The Coca Cola Foundation and the American Indian College Fund honored 33 American Indian scholarship recipients at its 2012-13 Coca-Cola First Generation Scholarship banquet at the American Indian Higher Education Consortium Student Conference in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
The American Indian College Fund honored 33 American Indian scholarship recipients at its 2012-13 Student of the Year reception at the American Indian Higher Education Consortium Student Conference in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The program, sponsored by the Adolph Coors Foundation, awarded each honoree a $1,000 scholarship.
On Friday, the Fund’s staff was given a rare treat: the opportunity to hear from both a TCU president and TCU student in one day. The presentation highlighted their challenges, successes, and overall vision for their tribe’s future. Sharing these words were President of Little Big Horn College, Dr. David Yarlott, and a first-year business student, Riley Singer.
The Coca-Cola Foundation is continuing its support of first-generation Native American scholars through a donation of $250,000 to the American Indian College Fund. The Coca-Cola Foundation First Generation Tribal Scholarship Program will continue to increase access to higher education and leadership development opportunities for tribal college students that are the first in their families to attend college. At least one scholar at each of the 34 tribal colleges is selected to be a Coca-Cola scholar.
Phil Jackson sponsors fundraising campaign to raise money for Native scholarships to benefit the Fund–and one lucky donor will get to meet him April 12. The campaign is currently slated to end in March, with a winner being chosen March 27. Airfare and hotel are included in the trip. Donations are not required to enter for a chance to meet Mr. Jackson.
In November I had the opportunity to attend my first professional gathering as the new President of the American Indian College Fund. Combined with my attendance at my first meeting of the Board of the Native Ways Federation during the annual National Congress of American Indian conference in October, this event helped me understand the importance of charitable standards of performance for organizations that are raising money in Indian country.
For me, this time of year means travel. It means recruiting for a program I care deeply about – the University of Colorado Upward Bound Program. My trips begin with a flight to a small town like Durango, Colorado or Fayetteville, North Carolina or in the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Sometimes I fly all day just to end up on a little commuter plane with two-seats on each side of the aisle, and fly through turbulence to land in a different place in a new state.
Native American Heritage Month is a great time to show your support for Native American students in higher education. We invite you to share in the celebration and learn more about Indian Country with the fun articles, activities and blogs we have planned this month. We hope that you will visit our blog regularly to hear from our guest writers who all bring their unique Native perspective for your enjoyment and enlightenment.
Ford Motor Company Fund has renewed a $50,000 grant to the American Indian College Fund for the Ford Motor Company Blue Oval Scholars Program. Ten tribal college scholarships and five mainstream university scholarships at $3,000 each are available for Native students studying science, technology, engineering, math, or business. All applicants must have a 3.0 grade point average.
The American Indian College Fund’s historic five-year $17.5 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., named Woksape Oyate, Lakota for “Wisdom of the People,” has concluded its final year. The program helped 32 tribal colleges build upon Native intellectual capital by tailoring programs to address individual school needs while strengthening the entire tribal college system.
