We were very poor, often living on less than $50 per month. At times we went without real food for weeks, subsisting solely on coffee and homemade bread.

When I was six years old and my grandmother was in her mid-fifties, the two of us worked as a team, picking potatoes as migrant workers.

My grandmother was well educated, especially for an American Indian woman born in 1899. Although money was extremely tight, every time she got a buffalo nickel, she put it in a can. “This is your college money,” she would say.

My grandmother died when I was a senior in high school. I was devastated. At 17, I thought my life was over. The person who believed in me and cared about me most was gone. But she had sown a seed—belief in the value of an education. And eventually her dream for me was fulfilled.

I worked my way through college cleaning animal cages. I advocated for Indian prison inmates, mentored Indian kids, and worked at the Native American Rights Fund. In 1975, I became the first American Indian to graduate from the University of Nebraska.

Today, as President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Indian College Fund, I help our country’s Native people take the most important step to controlling their destiny and improving their lives. I help them get an education.

I wanted to share my story to help inspire others. I also want to let all of you know--students, donors, tribal college faculty and staff--that I am proud and grateful to have you as a partner in this important work.

Salish Kootenai College Visit

2010-05-13T11:58:00.006-06:00

ARRIVING ON DAY 1

We arrived in Missoula, Montana on Sunday May 9 on this leg of our video project. It is Mother’s Day and we headed north to Polson to set up our base camp for the next three nights on the southwest side of Flathead Lake. We were only 80 miles away but took longer than expected through the rain and stopping to take the time to capture the picturesque landscape going along roads lined with Salish and Kootenai-translated street signs leading to the reservation. Between the rustic structures surviving in the valley between the mountains to the lake that frames the land in-between, we took the time to photograph the atmosphere. Standing outside the car after trying to photograph an eagle we spotted, I am filled with awe as my senses are filled to the point that the shutter is not taking photos anymore, and I find myself looking up with sprinkles of rain tapping my head.

We finally arrive at the KwaTaqNuk Resort hotel on the lake and are greeted by the warm welcoming smile obscured by a burly mustache of Tribal Council Secretary Steve Lozar. The active tribal member and avid hockey player gave us the run-down of the reservation’s history, the present-day activities and the future of this culture-rich setting in Western Montana. Lozar addressed issues that spanned water management, the hydro-electric dam, ecology, historical treaties, claiming back tribal lands, relations with neighboring tribes, the importance of St. Ignatius hospital, energy production, economics, gaming, healthcare, SKC, the confederation of the tribes and much more useful information. He was absolutely informative to us and spoke with ease as numerous people passing by respectfully greet him or wave as they walk by.

DAY 2

The wind is howling and crashing the waves on this brisk, gusty morning. We wake up to the magic hour of freezing temps, only to be warmed by the dramatic light of the sunrise with Glacier National Monument way far in the horizon’s haze. Jonas, looking for more on the lake, finds his way onto an airboat vessel with Captain Dave Kluttz and a group of researchers studying the invasive plants, fish, shellfish and barnacles plaguing the body of water in the middle of the reservation. I remained on dry land planning our Monday, which started with rescheduling and weather delays.

We received a heartwarming welcome to the SKC campus, a gem of the Tribal College system dug deep under the canopy of 60-ft Ponderosa Pines in the town of Pablo (also known as Little Blackfeet, a reference to the small village of Blackfeet tribal descendants.) Lois Slater, Tracy McDonald and Alan Addison gathered our selected students for us and treated us to Indian tacos and an informal meet-and-greet for us all. We walked and toured our way through the campus and the student housing facilities. We met non-traditional students enrolled to “make themselves a better opportunity and to make (themselves) better Native American women.” We had a traditional straight powwow song performed on a hand drum for us by a Native student, a single parent who teaches children lessons in powwow and tradition while attending classes, a grandmother learning how to work on a computer, and a non-traditional college student starting with history and language to cover “basics” towards a degree. No matter what the field, the common theme among the students here is success, and success comes within and within the family. As they see the college grow within the community and course offerings expand, they believe Salish Kootenai College is a place where they can complete their dreams of accomplishment and leave with confidence, evincing pride for their school and for who they are.

After the final interviews we head towards the River Honoring ceremony at a camp 20 miles south of our location along the Flathead River. The river that brings life, power and energy to the people of these confederated tribes is lined with teepees as the days-long event receives its kick-off blessing. We took the time to talk with some of the elders, introducing ourselves, sharing stories and sharing our Think Indian shirts. The cool evening was late but we took the time to harvest every bit of that’s evening’s light; pushing every ray until we could only rely on the ambient light of dusk to guides us back to pavement through ranchland on gravel-topped dirt roads.

DAY 3

After a long Monday, we are up early in anticipation of the morning’s wonderful light along the lake and mountain range, only to be greeted by overcast skies and a great breakfast. This morning we go to the Tribal Council offices, located within walking distance to the school, to sign up for their twice-a-week meeting agenda for the day so we can introduce ourselves. We sign in and are introduced by Tracy within the neatly designed council chambers. It is much like any other council benches, with the exception of the towering, vaulted design. From the outside, the tall cylindrical architecture looks like a drum and inside, the pine lodge-poles tower up like tepee poles, meeting at a skylight centered directly above the aesthetic, glazed stone décor and floors that sat a stone table beneath where we spoke to the Council from our seats and microphones. We thanked the members and told them bout our video project and they responded by expressing their appreciation what we do at the College Fund and what do to make the life of Native American students better.

It is our last full day in Montana and we had a great opportunity to meet environmental scientists, chemists, counselors, student leaders and those inspiring to do so. We had a great interview with Tribal College President Dr. Joe McDonald, future educators, an aspiring nurse and single parents making the grades in advance courses while including their children with them in their extracurricular activities of school and life.

We learned that people are here to make a difference; to be themselves as they move through academia. With top-notched facilities, this place is well ahead and well on its way to bigger and better things. Many of these students we met will continue on to post-graduate studies and pursue their relative fields of interest. We wish them all the best and it was an honor to meet everyone on this trip.

We chased eagles, stopping the rental car for interesting vantage points as we headed out. Jonas and I have had some time to drive together and get to know each other more. (Jonas works at a location in Portland, Oregon, so we don’t normally have this opportunity.) We ate at strange hours and work really long days with a lot to do in a short amount of time. It was worth the effort, even with the failed attempts to photograph animals and birds that caught our eyes. I feel blessed that we did capture the essence of what makes this place special. We are now leaving, but learning, as we work to provide what we can do make a difference. Educating the mind and spirit.

To the students, staff, community, tribal members and the State of Montana--thank you for your incredible hospitality, kindness, beauty, inspiration and assistance. It was you combined with all the elements of communication, willingness and weather that all come together to make this a memorable and remarkable experience.

-Jaime Aguilar, jaguilar@collegefund.org

SIPI Commencement Ceremonies

2010-04-26T16:55:00.013-06:00

I have been on my own since Jonas returned to Portland and I found myself on the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute campus interviewing students with my production assistant Kelly B.

The campus is quiet because classes are over, but we make time to get stories about the new head start facilities on campus(which is available for the students) and we managed to run into a few of the dedicated science students still working on their projects and research. We were fortunate enough to see and get information about the Advanced Technical Education at SIPI and talked about the latest awards and breakthroughs with Dr. Nader Vadiee, as he gave alumni tours and demonstrations at the new Science and Technology building. They are really into the practicum learning in renewable energies here, but that is a totally different blog item/story to be told soon.

My best time was sitting in on graduation rehearsal and the actual graduation ceremonies on Friday. There was a meet and greet in the Hogan located on campus prior to commencement that had staff, administration, state/tribal/and national government leaders, parents and a hummingbird seemingly trapped in the rafters above. Someone mentioned that in Navajo philosophy the hummingbird is there to ease the mind and clear our thoughts. It was clear these students we were celebrating and sending off to the real world worked hard and finished their degrees with the hopes and visions to continue their educations at 4-year colleges or go on and apply their educations to their own endeavors.

I leave you with a quick slideshow from the rehearsal and graduations day. I had a great time with a great group of students and staff. There are many hidden gems in New Mexico and SIPI is surely one of them.

The following photos are shot and produced by Jaime Aguilar, with production assistance, onsite, from Kelly B., a SIPI student from New Mexico.
The song that accompanies the photos is by Aaron Johnson (Navajo), a natural resources major, titled
"Let Those Colors Fly" written and performed on the hand-drum for the graduation ceremony.

Institute of American Indian Arts visit

2010-04-23T12:00:00.003-06:00

We made our way from Crownpoint to Santa Fe to visit the Institute of American Indian Arts, "the nation's only fine arts college devoted solely to the artistic and cultural traditions of all American Indians." IAIA has produced many of the top names in Native art. The school is a hot bed for up and coming filmmakers and artists, but also museum archivists and lawyers.

We were welcomed by the students and staff and had an amazing day of interviews. Watch this clip of Dylan Iron Shirt telling us about his tattoo.

Dylan Iron Shirt's Tattoo from Jonas Greene on Vimeo.

New Mexico tour continues

2010-04-21T23:05:00.003-06:00

Hello all, a day late, but fresh from New Mexico!

Production has really increased as we wrapped up in Crownpoint on Tuesday and arrived at IAIA late Wednesday. We went right into interviews with our scheduled students during the magic hour and we were totally spent. We started early today and met new students and kept our production level up, solving problems as we encountered them while not missing a beat.

We concluded interviews from the campus in Santa Fe today, but we leave you with a flashback from our food experience as guest food critics for the culinary school at Navajo Technical College, the solar oven, some campus shots at dawn and the "man on the street" (a relative of the Martin Family-owner of the intriguing llama). Enjoy and please wish us safe travels.

Navajo Technical College

2010-04-20T00:18:00.021-06:00

Yá'át'ééh

We drove in to Crownpoint late Sunday evening, dragging in the inclement weather is synonymous with the season's spring winds and cool rains. We checked into the Navajo Technical College Culinary Arts and Hospitality Center and got ready for our adventure awaiting us here in the Land of Enchantment.

Our first day of shooting started early with landscapes of the campus and a visit to the honorable Dr. Elmer Guy, Navajo Technical College president and Fund board member. He shared with us the campus' recent accomplishments, including the two-year college's success and the recent AIHEC conference competitions. This building houses the financial aid, president's office and other tribal entities, and it is properly named the Empowerment Building. Here, we met some of our contacts including Tom Davis, Dean of Instruction.

