| Winter 2026 |
Circle of Hope
Setting Native Students Up for Success
Dear Friends and Relatives,
While rest can be important, in our quest to improve quality of life for all
Native students and their families, we don’t often find ourselves in a place of rest – and that is true at this moment as well. As a matter of fact, this is our time to evaluate, plan, and prepare for and with the next class of Native scholars.
the hopes of my family and the dreams of my ancestors on my already heavy shoulders. Is this how today’s students feel, and what is our role in helping them overcome the barriers they experience in pursuing higher education?
For generations, the federal government has held a treaty obligation to educate Native people. Yet the schools serving reservation communities have been consistently and continuously underfunded, leaving countless young people to graduate from high school without the academic preparation that mainstream universities demand.
To be clear, Native students are talented, capable, and motivated. They bring cultural wisdom and Indigenous ways of thinking that offer deep strengths in creativity, problem-solving, and leadership.
But without adequate investment in early education, they also enter adulthood vulnerable – expected to navigate institutions designed without them in mind, and often without a clear roadmap.
We see this every day in the students who reach out to us:
- the first-generation freshman overwhelmed by the unspoken rules of higher education – unsure which decisions, internships, or mentors may have lifelong impact;
- the eager student still filled with doubt when she arrives in college-level writing, math, or lab sciences and sees her peers draw on prior experiences she has not had;
- the valedictorian leaving a small Tribal community for the first time, only to find a large campus isolating, competitive, or impersonal.
A student arriving at a TCU is not asked to catch up, lower expectations, or fit in. They are encouraged to let their gifts emerge, explore their interests, and shape their own goals. They learn the skills college students need – how to write, research, ask questions, and speak up in the classroom. They gain confidence not only in their academic abilities, but in who they are as Native people.
This preparation matters. Sovereign Tribal Nations need Native scientists, teachers, nurses, innovators, artists, engineers, policy leaders, and business professionals. We need Indigenous representation across every field to build strong, healthy Nations for generations to come. These roles often require more than a degree – they demand mentorship, real-world experience, and long-term planning.
TCUs help students prepare for what comes next. They do so even as shifting federal policies and unstable funding threaten students’ ability to afford tuition and colleges’ ability to retain staff, sustain programs, and keep their doors open. Despite these challenges, TCUs remain steady. They adapt. They protect Native students. And they hold fast to their mission – just as our ancestors taught usto do when the way forward is uncertain.
Your support strengthens this work. Because of your generosity, students receive scholarships, tutoring, mentoring, and direct assistance when life’s challenges arise. You help ensure that Native students are not navigating higher education alone, but are supported by a community that believes in them.
Thank you for walking with us. Your generosity supports Native students as they prepare, plan, and grow on their own terms.
With deepest gratitude,
New York EATSS 2026
Thursday, April 30 | Currents at Pier 59, Chelsea
5:30 – 8:30 PM
Tickets Now Available at www.collegefund.org/NYCEATSS
Join us for an unforgettable evening celebrating Indigenous cuisine, art, and culture!
EATSS brings together the best of Native culinary talent and artistic expression to help support our shared mission: expanding opportunity for Native students through higher education.
AN IMMERSIVE CELEBRATION OF INDIGENOUS FOOD & CULTURE
Chef Bradley Dry
Known for his heartfelt approach to traditional Cherokee dishes, Chef Dry draws on Oklahoma roots, family recipes, and local ingredients.
Chef Ben Jacobs
Co-founder of Tocabe: An American Indian Eatery, Chef Jacobs blends Osage family traditions with contemporary flavors using Native-sourced ingredients.
Chef Paul Natrall
Vancouver’s first Indigenous food truck, Mr. Bannock, is led by award-winning executive chef Paul Natrall from the Squamish Nation in North Vancouver, British Columbia.
Chef Anthony Bauer
Chef Bauer is the Economic & Workforce Specialist with the North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission, with over 25 years of experience in the food service industry.
Chef Nathan Davis
A classically trained chef from Le Cordon Bleu, Nathan has built a career that merges his deep cultural roots with his expertise in culinary arts.
Your ticket is more than admission – it is a powerful way to support and elevate the next generation of Indigenous leaders!
Reserve your tickets today. We look forward to welcoming you in April.
Not able to travel to EATSS? Follow our email updates to be informed of upcoming book clubs, webinars, and other ways to join in community and honor Native students.
JOSEPH (Tohono O’odham)
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY | ENGLISH
Finding His Path – and His Voice
“Being there to capture photos that would be published…where any relative across the nation could view it – it was a big dream of mine,” he says.
Joseph was covering a press conference where President Joseph R. Biden formally apologized to Tribal Nations for the federal government’s role in the boarding school era. The weight of the moment – history, responsibility, visibility – felt profound in his hands. He wasn’t just recording an event. He was stepping into the legacy of storytelling that has long sustained Native communities.
It was a far cry from how he felt as an 18-year-old graduating high school during the pandemic, uncertain how to move forward.
“We, as Native people, are storytellers…and that’s exactly what I aim to do – uplift, inform, and inspire Tribal Nations.”
“I didn’t have a lot of mentors to guide me,” he says.
He thought escaping was as good a plan as any. He first considered leaving for a community college. Taking a few courses without a plan felt off – he wasn’t ready to give up on a traditional university experience. Next, he tried the military out of respect for his family’s long history of service. The impersonal recruitment process left him feeling uneasy. “I realized I didn’t want to feel like a number,” Joseph offered.
That moment led him to rethink the idea of escaping at all.
Family encouraged him to consider coming “home” to Tohono O’odham Community College (TOCC), his tribe’s TCU. When he finally reached out, his outlook had shifted. “By the end of the call, I was scheduled for the upcoming semester, enrolled in classes, and excited for orientation,” he says.
It’s no exaggeration to say his life was changed by that one decision. He found mentors and peers who understood him. He learned enough O’odham to introduce himself proudly. His courses wove together Native arts, history, philosophy, and science and gave him a new sense of direction – and a reflection of himself.
“Completing that first semester felt like a rebirth. At 19 years old, that was the first time I ever experienced Native American authors and their work. TOCC helped me reconnect, be reborn, and be comfortable with who I am. Having two cultures, but thriving as one person – one person who is now knowledgeable in stories, language, and history!”
And for the first time, he experienced an education where culture and academics strengthened one another – while also learning how college works.
The tribal college environment prepared him academically for whatever would come next.
At TOCC, Joseph discovered journalism – a way to bring culture, communication, and service together.
When Joseph transferred to Arizona State University, a scholarship from the American Indian College Fund made the move possible – and deeply meaningful.
“It brought this overwhelming sense of gratitude. I had never really felt that kind of support before, where people who don’t even know you believe in you and want you to succeed. It showed me that others see potential in me – sometimes more than I see in myself. And that support helps lift a burden we carry as Native students. It tells us we are worthy, and that our dreams matter.”
Now at ASU and interning in Communications and Public Affairs with the Gila River Indian Community, Joseph feels grounded and ready to contribute.
“Finding my identity has changed my life completely,” he says. “We, as Native people, are storytellers…and that’s exactly what I aim to do – uplift, inform, and inspire Tribal Nations.”
Read Previous Newsletters!
| Fall 2025 |
NOV 7, 2025
| Summer 2025 |
SEPT 3, 2025
| Spring 2025 |
JUN 12, 2025
