American Indian College Fund Given $100,000 from Wal-Mart Foundation

Native News Network Staff in Native Briefs. Discussion »

$100,000

NATIVE BRIEF:DENVER -The American Indian College Fund has received a $100,000 for scholarships for American Indian students for the 2011- 2012 academic year.

Under the program, one $2,500 scholarship will be given to a first-year, first-generation student at each of 33 accredited tribal colleges nationwide. To qualify for the scholarship, students must be an enrolled tribal member or a descendant, be attending a tribal college, and have a minimum cumulative 2.0 grade point average.

"The Wal-Mart Foundation has been a dedicated partner with the American Indian College Fund over the years to provide Native students with access to higher education through scholarships and support," said Richard B. Williams, American Indian College Fund President and CEO. "Native students face major financial obstacles to attending college as some of the poorest Americans, and thanks to Wal-Mart, these hurdles have become a lot smaller. Wal-Mart is helping to change the face of Indian Country one student at a time, while providing hope for them."

Wal-Mart and the Wal-Mart Foundation are proud to support initiatives that are helping people live better. From Feb. 1, 2010 through Jan. 31, 2011, Wal-Mart and the Wal-Mart Foundation gave $732 million in cash and in-kind gifts, including donating 257 million pounds of nutritious food to local food banks across America. The Foundation also supports education, workforce development, economic opportunity, environmental sustainability, and health and wellness initiatives.

posted July 13, 2011 6:30 am edt