Mr. Davis has an unique experience in the tribal college system with a resumé that includes helping found the College of Menominee nation and assisting Dr. Robert Martin in rejuvenating the academic accreditation of Tohono O'odham Community College in Arizona. Currently, he evinces the knowledge of the programs here on campus and fittingly so. He gave us a brief, fulfilling tour of the campus' highlighted programs. With a thorough knowledge of every classroom we walked into, we were fortunate to get Martin's experienced viewpoint of this unique oasis of technology instruction that is beyond many four-year mainstream colleges in the setting of a small tribal college on the Navajo Nation reservation.

After all, how many times do you come across a server that has 256 gigabytes of RAM and sophisticated scanner technology that can scan and "print" a 3-D model or create a virtual rendering of a cave that you can fly through with the aid of red and blues paper glasses? All of this is housed in a remote location without a restaurant, yet Navajo Tech does have a culinary arts program in the curriculum. We'll report and share a little more about that later, so please stay tuned.

We had time to visit with the students and faculty on campus at the library, at the bus stop, around the dorms, in the dining hall and Jaime even managed to play some hoops in the multi-purpose room of the dining facility late Monday evening. The skies have been overcast and occasionally sending down a few drops of moisture, but it has been a great, welcoming trip so far.
Being here and seeing/hearing the stories first-hand has really given us an idea of an education experience for Native students can really be at a tribal college. As we move further along on this adventure on reservations and tribal college campuses, we can only hope for more great students to interview and encounter(the more the merrier if you have any suggestions at SIPI, IAIA, Salish, OLC, Sinte Gleska, NWIC, or College of Menominee Nation, let us know in the comments section of this blog). Time will tell if the weather wants to cooperate a little more with our mission, too. So long, until Santa Fe. Please enjoy the Vlog, video blog, we put together for you.

Visiting Navajo Technical College 2010 from Jonas Greene on Vimeo.

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American Indian College Fund to Film Video at Tribal Colleges

2010-04-19T09:19:00.002-06:00

The Public Education team of the American Indian College Fund is on the road, filming students at tribal colleges and universities. Students at Tohono O'odham Community College, Southwestern Indian Polytechnic University, Navajo Technical College, Institute of American Indian Arts, Northwest Indian College, Oglala Lakota College, Sinte Gleska University, and College of Menominee Nation will be filmed.

Jonas Greene (Laguna Pueblo) and Jaime Aguilar will be on the road with the students, and will be doing the videography and the still photography. Jaime and Jonas will be sharing some of their experiences and conversations with students, faculty, and staff at the tribal colleges here on the blog in the coming weeks.

Join us for a special behind-the-scenes look at Indian Country as seen through the eyes of Jonas and Jaime!

Remembering Minnie Two Shoes

2010-04-12T17:26:00.002-06:00

On April 9, the journalism world lost a fine journalist, activist, and teacher. Minnie Two Shoes (Assiniboine from the Ft. Peck reservation in Montana) passed on. She was a founder of the Native American Journalist Association, tireless teacher, journalist, and activist. Godspeed, Minnie.

Wilma Mankiller Passes On

2010-04-08T12:56:00.005-06:00

Our sympathies and best wishes go out to the friends and family of Wilma Mankiller, who passed on from cancer this week. Mankiller was an author, lecturer and former Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. She served 12 years in elected office at the Cherokee Nation, the first two as Deputy Principal Chief followed by 10 years as Principal Chief. She retired from public office in 1995. Among her many honors, Mankiller was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Clinton.

Her roots were in the rural community of Mankiller Flats in Adair County, Oklahoma where she spent most of her life. She was born in 1945 at Hastings Indian Hospital in Tahlequah, and grew up with few amenities. At age 10, her family moved to San Francisco as part of the Bureau of Indian Affairs Relocation Program where she lived for two decades before returning to Oklahoma in 1977.

Mankiller was the founding director of the Cherokee Nation Community Development Department, which received several national awards for innovative use of self-help in housing and water projects in low-income Cherokee communities. In 1983, she was elected the first female deputy chief of the Cherokee Nation, and president of the tribal council. In l987, she was elected to serve as the first female principal chief of the Cherokee Nation, and was overwhelmingly re-elected in 1991. She chose not to seek re-election in l995.

During Mankiller's tenure she met with Presidents Reagan, Bush and Clinton to present critical tribal issues, and she and Navajo Nation President Peterson Zah co-chaired a national conference between tribal leaders and cabinet members which helped facilitate the establishment of an Office of Indian Justice within the U.S. Department of Justice. Her tenure was also marked by a great deal of new development, including several new free-standing health clinics, an $11 million Job Corps Center, and greatly expanded services for children and youth. She led the team that developed the core businesses which comprise Cherokee Nation Enterprises.

She has been honored with many awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She has published several works, including Every Day is a Good Day, Fulcrum Publishing 2004, Mankiller: A Chief and Her People, co-authored, St. Martin's Press 1993, A Reader's Companion to the History of Women in the U.S., co-edited, Houghton-Mifflin 1998. She has also contributed to other publications, including an essay for Native Universe, the inaugural publication of the National Museum of the American Indian. Wilma Mankiller lived on the Mankiller family allotment in the Cherokee Nation with her husband, Charlie Soap.

Mankiller served on several philanthropic boards, including 12 years on the board of trustees of the Ford Foundation, four years on the Board of the Ms. Foundation for Women, and four years on the board of the Seventh Generation Fund. She current serves on the board of the Freedom Forum and as well as its subsidiary, the Newseum, a $400 million museum of the news being constructed on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. to promote the First Amendment. She served as a member of the external Diversity Advisory Council for Merrill Lynch. She presented more than 100 lectures on the challenges facing Native Americans and women in the 21st century. She served as the Wayne Morse Professor at the University of Oregon for the fall semester, 2005 where she and Dr. Rennard Strickland taught a class on tribal government, law and life.

Coca-Cola First Generation Scholars Honored

2010-04-01T11:18:00.003-06:00

Making the transition to college is hard for anyone, but when a student is a first-generation college student, the transition is even more difficult, because they do not have the family resources to help guide them through the process.

The Coca-Cola Foundation is helping to ease that transition for first-generation scholars through its first-generation scholarship program, which provided 46 scholarships to American Indian students for the academic year 2009-10. The scholarships are for the amount of $5,000 a year and they follow the student throughout their academic career if they maintain a grade point average of 3.0 or above.

For a list of scholarship recipients and their schools as well as a slide show of a banquet honoring the Coca-Cola First Generation Scholars in Chandler, Arizona, click here.

Congratulations to Our Tribal College Students of the Year and Dr. Robert Martin

2010-04-01T11:14:00.002-06:00

Thirty-three tribal college students were honored at the AIHEC Student Conference in Chandler, Arizona for their achievements as being named Students of the Year.

In addition, Dr. Robert Martin (Cherokee), president of the Insitute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico, was honored with the Fund's Tribal College President Award.

Congratulations to all of you for your hard work and outstanding achievements!

Heart Behind the Oval Scholarship Contest

2010-03-12T14:48:00.001-07:00

Ford Motor Company Fund strongly supports higher education and community outreach. On March 15, 2010, we are launching a scholarship contest awarding three scholarships to students who are focusing on their academic careers and their communities.

The Heart Behind the Oval scholarship contest is open to high school seniors and current college students enrolled in an accredited U.S. college or university by September 30, 2010. The contest asks a simple question: what is your heart behind? We want to hear what students are doing to make a positive impact in their communities. The first place prizewinner will receive a $3,000 scholarship, second place a $2,000 scholarship and third place a $1,000 scholarship.

Essays will be accepted from March 15 to April 9, 2010 online at www.fordscholars.org. Ten semi-finalists will be selected to win an ULTRA HD FLIP Cam for their outstanding efforts. The semi-finalists will then use their new FLIP Cam to produce a 3-minute video illustrating their essay. The videos will be posted to www.fordscholars.org for public voting May 10 – 14, 2010. The public votes combined with the judging panel will determine the scholarship winners. Winners will be announced on May 17, 2010.

We Need Your Help
Help us recognize the students making a difference in your community by spreading word of the Heart Behind the Oval scholarship contest. The contest Official Rules are available online now at www.fordscholars.org. Eligible students may register and submit their essay online in two easy steps.

To help interested students get started with their essay submission, ask them to consider the following questions:
What are you doing to make a positive impact in your community?
Why is your heart behind this cause/charity/organization?
How long have you been involved with this cause/charity/organization?
What made you get involved?
What is your goal or future hope for this cause/charity/organization?

If you have any questions or need additional information please contact Laine Gordon at 313.203.7102 or fordscholars@pcgcampbell.com.

Thank you for helping Ford Motor Company Fund recognize and award such outstanding students.

Native STEM Students Thinking Indian

2010-02-24T16:23:00.003-07:00

This week I have been made proud by a tribal college student and graduate in the STEM fields that are Thinking Indian.

Marie, a second-year student at Leech Lake Tribal College in Minnesota in liberal studies with a STEM emphasis, was selected by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as one of its 105 best and brightest interns and fellows for the NASA Student Ambassador Program. During a 10-week internship with NASA, Marie produced maps that showed where heritage sites have been found and surveyed and what areas were in need of survey. Marie wants to be a math teacher on her reservation to encourage other Natives to pursue the STEM fields. Check out Marie's profile.

Melinda is a 2008 Haskell Indian nations University graduate and a graduate student in the Department of Botany and Plant Psychology at Purdue University in Indiana. Melinda is passionate about her research, and is studying how to incorporate pre-Colombian tribal soil practices to restore degraded soils in North America.

Our American Indian students continue to show that American Indian practices and traditions are science, and can be used to protect and preserve our water, land and air resources. As Melinda says, "Traditional ecological knowledge in the U.S. can be used to grow crops, reduce carbon emissions, and more!"

Now that is "thinking Indian!"

President's Day

2010-02-15T12:31:00.001-07:00

I thought I would take the opportunity this President's Day to reflect on what it means to be a good leader. Although this holiday was established to celebrate United States presidents, I would like to honor American Indian tribal presidents and chairpeople and tribal college presidents who serve in important leadership roles throughout Indian Country.

These people are doing the tough work of building communities and tribes while also looking seven generations into the future. They embody the American Indian attributes of leadership, including respect, responsibility, reciprocity, relationships, and reasoning.

In addition, I have compiled an additional list of important leadership attributes in fundraising. What are your thoughts?

