Short Answer Questions

Tips for The Full Circle and TCU Scholarship applications

The Full Circle and TCU Scholarship applications have an essay style format with three short-answer questions.

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.

Application Tips

Application FAQs

Additional Scholarships

College Success

Students Social Media

News & Events

Funding for Tribal Colleges and Indian Health Services Essential for Native Health

Cheryl Crazy Bull, President and CEO of the American Indian College Fund

During the confirmation hearing for Indian Health Service Director nominee Mark Cruz (Klamath) last week, he stressed the role tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) play as key partners in building the health workforce Indian Country needs.

Most TCUs serve rural Indian reservation areas—the same areas where Native Americans experience the greatest health divide—where tribal nations are served by the Indian Health Service (the IHS), the federal agency responsible for providing health care to American Indians and Alaska Natives (AIAN). Established in 1955 operating within the Department of Health and Human Services, the agency was created to fulfill the federal government’s trust and treaty obligations to Native nations by delivering health care services to eligible tribal citizens.

Even as IHS serves approximately 2.8 million AIAN people from 575 federally recognized tribes across 37 states through a nationwide network of hospitals, clinics, health centers, and community health programs that provide primary care, behavioral health services, dental care, emergency treatment, and preventive health programs, many parts of Indian Country are underserved. Underfunding and limited availability of skilled health care workers in the regions it serves have created IHS staff vacancy rates hovering around 30%. Facilities are also limited, with IHS hospitals serving reservation communities providing limited beds and other medical services. In addition, per-patient spending by the IHS is significantly lower than that of Medicare, Medicaid, or the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

A two-pronged approach is needed to solve these challenges.

First, Congress must honor its treaty obligations to fund the TCUs. Located in Native communities, these higher education institutions offer students access to an affordable college education in their home communities—and grow skilled, knowledgeable future workers to serve them. TCUs hold the key to developing the future health care workforce needed in Indian Country.

For example, 14 out of 35 AIHEC member TCUs currently offer nursing degrees—ranging from associates to bachelor’s degrees in nursing—within IHS regions identified as high need areas for nursing professionals. Other programs such as dental assisting programs, mental health professional programs, and more, are offered at TCUs.

Second, Congress must remedy the funding challenges that historically plagued IHS and led to severe disparities in health care and health outcomes of Native people. Native Americans have experienced and continue to experience the lowest life expectancy of any U.S. demographic. TCUs can provide skilled workers. However, without a federal investment in IHS to modernize facilities, expand specialty care, address workforce shortages, and improve health outcomes in Native communities where IHS facilities are the primary source of health care, the problem will continue.

The American Indian College Fund joins the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) and TCU leaders in their desire to work with the current Administration and Congress to provide viable solutions to improve the health of Native people in Indian Country. Expanding the health care profession pipelines at TCUs and improving access to modern facilities and expanded health care contributes to the health equity desperately needed among tribal people. To make this vision a reality, Congress must fully fund TCUs, AIHEC-led workforce initiatives, and IHS to close funding gaps to ensure that all Native people have access to the health care they have been promised by treaty and that they deserve.

Next Leaders in Native American Finance

By Shawn Bitsui, Program Associate – College Success, American Indian College Fund

The Native American Financial Leaders Fellowship Program shares a pair of blogs reflecting on the professional development activities fellows participated in during the spring 2026 semester.

Next Leaders in Native American Finance – College Fund Fellows Attend Reservation Economic Summit

The American Indian College Fund (College Fund) established the Native American Financial Leaders Fellowship Program (NAFLFP) in 2024. This initiative provides extensive support and professional development opportunities for up-and-coming finance and business scholars developing Native communities.

Reservation Economic Summit in Las Vegas, Nevada in March 2026.

Fellows attended the Reservation Economic Summit in Las Vegas, Nev. in March. This gathering of business leaders is the epicenter for economic conversation in Indian Country. The fellows attended along with their program lead, Shawn Bitsui. Over the course of the three-day summit, fellows were exposed to breakout sessions, networking, vendor tradeshows, and speakers, including an informative speech from the College Fund’s own president and CEO, Cheryl Crazy Bull.

Jordan Dean (Ninlichik Village), a junior at Westmont College, said, “This professional development motivated Fellows more than ever coming out of the summit.”

“I was able to talk about my own goals and plans for the future, and they gave really helpful feedback on things I should focus on, skills to keep building, and different career paths I hadn’t fully considered before. It made everything feel more real for me. Instead of just learning in the classroom, I was able to connect with people actually doing the work I want to be part of. That experience definitely gave me more confidence and motivation moving forward,” said Amy Byrd (Cherokee), a senior at Northern Montana State University.

Emma DeGennaro (Choctaw), a senior at Tulane University, said, “My favorite interaction was meeting Cheryl Crazy Bull from the College Fund. Though I loved just getting to say hello and talking to her, I also really enjoyed her speaking event during the general session. Her commitment to encouraging and instilling education among youth and ensuring equal access to education for indigenous students is amazing.”

Finance Fellows Attend Center for Indian Country Development

Two American Indian College Fund (College Fund) Native American Financial Leaders Fellows (NAFLFP) ended the Spring 2026 semester with a professional development opportunity. Jordan Dean (Ninilchik Village), a junior at Westmont College, and Braden Allery (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa), a senior at United Tribes Technical College, were able to attend and present at the Center for Indian Country Development (CICD) in Minneapolis, Minn. this past May.

