Naabaahii Ółta’í: Native Student Veterans Peer-to-Peer Program

About The Program

The American Indian College Fund’s Naabaahii Ółta’í: Native Student Veterans Peer-to-Peer Program stemmed from a veteran resource survey conducted by the College Fund in 2019. Learnings and conversations with partners about supports Native student veterans need continued over the following five years as the $50,000 grant program was developed and eventually funded in 2023 by the May and Stanley Smith Charitable Trust. The program supports the empowerment and success of Native student veterans at TCUs through fellowship opportunities. The pilot cohort in 2024 supported one 10-month fellowship. The 2024-2025 full cohort supports three eight-month fellowships. The peer-to-peer mentorship program aims to form relationships between veterans through their shared experiences. Through this program, Native student veterans will discover how to best serve in their roles as Native veterans at their TCU and in their communities.

The program works in partnership with awarded TCU grantees and local and national veteran support organizations, meeting the needs of Native student veterans through a fellowship stipend, community-based project, networking opportunities, and educational and career advancement programming. Native student veterans work on community-based projects that support the overall health and wellness for their TCU and the communities they serve.

Naabaahii Ółta’í is Diné (Navajo) meaning student warrior.

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