In the spring of 2017, the College Fund awarded four tribal college and university grantees $50,000 each for two consecutive years to implement a year-round program to increase the college readiness and college-going-environments for American Indian and Alaska Native high school sophomores, juniors and seniors preparing for a higher education.
The program aims to improve reading comprehension, research and essay-writing, understanding of math and science concepts, knowledge of college admissions processes, and awareness of the first-year college experience amongst program participants.
Participatory colleges include Fort Peck Community College, Wolf Point, Mont.; Cankdeska Cikana Community College in Spirit Lake, North Dakota; Northwest Indian College, Bellingham, Wash.; and Ilisagvik College, Barrow, Alaska.
For more information on this program please contact Teresa Melendez, College Success Coordinator
Phone: (303) 430-5359 | E-mail: tmelendez@collegefund.org
Program Grant Recipients
Cankdeska Cikana Community College
The Cankdeska Cikana Community College (CCCC) Bridge Program is designed to increase college readiness and provide a college-going environment for high school students preparing for higher education. Emphasis is placed on increasing academic skills such as reading comprehension, research and essay writing, science and mathematical concepts, college admissions knowledge, and first-year college experience awareness.
CCCC will offer a three-week summer institute covering a variety of disciplines to increase or enhance multiple academic skills to prepare for college. Beginning in August 2017, it will offer weekend academies, one each month for five hours through April. The CCCC Bridge Program goals aim to increase or enhance academic skills, increase the number of college bound students on the Spirit Lake Nation and local communities, inform parents of the college process and to offer assistance, and teach Dakota values to strengthen self-esteem and confidence. Students will be eligible for a stipend at the completion of each session.
Learn more about the program with this informational brochure.
Contact Information:
Cheryl Longie, Director TRIO Talent Search
Phone: (701) 766-1318 | E-mail: cheryl.longie@littlehoop.edu
Fort Peck Community College
The BRIDGE Academy is a Fort Peck Community College (FPCC) initiative focused on providing Fort Peck High School students with increased college access planning and early entrance opportunities. Forty high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors each year will be selected to participate from Brockton, Poplar, Wolf Point and Frazer schools. Students will be matched with a web of FPCC college student mentors and staff to work their way through college curriculum, college campus visits, culturally focused backpacking trips, and life-planning coursework.
For more information visit the Fort Peck Community College website.
Learn more about the program with this informational brochure.
Contact Information:
Elijah Hopkins, Vice President for Student Services
Phone: (406) 768-6371 | E-mail: ehopkins@fpcc.edu
Ilisagvik College
Located in Barrow, Alaska, Ilisagvik College is the only tribal college in Alaska. Ilisagvik College is dedicated to perpetuating and strengthening Iñupiat culture, language, values and traditions.
Ilisagvik will deliver the Native Pathways to College curricula to North Slope youth and help students transition to college through parent community nights and the Bridge curriculum.
The 2017-2018, 2018-2019, and summer 2018 programs will be delivered in person, through teleconference and online using Moodle, Blackboard and Google Apps for Education.
Learn more about the program with this informational brochure.
Contact Information:
Dr. Pearl Brower, Iḷisaġvik President and Bridge Program Administrator
Phone: (907) 852-1820 | E-mail: pearl.brower@ilisagvik.edu
Northwest Indian College
Northwest Indian College (NWIC) is committed to helping youth engage in meaningful opportunities to experience and discover their potential as learners in higher education. The NWIC College Pathways Bridge Program and Summer Camp is offered to students entering tenth-twelfth grade during the 2016-17 school year. In summer, participants will engage in a two-week learning program to prepare them for college and strengthen knowledge in math, science, reading and writing, as well as the college admissions process.
For more information, please visit the Northwest Indian College website and Facebook Page.
Learn more about the program with this informational brochure.
Contact Information:
Nathanael P. Davis, MES, FYE – Natural Science Instructor
Phone: (360) 392-4271 | E-mail: ndavis@nwic.edu
