Celebrate Native American Heritage Month with Us!

Nov 9, 2018 | Blog, Inside the College Fund, Native American Heritage Month

Photo of Native American College Students posed against a sky

Photo of Native American College Students posed against a skySince the early 1990s, November has been set aside to recognize the significant contributions of first Americans to the establishment and growth of the United States.

For us at the American Indian College Fund, Native American Heritage Month is an opportunity to celebrate our students’ successes, their victories, and their contributions.

This year we asked a few of our students to share recommendations of some of their favorite things with you – from recipes to books and movies, and everything in between. They also share the stories behind their recommendations – their traditions, cultural histories and memories. Blue (Creek Nation) shared with us that his favorite book is There There by Tommy Orange, saying that it’s everything he’s ever wanted in an urban Native story. To see more of Blue’s recommendations, and those of our other students, please visit collegefund.org/heritage-month.

Native American Heritage Month is the perfect opportunity for you to learn more about tribal culture, history, language and traditions. And it’s the perfect time to make a generous gift to the College Fund to ensure our heritage will continue for seven generations to come.

On behalf of all our students, we thank you so much for all you do. Your support has resulted in so many successes – and the more we can build on our successes, the brighter the future will be for all American Indian people.

While Native American Heritage Month is limited to the month of November, the need to provide scholarships to hardworking young American Indians continues throughout the year. Please help us continue to make our students’ dreams a reality and celebrate with us!

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The American Indian College Fund recognizes that the historical and lived experiences of Native people are deeply impacted in many negative ways by the founding of the United States. We also recognize that the protection of inherent and acquired rights as American Indians and Alaska Natives is vital and essential to our self-determination and identities. For that reason, the American Indian College Fund is exploring the meaning of democracy during the United States’ 250th anniversary year. We invite our tribal college students to join us in this exploration.

Dr. Cynthia Lindquist Joins American Indian College Fund as Chief Strategy Officer 

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Dr. Cynthia Lindquist, Spirit Lake Dakota Tribe, whose Dakota name is Ta’sunka Wicahpi Winyan (Star Horse Woman), joined the American Indian College Fund as its Chief Strategy Officer on March 2. Dr. Lindquist holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of North Dakota and a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of South Dakota. She served as president of Cankdeska Cikana Community College (CCCC) for 21 years and previously sat on the College Fund’s board, making her familiar with the organization’s work. Under her leadership, CCCC’s physical campus quadrupled in size; student enrollment, persistence, and completion rates more than doubled; and 20 years of audits were conducted with no findings. She also oversaw the transition of managing the Spirit Lake Tribe’s Head Start and Early Headstart programs.

American Indian College Fund Names Dr. Leander “Russ” McDonald, President of United Tribes Technical College, its 2025-2026 Tribal College and University President Honoree of the Year

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