The Ichigo Foundation has gifted the American Indian College Fund a $100,000 award to support the Wounspe E’cetkiya O’takuye Piya A’yazunta Pi (Reconnecting Relatives to Education) Program over the next two years. With its first four graduates celebrated in 2025, this program, that provides resources to help American Indians who’ve had encounters with the justice system complete their high school equivalency, hopes to strengthen its partnership and explore other learning opportunities.
Month: February 2026 Blogs
American Indian College Fund Wishes Pendleton Executive Vice President, Robert Christnacht, Fond Farewell
The American Indian College Fund honored Pendleton Woolen Mills’ long-time Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Robert Christnacht, at their headquarters on Tuesday, February 10 for his dedication to Native higher education ahead of his planned retirement this spring.
Investing in Tribal Colleges and Our Shared Future
During the first week of February, representatives from 36 tribal colleges travelled from across the country to Washington, D.C. to remind Congress that supporting TCUs is not optional — it’s part of the federal government’s trust and treaty obligations. TCUs are not only here; they are creating a ripple of generational change with every student who walks through their doors.
American Indian College Fund Announces Spring 2026 Faculty Fellow Cohort
The American Indian College Fund awarded a total of $96,063 to seven new faculty fellows in the spring 2026 cohort. This program supports tribal college and university faculty and staff in their graduate studies to increase the academic capacity of TCUs.
American Indian College Fund Staff Co-Author Research in Support of Indigenous Women’s Leadership
In recognition of the fact that the leadership experiences of Indigenous women is an under-researched topic, two Native leaders at the American Indian College Fund co-authored a journal article on this topic. Their team analyzed 18 peer-reviewed articles to identify key concepts and available support for Indigenous women’s leadership.
Breaking the Cycle – Considering Barriers to Higher Education
By Robert DeCoteau, Director of Workforce Education, NWIC As educators and funders, we often step in with grand plans and resources, hoping to steer young Native Americans towards success. But do we truly understand their worldview, their motivations, their...
Breaking the Cycle – Finding Purpose and Building a Foundation Through Student Success
By Robert DeCoteau, Director of Workforce Education, NWIC My own academic journey started right here on the Lummi Reservation, where I grew up. I’m not someone who followed a traditional path – I dropped out of school, worked various jobs, and later returned to...
Help the College Fund Protect Voters and Oppose the SAVE America Act
The American Indian College Fund provides vital information to our students and others in our communities to help them navigate the voter registration and voting process, because American Indians and Alaska Natives are impacted more heavily by federal laws and regulations than any other group in America due to our political status.