1. Motivational
2. Role model
3. Listener
4. Models the organization’s values
5. Good personal values
6. Selfless
7. Trustworthy
8. Integrity
9. Risk-taker
10. Mobilizes people into action
11. Passionate about the mission
12. Does whatever it takes
13. Communicator
14. Admits mistakes
15. Problem-solver
16. Humble
17. Thick-skinned
18. Tireless hard worker
19. Critical thinker
20. Flexible
21. Wise
22. Visionary
23. Willing to grow
24. Helps people do things by themselves
25. Plans for succession
26. Believes in the goodness of people
27. Willing to make hard decisions
28. Understands budgets and finance
29. Understands organizational management
30. Planning skills
31. Knows the details but sees the big picture
32. Great fundraiser
33. Personable and connects with people

Call for Contributors

2010-02-02T11:14:00.001-07:00

In the next few months, we will be revamping this blog to reflect the voices of our students, our tribal college communities, and American Indian communities from across the country. We are seeking contributors that are Native professors, teachers, community members, and students.

In addition to contributors from the United States, we welcome points of view from Native communities from around the world.

We look forward to hearing your perspective on Native education, cultural and language preservation, and other issues affecting Native communities.

For more information, please contact Dina Horwedel at dhorwedel@collegefund.org

Ft. Lewis Tuition Waiver

2010-01-21T14:29:00.002-07:00

We have been receiving calls and questions about the Ft. Lewis College (located in Durango, Colorado) tuition waiver and its history in the wake of a proposed bill that would strip $1.8 million from Fort Lewis College's budget. House Bill 10-1067, sponsored by Karen Middleton, D-Aurora, would reduce the per-student amount the state reimburses the school for out-of-state Indian students. Middleton said the bill’s passage would have no impact on the promise to educate American Indians free of charge.

The Ft. Lewis tuition waiver is not a result of a treaty, as many have quoted, but rather is the result of the following unique history.

In 1910 the U.S. government deeded to the state of Colorado the property then known as the “Fort Lewis School” with the stipulation as condition of the grant that Indian students would be admitted free of charge and on equity with white students. The educational opportunities for Indian students have been maintained by the college and the state of Colorado since then based on federal and state agreements and court decisions.

In 1971 the Colorado General Assembly sought to restrict granting of free tuition at Ft. Lewis College to American Indians who were otherwise unable to pay. The U.S. government filed an action in U.S. District Court on behalf of Indian students at Ft. Lewis, and the court struck down the legislation, stating it was a breach of the state’s original contractual obligation to American Indians created by the Act of 1910, and that under the contract the state had undertaken the obligation to admit ALL Indian students tuition-free to Ft. Lewis who were otherwise qualified to attend. The U.S. Court of Appeals (10th Circuit) affirmed the District Court’s decision in 1972 that there is a contractual obligation between Indian pupils and Colorado.

In 2008 one in five students was American Indian at Ft. Lewis College.

The Michigan legislature has enacted legislation that provides free tuition for American Indian students who are residents of Michigan to selected higher education institutions. Please see the Michigan Inter-Tribal Council site for more details.

Finally, two Bureau of Indian Affairs Schools, the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute, a two-year school in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas also offer American Indian students free tuition, although students do pay fees.

Proof of tribal enrollment is required for these programs.

Intellectual Capital in Indian Country

2010-01-15T15:57:00.000-07:00

This past week we spent two days hearing about the projects that the tribal colleges have been implementing over the past year for the Woksape Oyate Wisdom of the People project.

Programs have been designed for growing their own college faculty and staff; preserving and teaching tribal languages and culture not just amongst the tribal members, but serving as a resource for state curriculum; learning centers that teach not just study skills but leadership and management; and public administration degrees that meet the needs of both the tribal communities and surrounding state and counties.

The project is in its first year of implementation after a year of planning, but already the results have been remarkable. Tribal colleges are building stronger institutions, stronger and more confident students, and are serving their communities in ways that they never have before--all the while building their expertise and standing not just in the Native community, but in their counties, regions, states, and academia.

Read more about the tribal colleges' Woksape Oyate projects or share your ideas for Thinking Indian and preserving intellectual capital by posting a comment here.

Happy New Year from the American Indian College Fund

2010-01-04T09:36:00.001-07:00

As 2010 begins, we at the Fund wish all good things and every success for our supporters and our students.

Without our supporters, our students could not go on to achieve the astounding successes that they have over the past 20 years. And our students are our future in Indian Country--without them we would not be able to continue our lifeways, our culture.

We are thrilled to be part of the journey of both of our supporters and our students. Godspeed for a wonderful new year!

Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T10:03:00.000-07:00

As we head into 2010, we at the American Indian College Fund would like to thank you for your support over the past 12 months and your commitment to creating new beginnings for American Indian in the new year ahead.

Make an impact in 2009 and close your year with a tax-deductible gift of education.

Donations you make to the American Indian College Fund are tax-deductible for this year through midnight Dec. 31st.

Your commitment to end poverty through education is even more important in tough economic times. Through the American Indian College Fund, you are creating hope for American Indian people for a better life for individuals, families, and entire communities.

As Dominic Clichee (Navajo), a sophomore business administration and finance major and honor student at Haskell Indian Nations University, has said, “Without scholarships, there was no way I could afford to go to college... I have taken the lessons learned from the obstacles and applied them to life. Hard work has helped get me to where I am at, and hard work is going to help me in the future…I want to give back to the community where I grew up… With the hard work learned from my past and the assistance from this scholarship, I will be able to accomplish all my educational and career goals. Then maybe one day, I’ll be sponsoring a scholarship through your program.”

Let’s ring in 2010 by closing out 2009 with a rallying show of support and commitment to American Indian students to end poverty through education.

Ocankuye Wasté Yelo (In a good way),

Richard B. Williams

Donate by 12/31/09 for Your Tax Deduction!

2009-12-21T16:40:00.000-07:00

It's not too late! You can still make a tax-deductible gift to the American Indian College Fund by 12/31/09. The Fund is helping change lives, one person at a time, in Indian Country by helping students achieve a college education.

Help people like Dominic Clichee (Navajo), a star basketball player and straight A student, stay in school and earn a degree so that he can return to his community and work as a hospital administrator.

Thank you for your continued support of American Indian students!

Cobell Settlement A Dream Come True

2009-12-14T13:45:00.002-07:00

The U.S. government has settled a long-running lawsuit over royalties owed to American Indians. The Interior Department will distribute $1.4 billion to more than 300,000 tribe members to compensate them for historical accounting claims, and to resolve future claims. The department also will spend $2 billion to buy back and consolidate tribal land lost by previous generations. The program will allow individual tribe members to obtain cash payments for divided land interests and free up the land for the benefit of tribal communities.

Finally, the department will set aside $60 million in a Fund for American Indians wishing to pursue post-secondary vocational education or a higher education.

At the Fund, we could not be more thrilled. This means a chance for many more American Indian people to earn a higher education and brings hope for them for a better future.

To read details of the settlement visit Cobell v. Salazar.

Need a Holiday Gift Idea?

2009-12-07T09:43:00.000-07:00

It's always hard to find the perfect gift for someone who has everything.

One donor shared that instead of purchasing another gift for her mother, a retired registered nurse, who claimed she didn't need any more "stuff," she decided to donate money for a nursing scholarship to the American Indian College Fund in her mother's name.

She recounts that at first her mother protested when she was handed a package to open, stressing that she had asked for no gifts. But when she opened the box to find a certificate announcing the gift in her name, she was speechless and tears welled up in her eyes.

This holiday season, consider a gift that gives twice-give to the American Indian College Fund! For details, contact us at 800-776-3863.

Native Heritage Month

2009-11-16T16:53:00.000-07:00

November is Native Heritage Month. Thanksgiving is often referred to as a time when Indian people came together with the Pilgrims, however, it was commonplace among Indian nations and communities before the Pilgrims arrived. It is possible that the Pilgrims’ celebration coincided with an Indian second harvest known as “Indian Summer,” which usually occurs during a period of warmth after a frost. A thanksgiving ceremony usually followed.

The first Thanksgiving was a difficult time for Indian communities. Many nations were grappling with the devastation caused by diseases such as smallpox, and many were already extinct.

The Pilgrims’ Thanksgiving celebration is a part of everyday lore in America. Schoolchildren learn the story of Squanto, a Patuxet brave who helped the sick and starving Pilgrims survive their first harsh New England winter. But few Americans know the details of Squanto’s sad life.

In 1605, a young Patuxet boy named Tisquantum, later known as Squanto, was hunting when he spotted an English merchant ship anchored off of the coast of Plymouth, Massachusetts. Squanto’s life would be changed forever.

Captain George Weymouth invited Squanto and four other tribesmen aboard. The boys were chained and taken to England to allow Weymouth’s financial backers to meet some Indians. Squanto was forced to live with Sir Ferdinand Gorges, owner of the Plymouth Company. Gorges taught Squanto to speak English to communicate and negotiate trade deals for the English.

In 1614 Squanto returned to America to assist in mapping the New England coast, but in a twist of fate, Squanto was kidnapped again, along with 27 others. They were taken to Spain and sold as slaves. Local priests freed the young Indians and baptized them. Squanto found his way back to England and bargained for his passage home, where he returned in 1618.

At home, Squanto was recognized by one of Gorges’ captains, captured a third time and sent back to England. Gorges promised Squanto his freedom in exchange for returning to New England to finish mapping the coast. In 1619 Squanto returned to his village found it deserted. His entire tribe had been wiped out by disease two years earlier.

After gaining his freedom, Squanto moved in with the nearby Wampanoag tribe, ruled by Chief Massasoit. While there, the Pilgrims made their voyage to the coast of Plymouth in November of 1620, and founded a new settlement. Squanto, against the wishes of local tribes, befriended the Pilgrims.

On March 22, 1621, Chief Massasoit sent Squanto to the Pilgrims’ settlement to negotiate a peace treaty between the Wampanoag Confederation of tribes and the Pilgrims. A year and a half later, Squanto succumbed to smallpox during a trading expedition.

Indians didn’t just change history with Squanto’s generosity. Indians have also given through their contributions in horticulture, medicine, and science. It is easy to forget about the gifts the Indians made in the earliest years of our country. There was conflict, but there were also relationships that helped lay our country’s foundations.

My people, the Lakota, believe that we are all related. I hope we remember that all of our fates are intertwined. That is the legacy of the Indian people–one that we can all enjoy. I hope this month you will take time to reflect upon some of the contributions that American Indians have made to this great country.

