Lumina Foundation for Education Grants $25,000
to American Indian College Fund

Denver (June 24, 2008)—Lumina Foundation for Education announced that it is continuing its commitment to American Indian education by donating $25,000 to assist tribal colleges students to enroll and succeed in earning their baccalaureate degrees at the University of Oklahoma or Southeastern Oklahoma State University. The donation is in honor of the foundation's former employee, Leah Austin, in honor of her retirement. Austin established The Austin Family Scholarship Endowment to celebrate the lives and honor the memories of her late husband Sam Marion Austin and his two sisters Wauhillau Austin Gale and Malacha Austin Gaddy. The Endowment pays tribute to the three siblings' Choctaw heritage; their love of the state of Oklahoma; and the value their family placed on a higher education. The endowment will be administered by the American Indian College Fund and will be awarded to students from Oklahoma tribes.

The Austin Family Scholarship Endowment is designed to provide an incentive for tribal college students with financial need who are enrolled in associate degree programs to continue their education. Selected Austin Scholars will be eligible to receive support at tribal colleges, and to receive support to continue toward the baccalaureate degree at either the University of Oklahoma or Southeastern Oklahoma State University.

Austin Scholars will also be included in the American Indian College Fund's well-established “Helping Hands” program, a student support program aimed at increasing retention rates by providing advice and encouragement to students. Helping Hands gives students the opportunity to discuss their progress, including barriers to success.

The American Indian College Fund supports qualified American Indian scholars by providing financial support to encourage them to remain in college and complete a college degree. The Fund believes in facilitating students' education to make a better life for themselves and their families, while providing valuable contributions to their communities and nation.

About the American Indian College Fund
With its credo “Educating the Mind and Spirit,” the Denver-based American Indian College Fund is the nation's largest provider of private scholarships for American Indian students, providing more than 6,000 scholarships annually for students seeking to better their lives and communities through education at the nation's 32 accredited tribal colleges and universities.

About the Lumina Foundation for Education Lumina Foundation for Education, an Indianapolis-based private foundation, strives to help people achieve their potential by expanding access to and success in education beyond high school. Through grants for research, innovation, communication and evaluation, as well as policy education and leadership development, Lumina Foundation addresses issues that affect access and educational attainment among all students, especially underserved student groups such as minorities, students from low-income families, first-time college-goers and working adults.  The Foundation believes postsecondary education is one of the most beneficial investments individuals can make in themselves and that a society can make in its people.