Short Answer Questions
Tips for The Full Circle and TCU Scholarship applications
These sections are your chance to share your story and give readers an opportunity to see how a scholarship would help you achieve your stated educational and professional goals and require you to discuss three elements: an obstacle that you have overcome in order to get to where you are now; your educational goals and how this scholarship will help you achieve those; and how your education will help your Native community.
We recommend that you type out your responses to the short-answer question in a Word document (like this template) to ensure safe keeping if you need to abandon the application before submission.
To enhance this section, start by creating an outline of your thoughts and initial answers to each question. The outline does not need to look perfect, but it will allow you to start thinking about and organizing these questions and how they relate to each other.
Here are two sample outlines to help get you started:
- A Visual Outline for those who prefer to see the outline as part of the big picture.
- A Textual Outline for those who prefer a more linear approach.
- Whichever outline you choose, remember that they are not meant to be exhaustive. They are designed to help you organize your thoughts and begin planning for writing your final responses.
- There is no right or wrong answer for these questions, but it is very important that you provide a thorough response to each short-answer question.
As always, don’t forget to check your grammar and spelling!
NOTE: The short-answer section is ONLY available in the application, not in the profile. This means you must have all of your application ready (INCLUDING YOUR TRANSCRIPT READY TO UPLOAD) when you answer these questions; otherwise your answers will not be saved.
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News & Events
American Indian College Fund Publishes Eighth Volume of The Tribal College and University Research Journal:
American Indian College Fund Publishes Eighth Volume of The Tribal College and University Research Journal:
Features TCU Faculty Research Benefitting Both Indigenous and Research Communities
July 24, 2025, Denver, Colo.— The American Indian College Fund, with generous funding from the Henry Luce Foundation, published volume 8 of the Tribal College and University Research Journal. This one-of-a-kind publication was first launched in 2016 and supports tribal college and university (TCU) faculty in disseminating their academic work to Indigenous communities and the wider research community. The journal publishes articles in a variety of fields such as environmental science, Indigenous health and wellness, student success, and tribal college program development.
Volume 8 contains three articles on the topics of Indigenous approaches to research and sustainability, community-based math resources, and TCUs as sites of healing and resilience. Volume 8 of the research journal can be found on the College Fund’s website at https://collegefund.org/tcurj-v8. Printed copies of the research journal are available at no charge by contacting Heidi Normandin at hnormandin@collegefund.org.
About the American Indian College Fund— The American Indian College Fund has been the nation’s largest charity supporting Native higher education for 35 years. The College Fund believes “Education is the answer” and provided $20.5 million in scholarships and other direct student support for access to a higher education steeped in Native culture and values to American Indian students in 2023-24. Since its founding in 1989 the College Fund has provided more than $349 million in scholarships, programs, community, and tribal college support. The College Fund also supports a variety of programs at the nation’s 34 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. It earned a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, a Gold Seal of Transparency from Guidestar, and the “Best in America Seal of Excellence” from the Independent Charities of America. The College Fund was also named as one of the nation’s top 100 charities to the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance. For more information about the American Indian College Fund, please visit www.collegefund.org.
About the Henry Luce Foundation – The Henry Luce Foundation seeks to deepen knowledge and understanding in pursuit of a more democratic and just world. Established in 1936 by Henry R. Luce, the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Time, Inc., the Luce Foundation advances its mission by nurturing knowledge communities and institutions, fostering dialogue across divides, enriching public discourse, amplifying diverse voices, and investing in leadership development.
Journalists—The American Indian College Fund does not use the acronym AICF. On second reference, please use the College Fund.
Defy the Storm: American Indian College Fund’s New PSA Addresses Challenges Indigenous Students and Communities Face with Funding Cuts
Defy the Storm: American Indian College Fund’s New PSA Addresses Challenges Indigenous Students and Communities Face with Funding Cuts
Denver, Colo., July 22, 2025— A “storm” of activity is coming from Washington in the form of funding cuts and executive orders, upending the lives of Native American communities and students; jeopardizing access to the funding, education and opportunity that helped create progress for decades to ensure the success of tribal nations, communities, and people. The American Indian College Fund (the College Fund), the nation’s largest charity supporting Native higher education for the past 35 years, is working to ensure Native American students and communities have the support and resources they need to navigate today’s unprecedented challenges.
Recent government actions fail to honor ongoing treaty commitments and trust obligations to Native people and tribal nations, negatively impacting the ability of Native people to survive and thrive. But the College Fund, its students, tribal nations, and Indigenous communities aren’t running from this “storm”—they are tackling these challenges with fearlessness and resilience. Native students are standing strong—continuing to show up, work hard, and learn—with the College Fund working alongside them to ensure they complete their education and pursue their career goals to lead their communities.
To illustrate the challenges Native students are facing, the College Fund is launching its new public service announcement, Defy the Storm, featuring three of its scholarship recipients: Promise (Yankton Sioux Tribe and Santee Sioux Nation), Sky (Navajo/Diné), and Tasheena (Navajo/Diné).
Promise (Yankton Sioux Tribe and Santee Sioux Nation)
The current “storm” is causing irreparable damage to Native youth like Promise, Sky, and Tasheena, and their communities. In 2022, American Indian and Alaska Natives ages 18-24 had the lowest college-going rate of any group in the United States, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Although there are many reasons for this, a lack of financial resources tops the list. Without funding, our hard-working students will face even more obstacles to earning a college degree or learning the trade of their choice, resulting in knowledge and skill gaps in their communities. Without an educated workforce, Native and rural communities will face shortages of skilled workers and services—and the economic impact on families, regions, and our nation will be devastating.
Defy the Storm calls upon supporters of higher education and Native communities to help bolster thriving, self-sustaining people and communities nationwide by learning more about the Native students the College Fund serves – and ensuring they continue to receive an education. People can learn more at indigenouseveryday.com.
Advertisers: For information about the PSA, available in video and audio format for placement with your outlets, please contact: Sam Hoover, shoover@collegerfund.org, (303) 285-1466.
About the American Indian College Fund — The American Indian College Fund has been the nation’s largest charity supporting Native higher education for 35 years. The College Fund believes “Education is the answer” and provided $17.4 million in scholarships and other direct student support to American Indian students in 2023-24. Since its founding in 1989 the College Fund has provided more than $319 million in scholarships, programs, community, and tribal college support. The College Fund also supports a variety of academic and support programs at the nation’s 34 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 and is a Charity Navigator four-star charity. For more information about the American Indian College Fund, please visit www.collegefund.org.
Photos: Defy the Storm is the American Indian College Fund’s new public service announcement featuring its scholarship recipients and addressing the devastating impact government funding cuts will have on Native students.
Journalists—The American Indian College Fund does not use the acronym AICF. On second reference, please use the College Fund.