American Indian College Fund’s Tiffany Gusbeth, VP of Student Success Services, Named A “Leading for Equity” Fellow

National College Attainment Network and UMB Program to Develop C-Suite Leaders of Color

Denver, Colo.—January 24, 2022– Tiffany Gusbeth (Northern Cheyenne Nation), Vice President of Student Success Services at the American Indian College Fund, was one of 12 individuals chosen nationwide to participate in the inaugural cohort of Leading for Equity Fellowship program through the National College Attainment Network (NCAN) and sponsored by UBS. At college attainment organizations, people of color are often well-represented among student-serving positions, but not in executive leadership. The program is designed to expand the number of leaders of color represented in the C-suite within organizations in the college attainment field.

Fellows will strengthen their capacity to address systemic issues of power, privilege, oppression, and equity within organizations, communities, and systems. The goals of this largely virtual fellowship are to, among other things, help participants:

• • distill their greatest leadership strengths,
  • build skills in key executive leadership competencies, such as fundraising, organizational management, inclusive leadership, managing team dynamics, and strategic planning,
  • strengthen their capacity to address systemic issues of power, privilege, oppression, and equity within organizations, communities, and systems, and
  • grow their supportive network of peers, mentors, and long-term connections in the field.

Gusbeth is responsible for the development and implementation of student support systems and strategies for Native student success. She oversees scholarships, college access, career readiness, student engagement, strategic enrollment management, and the development of an organizational student and program management database at the College Fund. Her passion is ensuring the work is accomplished with respect and with a cultural match to those she serves.

Having a similar educational and cultural background to the students in the communities she serves informs Gusbeth’s understanding of the work her team does and is vital to her leadership. A first-generation college graduate and former American Indian College Fund scholarship recipient, she first earned her G.E.D. at Chief Dull Knife College, an accredited two-year tribal college located on the Northern Cheyenne reservation, and transferred to Western Colorado University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree.

Prior to joining the College Fund, Gusbeth served as a financial aid and scholarship advisor at several community colleges and four-year higher education institutions. In these roles, she was responsible for helping students and their families understand and obtain federal student aid. This background in financial aid and student services provided the perfect foundation for supporting American Indian College Fund scholarship applicants and recipients.

“If we want to ensure more equity in college attainment for communities of color, then investing in the talented pipeline of leaders proximate to those communities is imperative,” said Jamie Sears, Head of Community Impact and Corporate Responsibility for UBS and secretary of the NCAN board of directors. “UBS congratulates the 12 extraordinary individuals who make up the first cohort of the inaugural Leading for Equity Fellowship–we’re excited for you and your leadership journey!”

Gusbeth said, “I was encouraged by my colleagues to apply for this fellowship. As a newer team member on the College Fund’s executive team, this fellowship will provide me training in leadership development, an opportunity to network with peer leaders of color in similar trajectories and will also deepen my knowledge in strategies and approaches to address systemic issues related to diversity and equity within organizations and communities. Our President/CEO and other executive leaders have also made the commitment to explore and address issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion to strengthen our organization and better support our staff. I believe participating in a fellowship like this will allow me to contribute to this conversation in a deeper way.”

Cheryl Crazy Bull, President and CEO of the American Indian College Fund, said, “It is an honor to support Tiffany Gusbeth’s development as an Indigenous woman leader. The College Fund works with increasingly complex and diverse Native communities. People like Tiffany, whose lived experiences align with those of our students who study at our tribal colleges, are invaluable to our success. We are particularly excited that Tiffany’s participation in the NCAN Fellowship is so timely as we strengthen our vision of inclusive equity as a Native-led, Native-serving organization.”

About the American Indian College Fund—The American Indian College Fund has been the nation’s largest charity supporting Native higher education for 32 years. The College Fund believes “Education is the answer” and provided $15.5 million in scholarships and other direct student support to American Indian students in 2020-21. Since its founding in 1989 the College Fund has provided more than $259 million in scholarships, program, and community 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.

Photo: Tiffany Gusbeth (Northern Cheyenne Nation), Vice President of Student Success Services at the American Indian College Fund, is one of 12 National College Attainment Network Leading for Equity fellows.

Journalists: The American Indian College Fund does not use the acronym AICF. On second reference, please use the College Fund.American Indian College Fund’s Tiffany Gusbeth, VP of Student Success Services, Named A “Leading for Equity” Fellow