Thank You for Making Our 2009 Flame of Hope Gala A Success!

2009-11-02T09:05:00.000-07:00

You proved neither, rain, nor sleet nor 18 inches of snow could stop you from turning out to celebrate the American Indian College Fund’s 20 years of dedication to American Indian education. Our supporters, students, and tribal college officials turned out to show their commitment to the miracles that tribal colleges are producing all across Indian country. The 20th Anniversary Flame of Hope Gala was a success despite the snowstorm that raged across Colorado October 28.

Thank you for showing your outstanding commitment to ensure the success of American Indians nationwide, the success of tribal colleges, and helping to change lives.

Gearing up to Celebrate 20 Years of Our Mission

2009-10-26T09:09:00.000-06:00

This Wednesday marks our 20th anniversary Flame of Hope Gala. We are thrilled to be celebrating our 20 years in a beautiful venue with top-notch entertainment, our supporters, our tribal college leaders, and our students, and hope that our readers will be joining us at the Seward Ballroom of the Colorado Center for the Performing Arts at 6 p.m. on October 28.

But more importantly, I am excited to be marking 20 years of success and educating American Indian students, helping them to achieve their dreams. Thanks to your support, you have made more than 70,000 scholarships possible!

As we celebrate Wednesday night, it isn't about the food, the music, and how long the organization has been around. We are celebrating each and every student's success who has earned a scholarship and worked towards a better future for themselves, their family, and their community, while overcoming huge obstacles.

The American Indian College Fund and those who share its commitment to its mission salute each and every one of our current students and graduates.

Countdown to Our 20th Anniversary Celebration!

2009-10-22T09:48:00.000-06:00

It's less than a week away, and we hope to see you there. The Empress of Soul, Ms. Gladys Knight, will be performing, and we will be joined by people from across the nation that support American Indian education.

We hope you will join us to celebrate how far we have come--the American Indian College Fund has provided more than 70,000 scholarships! But we also hope you will join us because we still have a lot to do--more than 25% of American Indians live below the national poverty line, and an education is the proven way to lift entire communities out of poverty.

As we embark on our next 20 years of educating the mind and spirit, we hope you will join us. For ticket and event information, visit our web site.

20th anniversary Flame of Hope Gala

2009-10-15T11:15:00.000-06:00

It's not too late! Tickets are still available for the Fund's 20th anniversary Flame of Hope gala!

It promises to be a special evening with a performance by Gladys Knight, inspirational messages from our tribal college students and presidents, and more!

To get your tickets now, visit www.collegefund.org

Guest Blogger: Thinking Indian

2009-09-29T09:34:00.000-06:00

My name is Jennifer DeVerney and I work at Herzing University as an Intern and Employer Outreach Specialist with the Career Services Department. I am a proud member of the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians located from Manistee, Michigan.

I have worked really hard to get to where I am today, and have been blessed to hold a career in education where I help change people’s lives on a daily basis regardless of their race. To “Think Indian” means so much more than just casinos, feathers, reservations, or pow wows. What “Think Indian” means to me is to know your culture, live it, take part in it, and be grateful and proud of your ancestry. In addition it means to be respectful, friendly, and courteous to your fellow man or woman.

Every day I strive to be the best example I can be to my children, co-workers, friends, family, and to our next generation. Being Native American allows me to hold my head up high and be proud of the many accomplishments of our people as well as my own. It is my identity, who I am, and no one can take that away from me.

Jennifer DeVerney
Internship & Employer Outreach Specialist, Herzing University

College Fund on the airwaves

2009-09-24T09:44:00.001-06:00

American Indian College Fund President and CEO Richard B. Williams and Casey Lozar, Director of Corporate and Tribal Relations, will appear on Colorado and Company on Channel 9, KUSA-TV in Denver on Thursday, September 24, from 10-11 a.m.

American Indians Are Still Here-Guest Blog

2009-09-19T19:35:00.000-06:00

We will be running a series of guest blogs about what it means to “Think Indian” in today’s world. This week we will run the first of our guest blogs. “Thinking Indian” is not just a slogan or idea put out by the American Indian College Fund. “Thinking Indian” is how people in the Native community live their lives and strike the balance between their lives as Indian people and mainstream society in college, in family life, and in the workplace. We welcome your stories and look forward to hearing from you! Please send your submissions, 200 words or less, to dhorwedel@collegefund.org

I embrace this opportunity to write about my challenges in mainstream academic institutions. Recently I was walking down the hall in a building on campus when I noticed a big sign over a bulletin board displaying in large letters the word “Diversity.” I stopped for a look.

Upon examination of the board I noticed the board contained a world map, greetings in many languages, and student organizations which represented all but one race. The missing race was American Indians. It made me think for a minute or two about whether or not the termination and assimilation policies of the U.S. federal government had been successful in convincing non-Natives that American Indians are gone. But more likely, it is the case my current academic institution is unaware of American Indians because the state has no federally recognized Indian tribes.

Nevertheless, there are both graduate and undergraduate American Indian student organizations on campus, and the absence of American Indians on this department’s bulletin board is merely a naive mistake; although, often the pedagogy and heuristics of history, government, and politics treat American Indians the same as the aforementioned department bulletin board. I believe it is important as a student to connect with the local Indian community in order to gain the balance necessary for success in big mainstream academic institutions. It has been important to me.

Jason Oberle
2010 Masters in Public Affairs candidate
Read Jason's American Indian Policy Blog

20 Years of Support--Thank You!

2009-09-15T11:53:00.000-06:00

On Sunday, we were thrilled to meet LA Lakers coach Phil Jackson and support a charity near and dear to his heart. Jackson has been a long-time supporter of the American Indian College Fund, and will be one of our celebrity co-chairs for the Fund's 20th Anniversary Flame of Hope Gala in Denver, Colorado on Wednesday, October 28.

We are thrilled and honored to have the support of people like Phil Jackson and yourself. As you have walked the road with us to support American Indian education, it is the students who benefit from your dedication. Since 1989, we have raised funds for more than 70,000 scholarships for American Indian students. Thank you to all of you for your support!

20th Anniversary Flame of Hope Gala Oct. 28

2009-09-10T15:31:00.000-06:00

Irene Bedard, Benjamin Bratt and L.A. Lakers coach Phil Jackson, celebrity co-chairs of the American Indian College Fund’s 20th anniversary Flame of Hope Gala, would like to invite you to join us for an evening of fun and celebration in Denver, Colorado.

You will be treated to a headlining performance by “The Empress of Soul,” Ms. Gladys Knight, along with Native drum groups and a fine arts auction.
Hattie Kauffman of The Early Show, CBS, will serve as Mistress of Ceremonies. Other program highlights from the evening will include stories of hope and courage from our tribal college students and a first look at the THINK INDIAN television campaign. All proceeds from the evening will provide scholarships to American Indian students and help support the 33 tribal colleges in the United States.

Attire is black-tie or Native dress.

For more information and to buy tickets, go to www.collegefund.org

Calling All Bloggers!

2009-08-10T16:56:00.001-06:00

We are looking for tribal college students, faculty, and staff who want to share their stories about what it means to Think Indian—as commentary posts, guest bloggers.

If you are a student or tribal college faculty or staff member interested in sharing what it means to you to Think Indian, please contact Dina Horwedel at the American Indian College Fund’s public education department at dhorwedel@collegefund.org or 303-430-5350.

Native American Journalism Association Celebrates 25 Years

2009-08-04T17:05:00.000-06:00

Fund staffers Dina Horwedel and Jonas Greene had the opportunity to present information to the Native American Journalists Association about the Think Indian campaign and how an advertisement can tell a story. As part of the program, they discussed how using social media such as Twitter, blogs, and Facebook can move a story forward.

Journalists are not the only storytellers in Indian Country, however. Indian people have been storytellers since the beginning of time. Telling stories has been the way our people have perpetuated its sacred religions, languages, and histories.

Today we have many new media available to tell our stories. Although the old ways-sitting around a fire and telling a story-are often the most pleasurable, we can use technology to spread our stories to our people, who are scattered around the country, and to non-Natives, to share our stories with those who may not know about our understand the hardships we have endured, and the strength it took to do so.

As we continue our Think Indian campaign at the American Indian College Fund, I would like to invite you to share your stories of Thinking Indian and your personal stories with us. Join us at American Indian College Fund groups, pages, and causes on Facebook. Check out our channel on Youtube and our blog on myspace. You can also follow us on Twitter at collegefund or start a dialogue by posting your comments to this blog.

This is just the beginning. We will also be launching a new blog soon, featuring guest speakers--hopefully you! We want to hear YOUR story, whether you are a donor, a tribal college student, a hopeful student, retired teacher, board member, corporate partner, or tribal college president. After all, it is all of our stories that tell what it means to be part of the tribal college movement, helping American Indian people complete a college education.

Challenges of First-Generation American Indian Students

2009-07-27T12:44:00.000-06:00

According to the Pell Institute, only 11% of first-generation students earn a degree within six years. There are many reasons for this. First-generation students are less prepared than their counterparts, they did not get help choosing a college that is a good fit for them, their families often discourage them from getting a higher education, and being unfamiliar with college culture, rather than immersing themselves in it, they withdraw.

For American Indian college students, many of whom are first-generation students, this problem is compounded when they attend college off the reservation or outside of their culture. Not only are they unfamiliar with the academic demands of college, but they are also unfamiliar with their culture. This is why so many American Indian students drop out of mainstream colleges if they have not been prepared to succeed at a tribal college.

The 33 tribal colleges and universities across the country are uniquely positioned to help American Indian students succeed academically. They provide small classroom environments, ensuring students get the attention and counseling they need. Students are schooled in their culture and are given the confidence and study and learning skills to accompany that confidence to enable them to finish their education, whether at a tribal college or mainstream institution. While mainstream institutions are developing student housing for first-generation students and other programs to enable them to succeed, tribal colleges have been providing the support and special coursework for at-risk students ahead of the curve.

By supporting tribal colleges, you help ensure that first-generation American Indian students are part of the 11% that graduates, and helping to improve those statistics.

Leadership

2009-07-20T15:53:00.000-06:00

This week the team at the American Indian College Fund embarks on a one-day retreat to recharge and regenerate, learning about leadership principles and applying them in our mission to provide scholarships and access to higher education for all of our students. We will be out of the office all day Wednesday.

