American Indian College Fund Announces Three-Year Environmental Design and Stewardship Program to Restore Native Knowledge for Healthy Earth

Denver, Colo., July 18, 2017 --

July 18, 2017, Denver, Colo.— Groundwater contamination, erosion, lack of access to healthy foods, and poor air quality are just some of the environmental concerns facing American Indian communities across the United States. Yet indigenous people have long held specialized knowledge that can lead to unique solutions to these challenges. The American Indian College Fund (the College Fund), whose motto is “Education is the answer,” will address environmental issues in Native communities through education with the launch of the three-year, $1.35 million Scholarly Emergence for Environmental Design and Stewardship (SEEDS) program across the diverse bio- and eco-systems in the Upper Midwest and Montana.

The American Indian College Fund is launching a $1.35-million, three-year Scholarly Emergence for Environmental Design and Stewardship (SEEDS) program. Students at Little Big Horn College in Crow Agency, Montana conduct field research. The American Indian College Fund’s new three-year Scholarly Emergence for Environmental Design and Stewardship (SEEDS) program will support further environmental study at tribal colleges and universities in the Upper Midwest and the grasslands region of Montana.

The SEEDS program will support tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) located in Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and the grasslands region of Montana that are serving Native communities to build and strengthen curriculum in the environmental sciences and related fields, while integrating place-based and inter-generational community knowledge to preserve and restore Native lifeways. The program will also help TCUs develop faculty; create degree programs; and implement processes to ensure student success.

The College Fund supports TCUs as higher education centers of the American Indian nations they serve and understands their potential to develop tribal environmental leaders in sustainability initiatives by offering the necessary academic preparation, research opportunities, and career work experiences for Native communities. Educated and trained experts in these fields can then address environmental issues facing American Indian communities through initiatives grounded in research and data.

The Scholarly Emergence for Environmental Design and Stewardship (SEEDS) program is made possible, in part, by a grant from Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies.

Cheryl Crazy Bull, President and CEO of the American Indian College Fund, said, “As indigenous people, we strive to be responsive in our relationship with our grandmother, the earth, and with all of her resources. Providing education, research, and outreach services to our tribal and rural students and their communities means that we are not only responsive, but we are leaders sharing our knowledge so that we can all live healthy, productive lives together. The College Fund is honored to have this partnership with the Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies and our tribal colleges to support sustainability and economic development.”

About the American Indian College Fund

Founded in 1989, the American Indian College Fund has been the nation’s largest charity supporting Native higher education for more than 25 years. The College Fund believes “Education is the answer" and has provided more than 100,000 scholarships since its inception and an average of 6,000 scholarships per year to American Indian students. The College Fund also supports a variety of academic and support programs, ensuring students have the tools to graduate and succeed in their careers. The College Fund consistently receives top ratings from independent charity evaluators. For more information about the American Indian College Fund, please visit www.collegefund.org.

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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e19b84e0-a412-426a-add1-972464af10f9

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b692fab0-88ee-4994-a4cc-5e234a6f7efd

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5d8518b8-1595-4f07-b9af-d71556f87e2a

Dina Horwedel
American Indian College Fund
303-430-5350
[email protected]