More than 15 years ago I was selected to serve as the Executive Director of the American Indian College Fund. At that time, I had been working at the University of Colorado-Boulder for 17 years and needed a change. I had several job offers within a two-week period, and I consulted several friends. They all suggested that the American Indian College Fund was the place I could make the biggest difference for Indian people. I was about to begin a journey that would change my life forever.
Month: April 2012 Blogs
Hershey Company Grants $22,000 to American Indian College Fund for Scholarships
The Hershey Company granted $22,000 to the American Indian College Fund (the Fund) for Native student scholarships. The gift will provide scholarships to Native or Native descendant students attending tribal colleges or mainstream universities who are studying math, technology, science, engineering, and/or business.
New Pell Grant Policy to Hurt Non-traditional Native Students
Many non-traditional students reenter college many years after a first unsuccessful try at higher education. They may have been unsuccessful due to poor study skills; poor preparation for college due to ineffective high schools; lack of discipline; lack of financial or family support; or a combination of several factors.
The General Mills Foundation Awards Grant to American Indian College Fund
The American Indian College Fund has received a $60,000 donation from the General Mills Foundation to continue the General Mills Foundation Tribal College Scholarship Program. The grant will provide scholarships each semester to 26 American Indian students attending tribal colleges in Minnesota and New Mexico.
Richard B. Williams Awarded White Crown Award
American Indian College Fund President and CEO Richard B. Williams received the prestigious White Crown Award from the American Indian Business Leaders group during their national conference in Denver, Colo.
AIHEC Student Conference Honors the Drum
It is always great to get out and meet our students. At the 31st annual American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) Student Conference in Rapid City, South Dakota, we had that chance. Native students gather to participate in competitions and celebrate the work they do at the tribal colleges as they pursue a college education and prepare to make a difference in their communities.
Technology Helps Youngsters With Native Language
You don’t have to wait until you are attending a tribal college to learn a Native language. There are now applications for mobile phones for learning Lakota and Navajo from tinkR; Labs.
Navajo Toddler was released last year, and teaches children the words for animals, colors, and phrases. This year the company is preparing to launch the Lakota app with the same features.
MetLife Foundation Contributes $15,000 for Native Student Scholarships
MetLife Foundation granted $15,000 this month to continue the MetLife Foundation Tribal College Scholarship Program. Now in its 12th year, this program provides scholarships to Native students attending tribal colleges and universities.
International Advertising Firm Wieden+Kennedy Honors Founder David Kennedy with $10,000 Gift
The international award-winning advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy has given $10,000 for an endowed scholarship to benefit a student attending the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The scholarship was established in 2009 by Wieden+Kennedy to honor David Kennedy, the company’s co-founder who has been the guiding creative force behind the American Indian College Fund’s public service announcements for more than 20 years, at his retirement, and pledged gifts of $10,000 for each subsequent year until 2012.
American Indian College Fund Receives $20,000 for Scholarships from Newmont Mining Corporation
Newmont Mining Corporation awarded $20,000 to the American Indian College Fund to provide scholarship support to students from Colorado and/or who are from historically affiliated Colorado tribes with a minimum 2.5 grade point average. The program will provide four students attending tribal colleges or universities with a $2,500 scholarship and three students attending mainstream Colorado colleges or universities with a $3,000 scholarship during the 2012-13 academic year.
