Faculty are essential to creating a thriving academic and cultural environment at tribal colleges and universities (TCUs). They teach and advise students, develop culturally relevant curricula, and take on administrative duties. Yet faculty often are unable to learn from one another or foster relationships in the research arena to focus on research activities and further learning for themselves.
In response to the need for greater communications outreach at TCUs, the American Indian College Fund (the College Fund) initiated a one-year pilot project to build communications capacity and visibility for TCUs. In November 2021, the College Fund moved forward with the project and selected a limited number of TCUs to participate.
The Kresge Foundation has named Cheryl Crazy Bull, President and CEO of the American Indian College Fund, a member of the newly created Thrive Leaders Network.
The American Indian College Fund published the latest volume of the Tribal College and University research journal. Volume 6 of the research journal contains case studies focused on topics such as seed germination, culture as a method to improve mental health, and methods for increasing Native student success.
The doctoral dissertation fellowship supports TCU faculty in the final stage of their doctoral program with a one-year award to complete their dissertation and requirements for graduation. The College Fund established these fellowships to increase and retain the number of faculty with doctoral degrees at 35 accredited tribal colleges and universities (TCUs).
Strategic Plan 2022-2026Jump to InitiativeStudent SuccessTCU Capacity-BuildingSustainabilityPublic AwarenessCommunity and Cultural EngagementVision We provide scholarships, programming to improve American Indian and Alaska Native student access to higher education,...
The American Indian College Fund selected and trained 11 new student ambassadors for its 2022-23 cohort. Now in its eighth year, the College Fund Student Ambassador Program gives Indigenous students the leadership and communications skills to create greater visibility of Native Americans and an understanding of the importance of their diverse cultures.
The American Indian College Fund’s faculty fellowship programs are creating greater education expertise in Indian Country, while building the academic and intellectual capacity of the 35 tribal colleges and universities it supports. In 2021-22 the College Fund awarded more than $366,150 to 22 faculty members.
The College Fund is pleased that President Biden has announced that individuals making under $125,000 a year may cancel $20,000 of their student loan debt. Affordable access to higher education for Indigenous students was lacking up until the 1960s and creating those pathways to higher education was the intention of the founders of the tribal college movement.
American Indian College Fund’s Ihduwiyayapi Advancing Indigenous Early Childhood Education (IECE) Builds Community of Practice for Indigenous Educators
