USA Funds Awards $40,000 to Celebrate 40 Years of Tribal Colleges and Universities

Supporters, guests and friends of the American Indian College Fund gathered March 19 for a USA Funds^®-sponsored event to raise awareness of the need for scholarship funds for American Indian students and to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of tribal colleges and universities.

The Indianapolis event featured a presentation of the video Hope on the Rez, which tells the stories of several American Indian students and their pursuit of a higher education.

Additionally, USA Funds presented an award of $40,000 to help support scholarships for Native American students, in recognition of the 40th anniversary of tribal colleges and universities.

 “I have heard the daunting challenges educators face in delivering quality education to American Indian students with all kinds of disadvantages on the slimmest of institutional budgets. Their stories truly are compelling,” said Carl Dalstrom, USA Funds president and CEO. “What tribal colleges have been able to achieve with extremely limited resources may, in fact, be one of the best success stories in American higher education today.”

The American Indian College Fund is the nation’s largest provider of private scholarships for American Indian students. The fund awards approximately 5,000 scholarships annually for American Indian students seeking to better their lives through continued education.

Tribal colleges combine rigorous academics with cultural tradition to provide a positive learning experience for American Indian students. As part of its support of tribal colleges, the American Indian College Fund provides support for needs at the schools ranging from capital projects to cultural preservation activities. Tribal colleges receive little or no local or state tax support.

Richard Williams, American Indian College Fund president and CEO, spoke at the event of the importance of private support for tribal colleges and universities and the unique learning environment of tribal colleges that addresses both the academic and cultural needs of American Indian students.

“One of the most important developments in the education of American Indian students has been tribal colleges,” said Williams. “They have changed the history of Indian education in America. Tribal colleges do not recreate traditional education systems; they are based on a tradition of learning, values, experiences and culture. We have large institutions serving 3,000 students to community institutions serving 100, but the common denominator is the drive and determination to ensure our students succeed.”

Over the past six years, USA Funds has awarded $600,000 to support the American Indian College Fund and its scholarship programs. This support is in line with the USA Funds mission to promote access to higher education to all deserving students. In 2007 USA Funds awarded $400,000 to five national scholarship organizations that promote access to higher education for minority students.