As we set out to learn more about how to lead in the arena of fundraising to serve our communities, I would like to invite you to share some of your tried and true tested leadership principles that you employ in your studies, your careers, and your personal lives. These can be Indian leadership principles, mainstream ideas, or even those you have innovated yourself.

I look forward to hearing your ideas on leadership!

In a good way,
Rick

Education is independence

2009-07-06T10:38:00.000-06:00

After Independence Day, one thing strikes me: if American Indians are ever going to be free of poverty and being treated as second-class citizens, education is vital.

Education does not just mean the basics: the math, the science, the language and reading skills: education also means being educated in the Indian way. Learning our native languages. Learning our traditions and ways as Indian people, and preserving them.

Why is this important to our independence? Because we were then, as we are now, strong and independent people. And to appreciate that strength and independence, we need to continue to cultivate our strengths as Indian people, preserving our languages and teaching them and our ways to our children, rather than subverting them to a dominant culture. Just as other groups celebrate their heritage while achieving great things as the part of this great democracy, so should we as American Indians. Education is the key to that freedom: freedom from poverty, and the freedom to define who we are as a people.

The Politics of Ignorance

2009-06-22T10:09:00.001-06:00

Check out my article on the political motives behing ignorance about Native Peoples at Indian Country Today.

http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/opinion/46721207.html

Have You Helped A Student Today?

2009-06-15T10:14:00.000-06:00

The New York Times ran a story Sunday about an organization that matches alumni and cash-strapped students at Harvard University. The alumni provide loans for students to be able to take tests, finish a semester, and buy books.

For American Indian students attending tribal colleges, however, wealthy alumni are few and far between. Our alumni DO go on to get meaningful jobs in their communities, helping others as teachers, health care providers, and in tribal government. But American Indian students start out poor, and have few people they can rely upon to help them through college. When they graduate, they are in th trenches, helping their communities--but do not have millions of dollars of disposable income to assist others.

That is why the American Indian College Fund provides scholarship money to American Indian students, who are often the poorest in the nation. Scholarship monies enable students to focus on their studies without the worries of having to pay back loans after they graduate. And it helps them get a leg up to get an education so that they can make a future for themselves.

Have you helped an American Indian student today? Even the smallest amount helps our students. Please donate at www.collegefund.org

American Indian College Fund Meets Colorado Community

2009-06-08T13:34:00.000-06:00

The American Indian College Fund welcomed more than 200 business people and community members to the Colorado History Museum Thursday, June 4 to learn more about American Indian college students' needs and the tribal college movement. They saw Native dances, heard Native musicians perform, and enjoyed crafts, a silent auction, and refreshments.

A special thank you to everyone who attended. We look forward to seeing you at our 20th anniversary gala in Denver at the Seawell Ballroom of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts October 28! To reserve your space call Lucia Novara at 303-426-8900.

New Think Indian Television Spot Released

2009-06-01T09:12:00.000-06:00

To continue the theme of our Think Indian public service print media announcements, our pro bono advertising partner, Wieden+Kennedy, has graciously donated its time and creative genius to create an animated television spot. The spot celebrates American Indian ways of thinking and how tribal colleges preserve both that and Native cultures.

View it at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qky6HR4XlJg

Dan Wieden, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Wieden+Kennedy, Presented with CLIO Lifetime Achievement Award

2009-05-18T10:02:00.000-06:00

The CLIO Awards are one of the world’s most recognized international advertising and design competitions honoring creative excellence and innovation in the industry. As the president and CEO of the Fund, I was proud to watch as Dan Wieden, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Wieden+Kennedy (W+K), the American Indian College Fund's pro bono ad agency, was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award on May 13 during the 50th Anniversary CLIO Awards in Las Vegas.

The CLIO Lifetime Achievement Award is one of the highest, most prestigious honors in the advertising industry and recognizes the outstanding and ongoing contribution of an individual who leads the industry forward.

We at the Fund are delighted that the industry has recognized Dan Wieden’s achievement. We have been honored and humbled to work with him over the years to further the cause of American Indian education. The Fund is one of Wieden+Kennedy’s pro bono clients, and Dan personally works on the campaigns, including the new Think Indian campaign, alongside co-founding partner David Kennedy. Their dedication and vision have led to national recognition of the Fund’s mission to provide college scholarships for American Indian students.

Dan has won several honors, including: Inc. magazine’s “America’s 25 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs”; Time magazine’s “World’s 50 Cyber Elite”; and Advertising Age’s “100 Ad People of the 20th Century.” He is also the founder of Caldera, a nonprofit arts education organization and camp for at-risk youth located in Sisters, Oregon. Dan embodies the American Indian values of creativity, imagination, and giving back to the community. Congratulations, Dan!

Why I Work at the American Indian College Fund

2009-05-11T11:07:00.000-06:00

Non-Native American Indian College Fund staffer Dina Horwedel, Public Education Director, shares why she is passionate about the Fund's mission.

In Italy there is saying, la dolce vita, which means “the sweet life.” For Italians this means food, friendship, laughter, and love. But in 1900, my Italian great-grandfather, who was 19 years old, stepped on board the Stella Bruz and headed for America in search of the sweet life that had eluded him in Calabria, Italy, which had been his home for his 19 years.

Growing up in poverty, my great-grandfather had never attended school, never learned to read or write in his own language, and labored as a “dirt farmer” in the parched soil of southern Italy. With no future in sight, he set out for America for a better life for himself and his family.
My grandfather migrated west to Ohio after passing through Ellis Island, and settled in Ohio, where he met another Italian, married, and raised a family through the Great Depression.

Although he had a job working as a laborer on the railroad, things were tight with seven children.
Although he never learned to read or write, my grandfather was wise. He used to tell me as a little girl, “Go to school, don’t be a dumba-bell like me!” And so, I did. While in school I learned that I loved telling stories, just like my great-grandpa, but with the gift of an education, I could write those stories down on paper. From an early age I started writing stories, newspaper articles, and books. When I was in third grade a teacher asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I responded, “an author.”

I graduated from high school and became the first person in my family to earn a college degree, and then first person to go on and graduate from law school. To this day I earn my living through my writing. My husband, in a nod to my ancestry and my passion for storytelling, gave me a handcrafted pen from Florence, called La Dolce Vita. Because of my grandfather’s sacrifice in coming to America, I am able to have the sweet life. I often joke that I am “living la dolce vita in the land of Velveeta.”

To my great-grandfather, America was a land of promise and opportunity. He passed on six months shy of 100 years old in 1987. I think my grandfather would have been surprised if not shocked to learn that for the original Americans, America was not a place of opportunity.

Many American Indians live in poverty. According to U.S. Census Bureau figures, nearly 26% percent of all American Indians and Alaska Natives live below the poverty line, contrasted with a national poverty rate of 12.4%. The gap is even larger for people living on reservations with limited economic opportunities, with 51% of the population living below the poverty line. And even though the nation’s poverty rate dropped from 11.8% in 1999 to 11.3 % in 2000 (the lowest in 21 years), American Indian’s and Alaska Native’s poverty rate did not drop.

In addition, the educational opportunities my great-grandfather my great-grandfather urged me to take advantage of are scarce amongst American Indian populations. In 2000, the proportion of people aged 25 and over who had completed high school or more education comprised 11 percent of the American Indian and Alaska Native population.

It isn’t just my great-grandfather that would have been shocked: it wasn’t until law school, when I was studying Indian law, when I learned about the political, social, health, economic, and educational inequities that American Indians have endured for centuries. I think about how lucky I am to have had a wise great-grandfather that wanted a better life for me, and I know the grandmothers and grandfathers of American Indians want and wanted the same, but the circumstances were much different.

That is why I am proud to work for the American Indian College Fund. I am not American Indian, although I am native in that I was born in this country because of my great-grandfather. My personal mission is to have my work help American Indians get a piece of la dolce vita—the sweet life—that education brings and that every person deserves, so that they, too can share and preserve their stories.

Congratulations to 2009 Graduates

2009-05-04T09:43:00.000-06:00

A heartfelt congratulations to all of our TCU graduates from all of us at the American Indian College Fund. You have worked hard for this day, and you and your families have reason to be proud. But your journey is just beginning. As you travel your life's path, we wish you happiness, good fortune, and the ability to remember to be true to yourself, your Indian values, and your life's calling.

Godspeed!

Portrait of a Desert Tribal College

2009-04-27T16:10:00.000-06:00

This past weekend the board of directors of the American Indian College Fund had the opportunity to travel to Sells, Arizona, where we met with students and teachers at Tohono O'oodham Community College (TOCC). We toured the eastern campus and heard presentations by several students, including TOCC's student of the year, Theresa Vavages, also gave a presentation about the challenges she faced as she made the transition from her traditional life in the desert to life as a tribal college student. Raised by a single mother who passed on her love of words and books, Theresa is now getting ready to graduate and go on to the next phase of her life: working for the college.

It is stories like these that remind me of the important work we do at the American Indian College Fund. The Tohono O'odham nation is the second largest in the United States, and includes rugged terrain straddling the U.S.-Mexico border. Without the tribal college's two campuses, students like Theresa might not have the opportunity to attend college. Many students in the Tohono O'odham nation already travel huge distances, many as far as 60 miles one way, to get an education at the tribal college. When so many students do not have the money for a car or gasoline in a place where there is no public trqansportation, committed teachers pick their students up en route to class, and many others car pool--or walk.

Thanks to the American Indian College Fund's scholarships and the college's new distance learning program, many more students like Theresa will be able to achieve their dream of a college education.

How Do You "Think Indian"?

2009-04-06T11:42:00.000-06:00

I received a letter over the weekend asking me how "To think Indian is to cure diabetes with sacred food and hoops." The writer said surely "Indian thinking" doesn't believe that Type I Diabetes, where the person has no or little insulin, can be cured with sacred foods and hoops!

Exercise and a good diet are part of every doctor’s recommendation for controlling diabetes. Many people do not know that research is being conducted at Oglala Lakota College on a native medicinal plant that mimics insulin in the body when it is ingested by rats, putting the disease into complete remission. American Indian researchers are using their natural Indian intellect and age-old wisdom to offer solutions to today’s problems.

I would like to take this opportunity for our tribal college communities and students to share ways that they “think Indian” in the classroom, laboratory, and everyday life as we continue to celebrate our native way of thinking. Please feel free to comment on this blog or send us an e-mail at info@collegefund.org

American Indian Higher Education Consortium Meeting

2009-03-30T16:09:00.000-06:00

As always, it is invigorating attending the American Indian Higher Education Consortium meeting. The tribal college presidents, professors, staff members, and students come together from across the country, reaffirming their commitment to American Indian education, tradition, culture, and beliefs, while ensuring that entire communities move forward through higher education.

