Page 30 - April JSF Report

GRANT PROGRAM COMMITTEE MINUTES (DRAFT) (6)
Karamot is a junior majoring in psychology and sociology. She is a 2-year Johnson Scholar and a student leader dedicated to helping other students with disabilities on campus. She said the scholarship helped her cover her school expenses so that she could afford to attend an out-of-state conference. Her plans are to pursue museum studies after graduation.
Amanda was asked how students learn about the DRC. The biggest driver is when students with disabilities encounter challenges in the classroom. They then turn to the DRC for help. Some students believe there is a stigma attached to being associated with the DRC and prefer to remain on the fringes. Another question was asked about whether the DRC is tracking its graduates. Amanda said the University does track alumni, and the DRC is able to access the information. Amanda, Yesenis and Karamot were thanked and left the meeting.
11. Indigenous Peoples programing a. Native Forward Scholars Fund
JSF is in Year 4 of a 5-year, $1 million matching grant with Native Forward Scholars Fund to build a scholarship endowment supporting Indigenous students studying accounting and finance as well as individuals pursuing CPA licensure. Sherry and Bobby recently visited the offices of Native Forward in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and a report from the visit was circulated.
Angelique gave a brief overview. Native Forward is the largest direct scholarship provider to Native students in the U.S., awarding between $11 and $15 million in scholarships annually and more than $350 million since inception. The organization has helped more than 2,200 students earn Ph.D.s and more than 1,700 students earn law degrees. A large number of students also have gone into health fields. Some prominent alumni include Secretary of the Department of Interior Deb Haaland, National Congress of American Indians President Fawn Sharp, and Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian Director Dr. Cynthia Chaves Lamar.
The primary barrier to success for Native students is finances, accordring to the recent College Affordability Study by Native Forward and 3 other national Native scholarship providers. The goal of the grant with JSF is to make 150 scholarship awards and produce 50 Native CPAs over the next 10 years.
In Year 1 of the grant, 5 students were chosen for scholarships, and the total amount awarded was $27,940. Each of the 5 students is carrying a 3.3 or higher cumulative GPA, and the average GPA is 3.76 for these Scholars. Four students received CPA Examination Funding Scholarships, and another 4 students received funding for the Financial, Accounting and Reporting Examiniation. The total amount of these awards was $10,000.
In Year 2, 4 students were selected for scholarships totaling $38,875. Each of the 4 students is carrying a 3.8 or higher cumulative GPA, and the average GPA is 3.82 for the Johnson Scholars. So far, 1 student has received a CPA Examination Funding Scholarship totaling $323 to take the New York Regulation Examination. Students are starting to apply for the Year 3 scholarships.
It was noted that overall, about 50% of Native Forward’s funding goes to 30 institutions. The organization is starting to see second-generation college going students. Native Forward is very hands-on with student applicants and initiates assistance. Word is getting out, and there was a 500% increase in applications in Year 2 of the grant compared to Year 1. Asked whether the applicant pool is strong, Angelique said the applicant pool increased after American Indian Graduate Center rebranded itself as Native Forward. The pool is so strong that the program is now turning away some students with 4.0 GPAs. A question was asked about whether students are able to borrow or earn money for their unmet need. Native Forward works to secure scholarships of up to $10,000 each. By doing so, it reduces the number of students who incur debt by 60%.
b. University of Arizona
Bobby introduced Levi Esquerra, Senior Vice President of Native American Advancement and Tribal Engagement (NAATE) at the University of Arizona, and Tina Gargus, Program Manager for NAATE. An informational document about the NAATE program and a report on Bobby and Sherry’s January 2023 site visit had been circulated. Levi is well known to JSF. In his prior role, he led the Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (CAIED) at Northern Arizona University.
Page 28 April Report