Press, Media, Financials

Media Inquiries

Reporters: Please contact Dina Horwedel at dhorwedel@collegefund.org or 303-426-8900

Speaker Requests: To request a speaker from our organization for your conference or event, please submit the request form.

Press Releases

American Indian College Fund Awards Four Tribal Colleges with Four-Year Computer Science Initiative Grants

American Indian College Fund Awards Four Tribal Colleges with Four-Year Computer Science Initiative Grants

Computer science education provides today’s college students the necessary skills and opportunities to thrive in today’s world. Yet American Indian and Alaska Native peoples are still and have been historically underrepresented in the computer science fields. To remedy that, the American Indian College Fund launched its Tribal College and University Computer Science Initiative to create new and expand existing computer science programs at higher education institutions serving American Indian and Alaska Native students to meet the community and workforce needs of Indigenous communities and to provide career opportunities for Native students in computer science fields.

American Indian College Fund Receives Unrestricted Gift from MacKenzie Scott Foundation

American Indian College Fund Receives Unrestricted Gift from MacKenzie Scott Foundation

The College Fund learned the MacKenzie Scott Foundation, headed by the billionaire novelist and philanthropist of the same name and her husband Dan Jewett, selected it to receive an unrestricted gift. Cheryl Crazy Bull, President and CEO of the American Indian College Fund said, “This gift is timely and pivotal because, in combination with the generosity of our network of current and future supporters, we now have the capacity to grow greater opportunities for American Indian and Alaska Native communities and to create lasting change. MacKenzie Scott and Dan Jewett’s acknowledgement of our work is a testament to the important role of education to transform the lives of our students, their families, and communities.”

The College Fund is committed to eliminating the college attainment gap among Indigenous people and continues to appreciate and rely upon the support of every one of its current and future supporters to meet its goals to transform the lives of Indigenous students, their families, and their communities through a higher education.

College Fund in the News

Will Race-Based Scholarships Survive?

Inside Higher EdJun 19, 2026

Inside Higher Ed interviewed American Indian College Fund Vice President of Student Success Services, Tiffany Gusbeth, and others on how the Trump administration's stance declaring race-based scholarships and programs as "unlawful practices" may cost students historically underrepresented in higher ed.

Shaken Faith: How Federal Cuts Undermine Trust

Northwest News ServiceJun 10, 2026

In this article by Northwest Area Foundation, American Indian College Fund President and CEO, Cheryl Crazy Bull, and student ambassador, Sasha Derenoff, share how federal budget cuts are making students hesitant to pursue careers in public service and adjacent positions that are often most needed by communities.

Federal budget could shutter America's Tribal colleges and universities

Public News ServiceMay 14, 2026

The Public News Service shares the concerns of American Indian College Fund President and CEO, Cheryl Crazy Bull, regarding cuts in funding to TCUs in the Trump administration's proposed 2027 budget.

New computer science in art degree brings worlds together at Santa Fe’s IAIA

Santa Fe New MexicanApril 13, 2026

The Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe is launching an innovative computer science degree that blends coding with Indigenous art, storytelling, and creative technology. The program aims to prepare students for careers in digital media, interactive design, and contemporary arts by treating programming as both a technical skill and an artistic medium.

Tribal Colleges Brace for Disruption as Oversight Shifts to Interior Department

Inside Higher EdDec 4, 2025

Tribal college and university presidents air their concerns about the U.S. Department of the Interior taking over management of federal funding for tribal higher education. They are calling on the department to adhere to treaty and trust obligations by consulting with Tribes and tribal educators and for assurances from the federal government that funding mechanisms and support will be maintained.

Why We Must Fully Fund Tribal Colleges and Universities

ForbesSep 11, 2025

American Indian College Fund president and CEO, Cheryl Crazy Bull, explains why the Trump administration’s proposed 90% cut to post-secondary funding under the Bureau of Indian Education is not just a budget decision but a default on treaty obligation. The threat is not just to TCUs or tribal communities but also rural communities that rely on the trained workforce TCUs provide.

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Student Biographies

Student Biography Samantha Maltais

Deanna
(Navajo)

Growing up on the Navajo reservation in Blue Gap, Arizona, Deanna learned early in life that determination and focus are the keys to lifting oneself out of adversity.

Student Biography Samantha Maltais

Sam
(Cherokee)

Sam’s chosen career path is all about words – using words to teach, to change hearts and minds, to rewrite truthful history, to document and preserve culture and language, and to shape the future. Sam’s vision for all Native people is to have a voice, and he wonders what our world would look like today if Native voices had been included in the growth and evolution of our country.

Student Biography Jamie Artussee

Promise
(Yankton and Santee Sioux)

“Resilience is in my DNA,” says Promise, reflecting on her upbringing. Surrounded by instability, drug abuse, and a responsibility to protect her younger siblings, Promise views her education as proof that nothing will stop her from achieving her goals.

Student Biography Jamie Artussee

Selena
(Pascua Yaqui)

Throughout her journey, Selena has seen the barriers that prevent her people from traveling on the path they want to take. Being a single mom with four kids, two of whom have special needs, she has first-hand experience with the lack of resources and culturally centered support available in Native communities. This is why Selena has taken it upon herself to receive the education she needs to be a guiding light for her tribal community and help clear a better path for them.

Campaigns and Advertising

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Please direct advertising inquiries to (303) 426-8900.