Students like Stephen Yellowhawk, a Coca Cola schoar and elementary education major, reinforce the reason I love my job so much. Stephen has a family, and is committed to earning his degree so that he can not only offer a better future for his children, but also for his community. It is the hard work and selflessness of people like Stephen that give me great hope for the enduring strength and the possibility the American Indians an achieve their dreams despite the hardships we have faced as a people. I draw strength from the hard work and success of all of you in Indian Country.

Thank you!

Rick Williams

Thank You Denver for Your Turn-Out at the Denver March Powwow

2009-03-23T17:13:00.000-06:00

The American Indian College Fund participated at the Denver March Powwow with an information booth and also hosted a pre-Denver march Powwow program for several of its esteemed Denver-area supporters. Guests at the program were treated to a presentation by the American Indian College Fund. My son, a tribal college graduate who is nearing completion of his master's degree from a mainstream institution, also talked about the importance of a higher education for Indian people. Our staff members who compete in the powwow in various dances demonstrated different dance styles and their significance in American Indian culture. Participants also learned about the cultural and sacred significance of the powwow before being escorted to the event by College Fund representatives.

Many students and potential students turned out at the booth to learn more about scholarships. We are thrilled and gratified that so many people in our community are excited about pursuing a higher education. You are the future of Native America!

See You at the Denver March Powwow

2009-03-16T14:50:00.000-06:00

For those of our supporters in Colorado and ur friends coming in from across Indian Country, we are looking forward to seeing you at the Denver March Powwow this week at the Denver Coliseum. We will have a booth at the event, where we will be providing information about scholarships, our new Think Indian campaign, and will be selling our products benefiting American Indian education.

See you there March 20-22!

New York Times columnist is "Thinking Indian"

2009-03-09T16:16:00.000-06:00

In the Sunday edition of The New York Times, Thomas L. Friedman shows how he is "thinking Indian." He postulates that the economic crisis of 2008 may represent something more fundamental than a recession, and perhaps it was the Earth and the market's way of telling our world that we cannot continue with the cycle of consumption that was not sustainable.

Our tribal colleges and universities teach sustainability in everything they do, proving American Indians have long been ahead of the curve. This is what we call "Thinking Indian." As our nation grapples with its problems, American Indians are uniquely situated to lead with finding solutions.

To see Friedman's excellent article, go to http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/08/opinion/08friedman.html

Want to help a child in Indian Country? Educate his parents.

2009-03-02T17:31:00.000-07:00

By helping American Indians go to college, the American Indian College Fund (the Fund) not only helps older American Indians, but it is also helping American Indian children.

Consider the facts: the average tribal college student is a 27-year-old single mother of three, and is often the first in her family to attend college. By ensuring that these young mothers attend college, they are assured of greater earning potential, helping them to better support their children and to give them better lives.

Traditionally American Indian people were suspicious of education, and with good reason. U.S. government policy beginning in the early 1900s and continuing on until the middle of the century focused on assimilation. As part of that policy, young children were removed from their families and forced to abandon their languages, religious practices, and culture. Children were often beaten for speaking their Native languages, and many suffered physical and sexual abuse. The education curriculum itself was designed to prepare Indian people for lives as domestic and farm help, and to separate them from their traditions.

Today things have changed, thanks to the establishment of the first-ever tribal college and university in 1968 by the Navajo nation. The Navajo people wanted to establish a college by and for the Navajo people that would educate their people in new technology and other important subjects, while preserving the Navajo language and culture. Today there are 32 accredited tribal colleges and universities across the country serving the more than 200 federally recognized American Indian tribes. As a result of the tribal college movement, American Indians have embraced education, and over the past 25 years the number of associate’s, bachelors, and masters degrees conferred to Native students has doubled. The numbers in recent years continues to grow. Enrollment of American Indian students at tribal colleges grew by 32% between 1997-2002, compared to 16% enrollment growth in higher education overall, according to the American Indian Higher Education Consortium.

The American Indian College Fund is proud to be part of the tribal college movement. The Fund was established 20 years ago to provide Native students, still the poorest in the nation, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, with scholarships. Today still 95% percent of tribal college students demonstrate financial need. Yet as the number of educated Native peoples increases, more people find jobs and hope for a better future.

The Fund helps provide its students with a better future—and is changing the face of Indian Country for generations to come. Educated American Indians serve as role models in their communities for the next generation, helping youth to steer clear of drugs, alcohol, and gangs, and to dream of a better and more productive future for themselves. Research shows that in the past 20 years, the number of American Indian tenth graders who expect to complete a college degree has more than doubled to 76%.

The Fund provides a means for Native people to rebuild their communities. Despite up to 85% unemployment rates on reservations where tribal colleges are located, one year after graduating, 82% of tribal college students are working or pursuing a higher degree, 64% of tribal college students continue their education, and more than 50% pursue a higher degree. Sixty four percent of our scholarship recipients are planning to use their education to help their people.

In these economic times, when there is talk of rebuilding the nation, we cannot give up on our efforts to rebuild Indian Country--and build a prosperous future for American Indian children for generations to come.

Help Tribal Colleges Get Federal Appropriations

2009-02-26T10:58:00.000-07:00

In August 2008 former President George W. Bush signed Congress the Higher Education Reauthorization and College Opportunity Act of 2008 into law. The reauthorization will help more students attend tribal colleges across the country and will include funding for tribal colleges across the United States. It also authorizes an annual increase from $6,000 to $8,000 for each student attending a tribal college. However, each year Congress must make appropriations to fund these worthwhile programs.

As you know, most tribal colleges are located on reservations, where they serve nearly 28,000 Native students in geographically isolated communities. On reservations, unemployment rates are high and average family incomes are 27 percent below the federal poverty level. Federal funding is necessary to keep our tribal colleges operational, providing much-needed educational opportunities to Native communities.

Help tribal colleges get the funding they need by contacting your senator to urge them to make appropriations for tribal colleges under the Higher Education Reauthorization and College Opportunity Act of 2008. To contact your senator, go to http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm to find the address and phone number of your elected official.

Moving Forward In a Bleak Economy

2009-02-09T16:03:00.000-07:00

Despite the bleak economic indicators, including a high jobs loss report at the end of January, there is reason to be optimistic about American Indian education and the Fund.

Our supporters are some of the most loyal and devoted people in the country. Even when times are tough, they give something. Our students and the Fund are blessed to be able to count on our corporate, foundation, and individual supporters.

Another reason to be optimistic? The amazing projects and results that tribal colleges are producing. Whether it be diabetes research, gathering data about global warming and its effects on local flora and fauna, or building business incubators on some of the most rural and remote areas of the country to spur economic development, tribal colleges, their teachers, and students are producing results that are nothing short of miracles. And the American Indian College Fund continues to support tribal colleges and their students in these endeavors and more.

Be on the lookout in March for stories about these successes in our upcoming newsletters.

When Old Friends Go On...

2009-02-05T15:18:00.000-07:00

I was personally saddened when my friend and former tribal college resident and veteran of the tribal college movement, Sky Houser, passed on on January 29, 2009. Sky died at a hospice facility near his sister’s home in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma at age 65. At the time of his death, he was the special projects officer for the Scott Bordeaux Leadership Institute at Sinte Gleska University.

Known as “Sky,” Houser first became acquainted with the Indian community in the mid 1970s when he was a professor at the University of Nebraska, where I first met him, and took his students to a pow wow.

In 1975, he left the University of Nebraska to help help the Santee establish a satellite campus, Northeast Nebraska Indian Satellite Community College, which later became Nebraska Indian Community College.

Sky served as chief executive officer of four tribal colleges (Nebraska Indian Community College, Sisseton Wahpeton Community College, Institute of American Indian Arts, and Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College) and worked at three others (Saskatchewan Indian Federated College, Salish Kootenai College’s Spokane branch campus, and Sinte Gleska University).

Sky left a long legacy as a writer of articles and books about American Indian education and tribal issues, in addition to medieval history. He will be deeply missed by all of us in the tribal college movement.

I am deeply touched that Sky's commitment to educated and concern for American Indian students extended beyond his death. Sky's family specified that gifts in his memory could be given to the American Indian College Fund.

Think Indian public service advertisement campaign launches

2009-01-26T16:21:00.001-07:00

The Fund is rolling out a new public service announcement campaign titled THINK INDIAN. The campaign tells the story of how America’s 32 accredited tribal colleges and American Indian students are combining traditional Native solutions with modern knowledge to solve contemporary problems.

Tribal colleges and universities preserve the uniquely American Indian way of thinking while celebrating Indian cultures and embracing the latest research and technology. These institutions have become cultural oases where old wisdom and new ideas are fused. Many Native students encounter both their native language and the Internet for the first time at college.

To create the campaign, the Fund and our Portland, Oregon-based advertising partner, Wieden+Kennedy, voted Adweek’s 2008 Global Agency of the Year and known for its signature work for Nike, Target, and Coca-Cola, traveled to Indian Country where we documented the stories of American Indian students studying at tribal colleges.

This body of work not only reflects how American Indian cultural knowledge is being preserved by tribal colleges and used to solve modern-day problems for all people, but it also depicts the depth, beauty, and tenacity inherent in the American Indian students and community that we serve.

The ads have already been run by our supporting partner publications, including The New York Times Magazine, Harper's, and O.

Wieden+Kennedy has created the Fund’s advertising for the past 18 years on a pro bono basis. We are deeply grateful for their longstanding commitment to American Indian education and the Fund and the invaluable contributions they make with helping us to reach our donors through these compelling and moving ads.

Gracism or Post-Racial Society?

2009-01-18T15:51:00.000-07:00

On the eve of Barack Obama’s inauguration, many people across the land are openly excited.

Others may be openly antagonistic.

And still others may exhibit what I call gracism.

Over the years, it has become less politically correct for people to be openly racist (although American Indians still suffer from open racism.) As a result, racism has gone underground—and people are graceful and pleasant to one’s face, while continuing to hold onto their racist attitudes and behaviors behind one’s back. Hence, I coined the term gracist.

As we head to an era in which the country claims it is ready to embrace its plurality and diversity, I hope that we will see not only the end of racism, but also the end of gracism. This means allowing people to follow their own roads, acknowledging that there are many cultures and many ways of knowing, and that those ways are not less important than the dominant culture. This means fully embracing inclusivity while allowing people to pursue their separateness, and for Indian people, this means allowing people to continue pursuing their Indian culture and identity.

