Major gift gives hope to tribal colleges and universities in MT, U.S.
A $70 million donation could be a big boost for tribal colleges and universities in Montana and across the country. The American Indian College Fund said the gift from Yield Giving, philanthropist Mackenzie Scott's foundation, will help strengthen Native education. Cheryl Crazy Bull, president and CEO of the American Indian College Fund, said it gives the schools more flexibility to fine-tune their programming and curriculum as they evaluate the needs of surrounding communities. "They are among the most responsive institutions when it comes to aligning their curriculum with tribal and local, and even regional, priorities for education," Crazy Bull pointed out. She noted the American Indian College Fund will use the money to expand scholarships, academic and wellness resources and college and career coaching. Montana has seven tribal colleges, and an economic analysis found they contributed more than $76 million to the state's economy in 2009, today's equivalent of more than $120 million. The gift follows a College Fund report earlier this year citing chronic underfunding for tribal higher education. Leander McDonald, president of United Tribes Technical College in neighboring North Dakota and board president of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium, said even though federal and philanthropic support has
