Winter is a special season, full of holidays, good food, good company. And no matter the culture, storytelling and the spirit of reflection, growth, giving, and gratitude take center stage this time of year. It is no different for Native peoples, many of whom wait to tell certain stories on long, cold winter nights.
Stories help ground us in culture and history while passing on knowledge. They teach us how to be. It’s perfect timing then, to have the American Indian College Fund publish its annual and impact reports during the holiday season, as we celebrate all that we’ve accomplished on behalf of the students and tribal colleges we served this past year and share our hopes for the future.
Take for instance the story of Michael, a College Fund scholar and tribal college faculty member at Turtle Mountain College (TMC). Juggling his own higher education goals while he teaches others, Michael is set to become the University of Mary’s first Native graduate from the business administration doctoral program. His success serves as an example others aspire to, including his own daughters Aaliyah and Gracelyn, now students at TMC themselves.
Or consider the work of Kianna, a College Fund student ambassador who is putting her cultural knowledge and academic degrees to good use serving as a Tribal Conservation Program Fellow through the Aspen Institute and an Education and Engagement Youth Advisory Council Member for the National Wildlife Federation. Kianna is a staunch advocate for Indigenous-led stewardship and youth leadership development, even as she continues her education.
Such stories give Native individuals and communities hope that dreams are attainable and that a better future is possible. They also reflect the true wealth of Tribes and the College Fund. Traditionally, for many Indigenous peoples, true wealth is not about what they have, but what they share with their communities. Simply look at the potlatch traditions of the Pacific Northwest, where individuals hold communal feasts and give gifts to the attendees, or consider that the word please does not exist in western Muskogean languages, as tribal members believe one should not have to beg for what is needed to thrive. In Indigenous communities, wealth is measured by contributing to the success of the community as a whole and the strong ties between members that hold it together. The College Fund, a Native-serving and Native-led organization, shares this same mindset.
In 2024-25, we provided more than $23 million in scholarships and other support to nearly 7,000 Native scholars. With 150,600 Native students supported through $221 million since 1989, we like to believe that our wealth is measured in the stories of success shared by scholars like Michael and Kianna. It’s in the 93% of College Fund scholars who stay to serve their communities after graduation, the billions of dollars in economic growth the tribal colleges and universities (TCU) bring to their communities, and the lifechanging force that funding brings. For some of our students, financial support has turned homelessness and an uncertain future into safety, nourishment, and hope.
Yet, there is always room to do more. American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) students still have the lowest college enrollment in the country of any racial or ethnic group at 25%. More than 75% of AIAN students and 69% of TCU students receive Pell Grants, indicating financial need. Today, Pell Grants cover only approximately 30% of college costs compared to the 75% or more coverage of the 1970s and early 80s. The College Fund strives to fill in the funding gap but cannot meet everyone’s needs. Some 13,500 applicants applied for scholarships in 2024-25, with more than half being first-generation students and half serving as caregivers for family members who might not otherwise be able to attend college without our financial support. Of those student applicants, we did not have the means to help some 6,600 students.
While we have helped contribute to many students’ successes, we hope to help even more next year. Though we cannot predict the stability or amount of government funding for Native higher education in the new year, we look forward to working with our partners and supporters to continue growing the financial and other means to support Native students. In their future and success lies the true wealth of our communities.