One way that Indian people have been pursuing their culture and identity is through the tribal college movement. Yet tribal colleges are the most underfunded education institutions in the country. Despite federal funding appropriations plans, tribal colleges are still 30% underfunded by Congress, showing there is not a commitment to Indian education in our society.

The American Indian College Fund’s mission is to support both the tribal colleges and provide American Indian students with scholarships. But the need is great in Indian Country, and many institutions and students still struggle.

On the eve of Obama’s inauguration, I hope that as America tries to move forward to a post-racial society, that gracism disappears, and Americans of all backgrounds support every American’s right to pursue an education—and that our legislators and the taxpayers support all kinds of education, including tribal colleges and the students they serve.

Wondering How to Apply for College Scholarships?

2009-01-12T11:32:00.000-07:00

Debra Reed of the American Indian College Fund will be discussing how to prepare for scholarships on Native America Calling Friday, January 16, from 11a.m.-noon MST. Go to http://www.nativeamericacalling.com/nac_main.shtml to listen online or see a list of stations carrying the program in your area.

You can also call in with questions for Debra.

The Fund Marks its 20th Anniversary

2009-01-05T17:16:00.000-07:00

Here at the Fund we are celebrating 20 years as the nation's premiere scholarship organization for American Indian students.

The Fund was created in 1989 by the tribal colleges and universities and private partners to raise scholarship funds and funding for America’s tribal colleges. The first tribal college was Diné College, founded as Navajo Community College, in 1968. Today there are 32 accredited tribal colleges and universities, which serve college students and provide much-needed services to American Indian communities.

The Fund has raised millions of dollars for scholarships and capital funding for campus infrastructure in its mission, and last year awarded nearly 4,000 scholarships to American Indian students to encourage students to remain in college, complete a college degree and build a better future for themselves, their families, and their communities.

We hope you will join us this year in celebrating our achievements over the past 20 years, while continuing to help us grow to meet the demands of our community so that they may realize their dreams of earning a college education and helping to effect change in Indian country and our nation.

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-23T16:33:00.000-07:00

Waniyetu ki lecunhan wicozani luha na iyokipiya yaunkte. -Lakota Greeting
Translation: May the beauty of this season bring you peace, health and happiness.

I wish you a joyous holiday season.
Ocankuye Wasté Yelo (In a good way),
Richard B. Williams (Oglala Lakota)

Native Colleges: America's Best Kept Secret

2008-12-22T09:57:00.000-07:00

Check out this excellent article about tribal colleges and the disparity in funding between them and HBCUs which appeared on the Huffington post blog.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tim-giago/native-colleges-americas_b_152673.html

In Memory of Deborah Yarlott

2008-12-22T09:26:00.000-07:00

On Friday evening, Dec. 19, Dr. David Yarlott’s beautiful wife, Deborah, passed on. We are heartbroken to have lost such a kind, loving, and generous person. Prayers are greatly needed by President Yarlott of Little Big Horn College, his family, and the entire Little Big Horn College community at this time.

Honoring Our Elders

2008-12-15T11:20:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow night in Denver the American Indian College Fund honors the local elders with a buffalo feed for the holidays. Many people have wondered why American Indians honor their elders.

"Tunkashila, Grandfather, Great Spirit." It is this way that we begin our prayers in Lakota. Tunkashila, also means one’s own grandfather. The reason that the words are used this way is because our grandfathers are the elders of the tribe and in many ways personify the sacredness of the goodness and wisdom of the Great Spirit. Grandfathers carry the spirit of the people. Grandmothers are even more sacred because they carry the heart and soul of the people. Grandmothers carry the sacred spirit of the Mother Earth. Grandmothers give us gentleness and caring because they have also given us life. Our elders teach us who are ancestors were. Our elders are our connection to everything in our past. It is with their knowledge that we understand how we fit into the world.

Every grandmother and grandfather are sacred in many special ways. It is because of this that we will always respect our elders.

Hau, Mitaku Oyasin.

Sustainable Giving

2008-12-08T18:39:00.000-07:00

There has been a lot of talk in the news about sustainability in energy, in business, and more as we have seen difficult times, and as we are faced with rebuilding our nation. It raises the question about sustainability in charitable giving.

When people give money for an unsustainable cause, that money will be spent, and after it is, the need will still exist. Although the cause may be a worthy one, such as providing money for children for Christmas gifts, or a meal in a homeless shelter, your gift has done nothing to eradicate that need.

The American Indian College Fund is an example of a sustainable charity. When you give to an organization like the Fund, you are helping to solve a problem: economic development in Indian country and the betterment of Indian people's lives. Once our scholarship recipients graduate, they go on to help people in their community, while serving as role models for other Indian people to pursue a higher education. As more American Indian people return to their communities with professional jobs, they raise the standard of living there--by providing better education as teachers, better health care as doctors and nurses, and by providing better job opportunities when they create entrepreneurial businesses on the reservation.

Like energy, businesses, and our financial institutions, we want our charities to be sustainable. The American Indian College Fund is a great example of a sustainable charity that is helping to change the face of Indian Country. Thank you for your support in educating our people.

In a good way,
Rick Williams

Heading into the Holiday Season

2008-12-01T16:26:00.000-07:00

As we head into the holiday season, I would like to issue a challenge: the best gift of all is to pay it forward. If someone helped you to get an education or encouraged you while you were a student, why not take the time to do the same for someone else?

One of our programs at the Fund allows you to not only give the gift of an education to an American Indian student, but also serve as a mentor through regular contact. Your words of encouragement and advice can inspire a student to stay in school, and may make the difference between just graduating and truly excelling.

To find out more about how you can expand your family by supporting an American Indian scholar, contact Eileen Egan at eegan@collegefund.org

I can think of no better gift this season than the gift of an education, while getting the opportunity to develop a relationship with an American Indian student, learning about another culture in the process.

Giving Thanks

2008-11-25T15:46:00.000-07:00

As we celebrate everything that we have to be thankful for, I want to thank each and every one of you for your enduring support over the years. If not for our students, our tribal colleges, our teachers and tribal college presidents, and our supporters, American Indian education would not be where it is today.

Thank you one and all and have a blessed Thanksgiving.

In a good way,
Rick Williams

National Indian Heritage Month

2008-11-17T15:46:00.000-07:00

November is National Indian Heritage Month, and city, state, and private events are being held across the nation to mark the occasion.

As we celebrate our heritage, let's also celebrate our endurance as a people. We have achieved so much, and that is largely due to education that celebrates and reinforces our culture.

According to The Institute for Higher Education Policy, educational attainment correlates with economic prosperity. A person who has earned a bachelor’s degree or higher earns almost four times as much as a person who did not graduate from high school, and more than twice as much as a person who holds a high school diploma; this is true for American Indians and the U.S. population in general.

It isn't about the money, of course. Education is about bettering oneself and one's people, bringing them along so that we all as a people can enjoy greater standards of living, greater educational attainment, lower numbers of poverty, lower incidences of disease, and more fulfilled lives as Indian people.

As Sherman Alexie said during a keynote address at the National Indian Education Association meeting in Seattle, he was often asked by people on his reservation after he left to go to school, "Do you think you are better than us?" Alexie replied, "No, we're all better than this."

Veteran's Day

2008-11-10T09:12:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is Veteran's Day. Our Native peoples have a long history of fighting for our country. Per capita more American Indians enter the armed forces than any other group. I would like to take this time to personally thank our brave American Indian men and women for their service and sacrifice to our nation.

In A Good Way,
Rick Williams

Yes We Can!

2008-11-05T09:30:00.000-07:00

With the historic victory of President-elect Barack Obama, we learned an important lesson last night. Regardless of your political affiliation, the important lesson is that we as a people can do anything we put our minds to. America is the land of opportunity.

Historically Indian people have been the most impoverished in the nation. Yet with an education, like Obama, who was raised by a single mother, one can achieve anything. It takes hard work, persistence, and faith in oneself and the future.

I believe in each and every one of our students and their ability to achieve their education goals and to build a better life for themselves and their people. I believe in the hopes and dreams of people in Indian Country and the ability of those hopes and dreams to transform Indian Country to a vibrant place where our traditions and our people will see a new dawn. I believe in the dignity and ability of each and every person in Indian Country to take control of their lives and to live the life they were destined to live.

It's time now for us to work together for the good of our country and Indian Country. Education will transform our nations and our people. Yes, you can!

Watch for Our New PSA Campaign

2008-10-22T11:04:00.000-06:00

We've been busy at the Fund, readying for the Flame of Hope Gala a week from today in New York City, taking in corporate and individual donations that are coming in the door, and preparing for the launch of our new Public Service Announcement campaign designed by our advertising supporter, Wieden+Kennedy.

As you may know, Wieden+Kennedy designed our previous ads, and is known for its outstanding work over the years with Nike. Wieden+Kennedy was also awarded the best ad agency in the world award last year. We think you are going to be wowed by the work they have done to capture how tribal colleges are cultivating and harnessing traditional knowledge to solve modern societal problems.

We'll be unveiling the work at the Glame of Hope Gala next week and the excitement around here is palpable. Watch our web site for the new PSA, as well as your favorite magazines. We will also be unveiling lots of grassroots ideas about how you can help us spread the word about this new campaign.

There's Still Time to Join Us in New York!

2008-10-14T14:47:00.000-06:00

American Indian families have the lowest incomes in the nation, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. American Indian students often must choose between attending college or putting food on the table. In tight economic times, students rely even more heavily on scholarship support.

The American Indian College Fund raises monies for much-needed scholarships in Indian Country through its gala, providing support for deserving students attending the nation’s 32 tribal colleges and universities.

We hope you will join us October 29 at Gotham Hall at 6 p.m. Special entertainment will be provided by the Red Hawk Dance Troupe and headliner Jakob Dylan.

Contact Lucia Novara for information at lnovara@collegefund.org or 303-430-5323. If you are unable to attend, your donation is always welcome.

Join Us Oct. 29 for the Flame of Hope Gala!

2008-09-25T16:08:00.001-06:00

We hope you will join us at the Fund to celebrate 40 years of tribal colleges at the 13th annual 2008 American Indian College Fund Flame of Hope Gala. This event will take place at Gotham Hall in New York City on Wednesday, October 29 at 6 p.m. The event will raise funds for student scholarships and honor a longtime supporter.

