American Indian College Fund 8333 Greenwood Blvd. Denver, CO 80221 (303) 426-8900 www.collegefund.org Educating the mind and spirit

How Your Donation Helps

Akisa (Lakota)

Nursing-Medicine, Oglala Lakota College

“What really got me into medicine and nursing was my grandma. When my grandma got cancer I really wanted to understand it better and see how I could help her with her diet and things like that,” Akisa says.

“I see a lot of people getting either bad health care or negligent health care, or maybe just health workers are just overworked around here. I’ve known people who’ve waited eight hours to see a doctor and had to be turned away because it was closing time and the doctor’s schedule was too full and he didn’t have enough time to see them. People have had to wait days, sometimes even weeks, to see a doc-tor for simple or even dangerous things like spider bites or snake bites. I actually know people who have almost lost limbs because of that.”

“I feel more of our people should not only learn medicine, they should come back to the reservation and practice, which I’d like to do…working with Native patients, help-ing the people, and helping my family,” he says.

“Getting a scholarship and going to a tribal college gives me an opportunity to learn as well as learn my language and my culture.”

Allen (Lummi)

Early Childhood Education, Northwest Indian College

“I want to teach kids here because at the reserva-tion school a lot of the teachers don’t understand what is going on culturally and why the kids act the way they do. Many kids on the rez grow up being taught by non-Natives. A lot of

the kids end up in trouble because they don’t have a role model to show them their culture and teach them about their tribe and why they’re important. I am Lummi so I understand what they are going through. It will be good for them to have not just a Native teacher, but a Native male teacher from their home town. There aren’t many male teachers in early childhood education and there are not that many Native teachers out there,” Allen says.

“When I got my American Indian College Fund scholar-ship award letter I read it and my eyes and heart lit up because it helped out not just me, but my family. Without this scholarship I would have to stop going to school and start working. This scholarship is a really big help.”

American Indian College Fund 8333 Greenwood Blvd. Denver, CO 80221 (303) 426-8900 www.collegefund.org Educating the mind and spirit

Alli (Cheyenne River Lakota Nation)

Indigenous Liberal Studies/Business Entrepreneurship, Institute of American Indian Arts

Alli says, “I’m glad I made the choice to go to IAIA. It’s been very beneficial for me and has helped me grow as an individual and put me on the path towards being what I want to be, a tribal lawyer.” She encourages Native stu-dents to attend tribal colleges and universities (TCUs). “I truly believe that our TCUs are incubators for future tribal leaders. We have some very strong, young Native American leaders that are sitting behind the classroom doors and I think it is awesome that we have colleges that cater to their needs and to them culturally. I think that TCUs revitalize people’s culture. They bring Indian coun-try together at a level that is unattainable otherwise.”

Alli saved enough to be financially set for two years of schooling at IAIA, where she is pursuing a bachelor’s degree. The scholarships she received from the American Indian College Fund rescued her after those two years were up. “I wasn’t sure if I would be able to continue my education. It made me feel totally rejuvenated after I received them; it gave me an even brighter and more posi-tive outlook on what is to come for me,” she says.

Cheryl (Navajo)

Navajo/Diné Indian Studies, Diné College

Cheryl lives in a remote area of the Navajo reservation with her family in a one-room hogan, without electricity or run-ning water.

She is studying to earn a bachelor’s degree in Navajo/Diné studies in order to pursue a

career teaching young people “the heritage and beauty of the Navajo, culture, language, and arts.”

“I knew that going to a tribal college would be beneficial to me, my people, and future Native generations. I have never regretted a single semester. My educational endeavors are built on self-determination and the importance of edu-cation for my family and self. I have struggled far too long to go through any more hardships. I know life will always have its ups and downs, but there is always hope to learn, strive, endure, conquer, and succeed,” Cheryl says.

“A dream is built on the hope, faith, love, and generosity of the people who believe in the dream. Thank you for your support of American Indian scholars.”