At The Gotham Hall, New York, NY

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

In the wake of the civil rights and American Indian self-determination movements of the 1960s, tribal leaders realized they would have to take control of the direction of education in order to reverse centuries of misguided and failed federal education policies. In 1968, the Navajo Nation created a first-of-its-kind educational institution—a college controlled by the tribe, located on the reservation and established specifically to provide higher education to tribal members. With that monumental event, the tribal college movement was born. Since then, the number of tribal colleges has grown to more than 30, and serving more than 250 American Indian Nations from every geographic region in the United States. 

Tribal colleges are beacons of hope for social and economic change in the communities they serve. These institutions are vital to Native America and beneficial to the country as a whole because they help Native communities in the fight against poverty. At the same time, tribal colleges preserve language and culture by integrating these important elements into their curriculum.

Tribal colleges receive little or no local or state tax support, so corporate, foundation and private donations are crucial. As the success of the tribal colleges grows, so does the need for private-sector support.

Tribal college presidents recognized the need to establish an organization to raise private-sector funds for the colleges and to compliment the efforts of its sister organization, the American Indian Higher Education Consortium. As a result, the American Indian College Fund was established in 1989. Originally located in New York City, the Fund's consolidated its headquarters to one office in Denver, Colorado in 2002.

The event begun with a cocktail reception at 6 p.m. Dinner and a program followed at 7 p.m., with special entertainment provided by singer Jakob Dylan and The Red Hawk Dance Troupe. CBS Correspondent Hattie Kauffman was the Mistress of Ceremonies. Pendleton Woolen Mills was honored for their support of the Fund.
Patricia Roe of USA Funds was chairing the event, with co-chairs Richard B. Black and Judy Bell. Celebrity chairs are former U.S. Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell, Benjamin Bratt, and Adam Beach.

For more information about the American Indian College Fund, log onto there website at http://www.collegefund.org 
 

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