Guests will be treated to special entertainment by singer Jakob Dylan and Native dance by The Red Hawk Dance Troupe. CBS Correspondent Hattie Kauffman will be the evening’s Mistress of Ceremonies.

We will also honor our special friends at Pendleton Woolen Mills, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary, for their longtime support of the Fund.

We hope to see you in New York! To purchase a table or if you are interested in sponsorship opportunities, please contact Lucia Novara at lnovara@collegefund.org or 303-430-5323.

Financial Mess

2008-09-16T16:49:00.000-06:00

It's been a crazy week, and it's only Tuesday. With the announcement of Merrill Lynch and Lehman Brothers' insolvencies, the financial markets have gone haywire. And now the threat of the international insurer A.I.G.'s demise may cause world markets to destablize.

It's hard for people to consider giving money to charity in times like these, and even harder for organizations like the Fund to meet its funding goals, but we have a firm responsibility to American Indian students.

You see, the reality is that if times are uncertain for you, imagine what it must be like for American Indian students, 95% of which rely on funding for an education. For you, the choice between giving and not giving might be the choice between purchasing a wide-screen television or giving $1000 to the Fund. But that choice becomes life or death to a student.

A college scholarship is a lifeline to someone who can't afford to go to college and can't afford to leave a reservation, where employment can reach as much as 80%. I don't say that lightly, because an education or new skill can open the door to a new job, feeding a family, and impacting many people. A gift to the American Indian College Fund is doubly beneficial, because even in crazy times, you can still take a tax deduction on your gift--saving you money, too.

We appreciate your past support to American Indian education, and I hope we at the Fund, our students, and our tribal colleges can count on your continued support.

In Montana

2008-09-09T14:00:00.000-06:00

I am writing from Montana, where I am with several friends of the Fund on a Journey for the Mind and Spirit. These journeys take our supporters to Indian country, where they visit American Indian communities and see first-hand the sacred work that the tribal colleges are performing.

They are creating miracles. Graduates leave with self confidence and new skills. They are creating new jobs in their communities, or filling jobs that once were filled by non-Indians. Tribal colleges are providing hope to Indian people.

I always come away from Indian country energized and with a renewed sense of purpose. I know that our friends will leave dedicated to the cause of Indian education.

We are thinking about customizing our visits to Indian country to reflect the interests of our supporters. Drop me a line by posting a comment and let me know the places in Indian country that you would like to see and the tribal college programs you would be interested in learning more about.

In a good way,
RW

Welcome back, students!

2008-09-05T12:49:00.000-06:00

Labor Day weekend is officially over, and with it, summer has ended. That means one thing in the world of tribal colleges: back-to-school time!

Whether you are a new student this year or returning to complete your education after a hiatus or are headed towards the final stretch to earning your degree, I want to personally congratulate you for the strength and wisdom it took to enroll in college. Your education will be a constant companion with you throughout your life. You may lose your job, material possessions, or even struggle with illness. But once you have an education, no one can ever take that away from you. It will inform who you are, how you view the world, and how you walk upon this earth. It will impact your children, your extended family, and your partner.

You have embarked on a great personal and community journey. By choosing a higher education, you reflect well upon yourself and your people. Congratulations and good luck. Study hard, ask the hard questions, and never doubt yourself or give up and you will succeed on your journey!

Tribal College President to Speak at Democratic National Convention Today

2008-08-26T14:48:00.000-06:00

United Tribes Technical College President Dr. David M. Gipp has been invited to address the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado.

Dr. Gipp will speak to convention delegates assembled in the 20,000 seat Pepsi Center today between 3 and 3:30 p.m. MDT. His will be one in a series of talks by so-called ‘real people’ who have been asked to offer ideas on the theme of “Renewing America’s Promise.”

Dr. Gipp will focus on renewing the country’s promise for American Indians, who are largely invisible in the national consciousness.

“I consider it an honor to be selected,” said Gipp. “It’s uncommon to have access to this kind of audience for expressing a tribal viewpoint. It says something about change in America.”

Dr. Gipp is an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Tribe. He has been the leader of United Tribes Technical College since 1977.

Part of his talk will focus on the role of tribal higher education in the process of rebuilding tribal nations.

Dr. Gipp’s invitation to speak came at the recommendation of Senator Barack Obama. He was notified in a letter from Howard Dean of the Democratic National Convention Committee.

We are honored to have Dr. Gipp speak at this presitgious event about the important issue of tribal college education!

An Obligation to End High-School Drop-Outs

2008-08-18T09:40:00.001-06:00

Gail Torreano, president of AT&T Michigan, recently wrote in the Detroit Free Press about the nation's drop-out problem, especially among African American, Hispanic, and American Indian students.

"Dropping out is not a victimless choice affecting just the person who decides to leave school," she says. "That choice impacts each and every one of us. Studies have shown that students who are unprepared to enter college cost the economy $3.7 billion annually in lost earnings and remedial education."

AT&T has partnered with the United Way to create a four-year, $100 million program focused on high school retention and workplace readiness. The reason? Statistics show that high school drop-outs are more likely to be jobless, poor, have health problems, or be incarcerated.

Similar partnerships are necessary in Indian Country between corporations, the tribal colleges, and schools. But the task needs to begin before high school, starting as early as elementary school. Children need to see that college is an option, and internalize the idea that they can succeed. It's our job to start this dialog, for the seven generations.

On Being An Indian

2008-07-29T14:25:00.000-06:00

Last week I had the great pleasure of speaking at the Association of American Indian Physicians. What a wonderful group of Indian people. The whole conference was covered with a cloud of intellectualism. The students were delightful and their enthusiasm brought great joy to my heart. I shared an old Cheyenne story about always seeking to improve oneself. I am not sure any in the audience needed the advice. I was in awe as I asked several questions:

How many of you have been described as overachievers?
How many of you are competitive?
How many of you can't stop thinking?

After each question nearly everyone in the audience raised their hand.

My next question stumped them. I asked how many have a photographic memory? How have been tested to see if they have a photographic memory? Not many raised their hands. I went on to say that I expected that most of them did have photographic memories and probably never realized it. Indian people by genetic nature have a high propensity for photographic memories.

Think about survival in a land that had constant dangers and the acute memory needed to transverse the land avoiding danger or looking for game. This highly intense focus over thousands of years led to an advanced cognitive process that required photographic memories. Our ancestors excelled at total recall, remembering the smallest details and quickly recognizing even the slightest change in a very complex environment. As the survivors this became a highly developed genetic trait that has been passed on to us. It is part of our natural Indian intellect.

After I finished many of the students came up to me and said that they indeed had a photographic memory but never realized it until I had pointed it out. I felt good because I helped them realize that they were special, and I hope that someday when I am in their care and need their brilliance, they will remember me.

I had another conversation with a young man who was a very successful surgeon. He felt that the field of medicine and rigors of medical school had brainwashed him. Perhaps in this process he was diminished as an Indian person. I shared with him the story of corn. A single kernel of corn, when planted and under the right conditions, will grow into a plant that has leaves, a stalk, an ear, tassels, and even corn pollen. That single kernel will always be corn, no matter where it is planted. I told him that he will always be an Indian just like the corn will always be corn. It is in his genetic makeup and no amount of schooling can change the gift of his ancestors. He smiled and I know he was comforted by what I shared.

Heading into the Future

2008-07-21T13:48:00.001-06:00

The American Indian College Fund board of directors spent Friday of last week brainstorming and planning for the organization's five-year strategic plan.

As the economic landscape is changing, the Fund needs to change as well. Although it is important not to be too reactive, swinging the organizational philosophy to meet the economic climate which may change, it is also important to set a course for growth that is attainable and mission-driven.

We are all thrilled and excited as we embark on our journey for the next five years to continue our mission of raising funds to support American Indian students who are setting their sights on earning a college degree so that they can lead their communities, while setting goals that will enable us to increase our support in a myriad of ways.

Stay tuned as the board rolls out its vision and strategy. In the meantime, I am traveling this week, meeting tribal college presidents and continuing to carry on this sacred work that the creator has provided to me.

In a good way,
Rick

Hard at Work on a New Video

2008-07-07T11:37:00.000-06:00

Today we are hard at work, filming a new video, bringing information to our donors about the mission of the American Indian College Fund. We are also working to put the finishing touches on maps of Indian country and our tribal colleges to our donors, which also features several of our students and their stories.

Look for this information in your mailbox later this year!

Things to Remember on Independence Day

2008-06-30T09:49:00.000-06:00

American Indians are citizens of not only the United States, but our own nations, as well as citizens of the world. Our warriors have fought hard and strong for the United States in its many wars, and we are proud of that, and we are equally proud of our own nations and our Indian heritage.

All peoples are inter-dependent with other humans, animals, and the earth itself. As the Lakota say, "We are all related." We all share both pride and a stake in the future of our nations and our earth for the sake of future generations.

Have a wonderful Independence Day.

Rising Fuel Costs Will Affect American Indian Education

2008-06-18T09:34:00.000-06:00

As gas prices soar to over $4 a gallon, the costs are affecting everyone. But no one is hit harder than the nation's poorest: American Indians. With 85% unemployment on many reservations and American Indians ranking as the poorest Americans in the U.S. Census Bureau survey, they are already at an economic disadvantage. But American Indians have another disadvantage: many live in remote rural locations, and traveling to school requires that they drive long distances to attend classes. As a result, an education that was once out of reach for many is even more so.

This is why supporting the American Indian College Fund is more important than ever. As prices soar, many talented and bright American Indian students will be forced to make the choice between an education and daily necessities. But with your support, these leaders of tomorrow will have the chance to continue their education and see their dreams realized.

I'd like to thank you for your support in the past and your continued support in the future.

Graduation Time

2008-06-03T09:33:00.000-06:00

This time of year is a time of celebration. Families across Indian Country are gathering to celebrate the accomplishments of their loved ones in graduation ceremonies at tribal colleges. Learning has become a lifelong vocation for many people in Indian Country, a way to give back to the community and other generations. People like Jacob Holiday, a Navajo man from Kayenta, earned a master's degree through the Center for Dine Education, which is a partnership between Dine College and Arizona State University. He will continue his work in education, and hopes to serve as a role model for Navajo youth.

Jacob isn't alone. Students across the country are earning associates degrees, bachelors degrees, masters degrees, doctorate degrees, and certificates. These accomplishments are the result of hard work and personal and family sacrifice. So please join me in congratulating Jacob and all of our American Indian graduates this spring. Well done! We know you will do great work.