During this year’s grant cycle, Utah was not endowed with about $3.8 million in federal funds that would have supported American Indian programs and initiatives that the College of Education has organized.
The grant money was awarded to seven other states, including Oregon and South Dakota, according to the U.S. Department of Education. The consequences of not receiving the federal grant money could put students a year off in obtaining a sufficient amount of funds to attend the U, but the College of Education promised to keep supporting them financially to achieve a college degree, said Lena Judee, interim director of the American Indian Resource Center.
“Just because a few students lost money, it doesn’t mean it has ruined them. There is plenty more,” she said.
Historically, the U has had trouble enrolling more American Indian students.Fewer than 200 American Indian students are enrolledat the U, 38 of whom are progressing onto higher degrees, according to the AIRC. But those seeking to come to the U and increase its diversity still have plenty of means to pay their way.
There is an abundant amount of American Indian scholarships and funds to be offered directly from the U as well as from outside corporations such as The Daniel Funds scholarship and The Roger Leland Goudie Scholarship, which specifically help American Indian students, as well as the Terrel H. Bell Teaching Initiative Loan Program for those who want to become teachers. None of them are in danger of being terminated.
There are many benefits the U has to financially aid future American Indian students that are not affected by the lack of federal money. The most prominent is in-state tuition that is offered to any bordering tribes of Utah. This deed has, so far, boosted the U’s goal of becoming “a front-runner of Indian education” Judee said.
The federal money would have also aided a program called The American Indian Teacher Education Collaboration, which is designed to train teachers to go back into American Indian communities and educate children.
“Even though the federal money was not granted, it is our full intention to keep supporting American Indians who want to become teachers,” said Ceceila Tso, the grants and contract officer of the College of Education.
Although these programs and scholarships are fortunately aided by other means, such as private funds, donations, and stipends, every year the College of Education will keep reapplying to receive the federal grants.
“The future is to continue to seek federal, state, tribal and scholarship funding to support American Indian students,” Tso said. “These optimistic efforts with not be discontinued.”
More scholarships for American Indians can be found at sa.utah.edu/finance.