Page 23 - 2022 August Report

Resilience
Native Forward Scholars Fund report (10)
STUDENT SUPPORT
We have harnessed and developed best practices over the past five decades with student and alumni input on the Native college going experience and have established partnerships with 1,700 higher education institutions to connect students with the resources needed to succeed. To inspire excellence, our support services include:
• Holistic support services and resources to help Native scholars access and navigate the higher education of their choice.
• Provide financial aid counseling and assistance to scholars with Native Forward applications and FAFSA, provide standard financial literacy
information, assist students with award revisions and COA adjustments, and resolve any issues with award disbursements.
• Provide one-to-one outreach to students utilizing a three-touchpoint system to assist students through the most difficult points of their
academic journey.
• Institutional outreach and advocacy are provided to students who need assistance in connecting to campus resources such as tutoring,
mentoring, financial aid, peer groups etc.
• Transcript review to assure students success, with early intervention strategies designed to connect students to on campus resources to
assist students with on campus resources. Native Forward partners with 1,700 higher education institutions
• Incentive program, celebrating student accomplishments through acknowledgement, including the awarding of stoles, achievement medals,
and through our Student of the Month program.
• Access to Native Forward’s 20,000+ alumni network.
COVID-19
Native Forward was one of the first Native scholarship providers to establish a Student Emergency Fund (SEF) to support students directly by COVID -19, and to date, Native Forward has awarded 161 scholars emergency funding since the fund was established in March of 2020. Three of the most common requests students have fall under four main categories: housing, food insecurity, utilities, and other expenses (such as travel and internet access).
Native Forward has awarded:
• Student Emergency Scholarships to 161 students since inception of the of SEF — Totaling $235,638 • Student Emergency Scholarships to 42 students in academic year 2021 - 2022 —Totaling $66,500
BACK ON TRACK PROGRAM
Academic intervention through our Back on Track program may occur if students struggle to remain in good standing with their institution, and we connect students with community and campus resources including tutoring, mentoring, and connection to other Native students around the country.
0 Investing in Native CPA Scholars are participating in our back-on-track program. The average GPA for Investing in CPA Scholars is 3.76.
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