Student Development
Explore Development Opportunities
Study Skills
No matter what your grades are, everyone needs some guidance to find success in the classroom. Here are some resources to help you develop the best study habits and skills you’ll need to get your degree:
What are Office Hours? – by Andrew Ishak
Time Management: TCU Video Project Series
Focus 2 Self-Assessment
Many people struggle with choosing an academic major during school, or job industry after graduation, but choosing a path is important when choosing your classes, internships and other career opportunities.
Focus 2 combines self-assessment, career and major exploration, decision-making and planning in one place. By matching your assessment results to career options and majors/programs for your consideration, FOCUS 2 guides you through a career and education decision-making model to help you make informed career decisions and take action in planning your future.
To use this free service, register to create an account with the access code collegefund. From there, you can take each test- personality, interests, values, and skills- to build your academic and career planning profile. Print your profile to share with an academic or career counselor or mentor to discuss your career plan or transition to a new profession.
Money Management
It is also important to understand budgeting, credit, and debt management – to help you to make responsible decisions in school, and prepare for your financial life after school. Learn about the following topics in related posts — your financial future depends on it.
- Money Management — Developing Common Cents (College Fund)
- Per Cap (First Nations Development Institute)
- Financial Skills for Families (First Nations Development Institute)
- Developing Your Vision: Managing Your Money
- Your First Bank Account
- Childcare Costs (and Ways to Reduce Them)
- When Your Child Has Special Needs
- Caring For Aging Parents
- Children and Family Considerations
Student Ambassador Program
The American Indian College Fund Ambassador Program was established in 2015 to strengthen students’ and alumni personal and professional skills and to represent the College Fund.
Our Blogs
Diana Canku, Tribal College President Earns Doctorate Degree
Diana Canku (Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate), president of Sisseton Wahpeton College and a 2009-10 academic year fellow in the American Indian College Fund’s Andrew W. Mellon Career Enhancement Program, has successfully defended her dissertation and completed her doctorate degree.
The Fund Awarded Best in Class Charity at Annual Forging Hope Event
The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians held its second annual Forging Hope Luncheon at the National Orange Show in San Bernardino, California on March 30, bringing together non-profit groups from the philanthropic community for its inaugural Yawa´ Awards Ceremony. Yawa´ is a word and concept in the Tribe’s native Serrano Language that calls for one to act on their beliefs.
Remembering Minnie Two Shoes
On April 9, the journalism world lost a fine journalist, activist, and teacher. Minnie Two Shoes (Assiniboine from the Ft. Peck reservation in Montana) passed on. She was a founder of the Native American Journalist Association, tireless teacher, journalist, and activist. Godspeed, Minnie.
Wilma Mankiller Passes On
Our sympathies and best wishes go out to the friends and family of Wilma Mankiller, who passed on from cancer this week. Mankiller was an author, lecturer and former Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. She served 12 years in elected office at the Cherokee Nation, the first two as Deputy Principal Chief followed by 10 years as Principal Chief.
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Pledges $100,000 to American Indian College Fund
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation has announced it is granting $100,000, or $50,000 in 2010 and another $50,000 in 2011, to the American Indian College Fund. The purpose of the grant is to provide two fellowships to tribal college faculty pursuing their doctoral degrees in the natural science, mathematics, and engineering fields. As part of the program, the foundation will also fund a retreat, direct recruiting, and fellow outreach to ensure the participants’ success.
Congratulations to Our Tribal College Students of the Year and Dr. Robert Martin
Thirty-three tribal college students were honored at the AIHEC Student Conference in Chandler, Arizona for their achievements as being named Students of the Year.



