1. University of Wyoming Board of Trustees Presentation – Tuition Waiver Request
January 19, 2018

2. About the Northern Arapaho Tribe
Present Day Headquarters on the Wind River Reservation in Central Wyoming
Membership of 10,300 in 2018
Approximately 40% of current membership is under the age of 18
Tribal Employment
180 employees in the Government & Public Services Sector
120 in the Tribally-Operated Health Center
560 in Gaming Operations and Management
Governed by a six-member Tribal Council Elected every 2 years.
About the Northern Arapaho Tribe

3. Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851: History & Significance

4. Membership of the Northern Arapaho Tribe affirmed Education as a Top Priority of the Tribe in 1980s
Established the Sky People Higher Education Department in 1979
Invested $500,000 to create the Northern Arapaho Endowment in 1986
Supported and Honored Members Completing Each Stage of Educational Journeys
Education as Priority

5. Northern Arapaho Endowment
$500,000 Investment Has Reached Market Value of $2,237,300 in 2017
Total Payout from Endowment for Scholarships Through December 31, 2016: $1,788,171
Total Number of Scholarships Awarded Over 28 year Period: 229
Total Qualified Applicants for School Year: 14
Northern Arapaho Endowment

6. Educational Successes

7. Sky People Higher Education Scholarships

8. Sky People Higher Education Scholarships

9. Sky People Higher Education Scholarship Recipients
(147)

10. Access to Higher Education
Northern Arapaho Students Face Many Obstacles to Accessing Educational Opportunities that are Right For Them
Obstacles Include: Distance, Experiences of Cultural Isolation, Fear, Inadequate Preparation, Lack of Information
Biggest Obstacle is Cost
Tuition, Fees, & Living Expenses are Difficult to Obtain
Students Often Chose the Path of Least Resistance
Access to Higher Education

11. Tuition Waiver Models Bordering States:
Colleges and/or Universities in Montana, Colorado, Utah & Idaho offer some form of Tuition Waivers for Native American Students
Regional States:
Universities in Washington and North Dakota Offer a form of Tuition Waivers for Members of Select Tribes.
Full-Tuition Waivers
Montana, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan & North Dakota have a Full-Tuition Waiver Option for Native American Students
Eligibility Factors
Residency
Ancestral Homeland
Tribes Located Within the State
Unmet Need/Low-Income/PELL-Eligible
Tuition Waiver Models

12. “Let us put our minds together to see what we can build for our children.”
-Chief Sitting Bull