Native Forward Scholars Fund, the largest direct provider of scholarships for Native students, will celebrate its 55th anniversary on April 2 at 6-9 p.m. with a gala at Venue 808 in San Diego.
This year’s gala, themed “Empowering Native Futures,” is not only a milestone, but also a high energy celebration of Native scholars, their achievements, and the transformative power of education in Indigenous communities. Supporters, alumni, and advocates will come together for a night filled with inspiration, entertainment, and opportunities to make a lasting impact.
Angelique Albert, CEO of Native Forward Scholars Fund, said only 55 years ago, there were only 38 Native lawyers, 15 Native doctoral students, and 30 Native medical doctors.
“That same year, Native Forward Scholars Fund (previously the American Indian Graduate Center) was founded to expand access to quality higher education for all Native students,” he said. “Today, Native Forward has awarded scholarships to over 22,000 Native The Hall of Fame honors the legacy of our founders, whose work began in 1969 and continues to drive impact through and alongside our scholars and alumni for Native communities today, said Albert.
“Past honorees have included notable Native Forward alumni such as the first Native U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, Presidential Humanities Award Recipient Dr. Henrietta Mann, and the Delegate-designate to the U.S. House of Representatives from the Cherokee Nation, Kimberlee Teehee. Past inductees also included Native Forward’s Co- Founders Robert Bennett, who served as the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, and John Rainer, executive director of National Congress of American Indians. This year’s inductees will be announced at the gala. We encourage everyone to buy their tickets now to be a part of this momentous celebration,” she said.
Albert said the impact on local tribes is providing access to higher education by investing in student scholarships contributes to greater economic mobility, self-determination, and Tribal sovereignty for scholars and Tribal communities. Native Forward Scholars Fund is the largest scholarship provider to Native students who are from over 500 Tribes in all 50 states.
“We have always been and continue to fund Native students in San Diego and California. In fact, California is always one of our top 3 states for scholars. We fund students from California as well as those from other states who want to attend school in San Diego and California,” she said. “One example of a Native Forward scholar studying in San Diego is Brianna Irons, a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation, who is a rising fourth-year medical student at UC San Diego. Brianna is a part of a five-year MD/master’s program committed to training physicians to meet the needs of under-resourced communities. She hopes to empower Indian Health Service, Tribal, and Urban Indian Healthcare systems through community-based participatory research and quality improvement initiatives, particularly as they pertain to improving child and adolescent health. This is just one example of our many incredible scholars and alumni who are making impacts for Native communities.”
Albert said Native students already experience significant barriers to accessing higher education, especially when it comes to college affordability.
“To apply for scholarships, Native students can apply through NativeForward.org. Native students are required to be degree-seeking and attending an accredited institution full-time in the U.S. We also ask that prospective scholarship recipients demonstrate Tribal affiliation through a Tribal Eligibility Certificate (TEC), which is due by July 15 each academic year,” she said. “We work with Native students every day, hearing their experiences. We do not just provide scholarships. We also provide support services to students. That is our secret sauce in supporting our students through graduation and beyond. We support Native students through the scholarship process, financial aid counseling, assistance with FAFSA applications, and advocating for improving policies and increasing on-campus support. We also collaborate with other scholarship organizations to break down barriers so that all students wishing to pursue higher education can do so.”
Interested attendees can buy tickets and learn more about Native Forward at www.NativeForward.org/55th-anniversary-gala/.