Center for Indian Country Development (CICD) in Minneapolis, Minnesota in May, 2026.

The fellows and their program lead, Shawn Bitsui toured the Federal Reserve facility, for networking and deep-dive sessions reviewing the CICD Survey of Native Nations and economic development. The team at CICD gave both fellows a chance to present on their fellowship projects and provided valuable feedback. CICD offered suggestions on resources, contacts, and other data that could strengthen the fellows’ projects.

Both fellows developed projects based upon their passions: Allery is considering incorporating equine therapy as part of the larger rehabilitation program he runs for his community and Dean is researching how to utilize emerging renewable energies, such as wave power technology, to help cut down energy costs in Alaska Native communities.

Allery said, “Being at CICD and hearing different viewpoints made me think more about how healing, culture, community, and economic development can all work together. I realized the benefits of sharing my vision with others and connecting and also the value of strengthening my public speaking skills to help me with my future goals”

Never Let Them Forget Who We Are: The Importance of Sovereignty Day and TCUs

On July 9, 2020, the United States Supreme Court’s ruling in McGirt V. Oklahoma reaffirmed the sovereignty of the Muscogee Creek Nation as outlined in the Treaty of 1866 and held that the land reserved for the Nation remained “Indian Country” for the purposes of criminal jurisdiction. The Tribe’s case was bolstered by its very clear and continuous exercise of sovereignty over the centuries. In honor of this legal victory and acknowledgement by the federal system, the Muscogee Creek Nation celebrates Sovereignty Day on July 9, often with activities held at the College of the Muscogee Nation (CMN), where tribal sovereignty is a cornerstone of higher education.

Students at College of Muscogee Nation

Dr. Monte Randall, College of the Muscogee Nation President, said, “Muscogee (Creek) Nation Sovereignty Day is a significant holiday for the Tribe and the communities we serve. It is a time to reflect on what sovereignty actually means in the daily lives of our citizens, the right to govern ourselves, to educate our children in alignment with our values, to speak our language, and to determine our own future. For many in our community, it is also a moment of pride and a reminder that our sovereignty was not given to us by any person or government and cannot be taken from us.”

While the federal government cannot truly bestow sovereignty onto a Native nation, it does have a history of often ignoring the sovereignty of Tribes. For example, the Muscogee Creek Nation did not always reside in Oklahoma. The U.S. Indian Removal Act of 1830 saw tribal citizens forcibly removed and marched from their homes across the Tribe’s original territory, which covered a large swath of the southeast.

Did you know?

Most Americans are unaware that there were in fact many trails of tears that saw the relocation of Native peoples from states east of the Mississippi River, including those Tribes who had been America’s allies in the War of 1812. In his push for Indian Removal, Andrew Jackson framed forced relocation as a benevolent act that would allow Natives to pursue happiness “under their own rude institutions” and gradually “cast off their savage habits” to become civilized due to the influence and protection of the federal government. He seemingly forgot with this maneuver how uncivilized and rude it was to break his treaties and alliances with several Tribes, such as the Choctaw, who played a critical role in key victories in the War of 1812, such as the Battle of New Orleans.

Students attending CMN, who receive an education built upon Muscogee cultural values and traditions, also recognize the importance of Sovereignty Day and the lessons they can learn from it. For them, the holiday offers a moment to both reflect on the long history of their people but also a reminder of what they must carry forward.

“Sovereignty Day is a reminder that we, as citizens of the Mvskoke Nation, have responsibilities and duties. Sovereignty Day is a time to consider how we can support our tribal nation and come together to carry on the joy, the beauty, and the knowledge of our culture that our ancestors wanted us to have and experience. Not only is Sovereignty Day a testament to our tribal nation’s resilience and perseverance, but it is also a testament to the sacrifice and survival of our Mvskoke heritage,” said Nathan Dunson, May 2026 CMN graduate with an Associate of Art in Native American Studies.

Tribally led higher education is key because it both recognizes the identity and responsibilities of Native students, staff, and faculty and exemplifies the long history of Native pedagogy, just as McGirt V. Oklahoma recognized the longstanding nationhood of the Muscogee Creeks.

“The most meaningful thing about being a part of the tribal college and university movement is demonstrating to the world that we have always educated our people through value systems. We have always had knowledge transfer, mentorship, and community learning. TCUs formalize and strengthen that tradition in a contemporary context, and being part of that broader movement means we are equal to all other institutions of higher learning,” said Dr. Monte Randall.

And just like Sovereignty Day, the ties to culture and positive self-identity embedded in a TCU education mean that students confidently work to achieve their dreams, no matter the challenges they might face.

“Participating in ceremonial dances and staying connected to my heritage gives me the strength and motivation to keep pursuing my goals. Because people with backgrounds like mine are not often represented, my culture remains an important part of who I am. Knowing what is true in my heart and soul helps guide my decisions, strengthens my confidence, and has greatly influenced my college journey,” said CMN general studies student, Katherine Meely.

The faculty, staff, students, and graduates of CMN represent a Native nation that has never forgotten who they are.

Short Answer Questions

Related Pages