The American Indian College Fund (the College Fund), the Brookings Institute, and the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) hosted a free webinar on January 15 to support the success of Native students in higher education.

The session consisted of an expert panel, moderated by Cheryl Crazy Bull, President and CEO of the American Indian College Fund and a member of the Sicangu Lakota Nation. Joining her on the panel were Robert Maxim, a fellow at Brookings Metro and member of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe; Leander R. McDonald, President of United Tribes Technical College and a member of the Spirit Lake Dakota Nation; and Mamie Voight, President and CEO of IHEP.

“We wanted to respond as organizations and scholars to the gap in policy focused on Native higher education and the success of American Indian and Alaska Native students,” said Crazy Bull.

The collaborating organizations first convened in June 2024 to identify factors contributing to a 40% decline in Native American and Alaska Native student enrollment reported by the National Center for Education Statistics. Their resulting Report on Native Higher Education Success Strategies offers recommendations for Native organizations, policy groups, higher education institutions, tribes, legislators, and students. 

During the webinar, the panel discussed practical solutions, as outlined in their report, and examined the importance of Native scholar collaboration, equitable tribal partnerships, trust-based funding, and leveraging existing resources to develop policies and research that address Native communities’ needs in higher education.

“What matters is that we are engaged with education,” said Crazy Bull. “The sovereignty of our tribes is closely tied to the educational experiences of our people … and we recognize that as indigenous peoples, we have an inherent right to ensure quality education.”

A recording of the webinar is available here.