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Contact

Dina Horwedel, Director of Public Education, American Indian College Fund
303-426-8900, dhorwedel@collegefund.org

Colleen R. Billiot, Public Education Coordinator, American Indian College Fund
720-214-2569, cbilliot@collegefund.org

May 2, 2024 | Press Releases, Students

American Indian College Fund Hosts Virtual Annual Summer of Success Conference

Students will learn skills to prepare for a meaningful college experience

The American Indian College Fund (College Fund) will host its Fifth Annual Summer of Success Conference: Cultivating Connections into Success from May 19 to May 21. This three-day, interactive online event is tailored to high school and college students, staff, faculty, and families, centering Native culture, experiences, and determinants of college success. Participants will learn strategies for achieving a meaningful college experience that moves them towards their career aspirations. Faculty and staff will also discuss ways to support student programming for college and career success.  

While this conference is free and open to everyone, Sunday, May 19 is the designated “All Relatives Day.” Starting at 1 p.m. MDT, the College Fund will host five different sessions focusing on connecting parents to resources, an informative FAFSA session, professional journey resources, and how to obtain accessibility accommodations in college. For participants interested in attending more than one session, the schedule is designed to allow the opportunity to attend each session twice. Each session is tailored for high school, college, tribal, traditional, and nontraditional students, and provides a broad overview of what students can expect in their academic journeys.  

To accommodate for work and school schedules, sessions on Monday, May 20 and Tuesday, May 21 will start at 3 p.m. MDT. These sessions cover a variety of topics including professional development, growing alumni networks, and other college tips and tricks. All topics will be covered in interactive informative sessions, small group workshops, professional and student panel discussions, and by guest speakers and experts in higher education.  

Each day will start with an opening session hosted by a College Fund student ambassador and a professional community leader, providing an opportunity for attendees to engage with the College Fund team and hear directly from scholars and guest speakers. 

Registration for the Fifth Annual Summer Conference: Cultivating Connections into Success is now open. Be sure to register for free today and mark your calendars for your favorite sessions! The full conference schedule is outlined in the registration, along with the names and biographies of our guest speakers.  

To register for the free conference, please visit here 

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to the American Indian College Fund Student Success Services team at sssadmin@collegefund.org or by phone at (720) 902-4283. 

About the American Indian College Fund— The American Indian College Fund has been the nation’s largest charity supporting Native higher education for 34 years. The College Fund believes “Education is the answer” and provided $17.4 million in scholarships and other direct student support to American Indian students in 2022-23. Since its founding in 1989 the College Fund has provided more than $319 million in scholarships, programs, community, and tribal college support. The College Fund also supports a variety of academic and support programs at the nation’s 35 accredited tribal colleges and universities, which are located on or near Indian reservations, ensuring students have the tools to graduate and succeed in their careers. The College Fund consistently receives top ratings from independent charity evaluators and is one of the nation’s top 100 charities named to the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance. For more information about the American Indian College Fund, please visit www.collegefund.org.  

JournalistsThe American Indian College Fund does not use the acronym AICF. On second reference, please use the College Fund. 

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