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Finding Scholarshps for Indian Students
(c) Copyright. 2001
Two of the stories about college that have stuck with me the most have
been about a San Francisco State College student and myself. Let me tell
you about them.
About 26 years ago. 1 learned that there is a lot of money available for
Indian college students. J. Ben Lucero. who was the EOPS Director at
Palomar College at the time, came up to the Indian Center of San Jose to'
train my education staff on applying for college, finding scholarships,
and the like.
?Ben. who was also the President of the California Indian Education
Association at the time, told us of an Indian girl who had finished at
Palomar the year before. Since Palomar is a two-year college, she had to
transfer to San Francisco to complete her four year degree. She could
have gotten the S4.500 she needed to pay for college in federal financial
aid. (Everything was cheaper back then.)
But Ben told her about private scholarships. She applied to 20 scholarships
and won SI0.000 a year in scholarship money. With the extra
money, she bought herself a new Mustang and went to college in style.
(You could buy a new Mustang then for S2.500.)
Unfortunately, her story got to me about 15 years too late. When I
finished high school as the valedictorian of a small rural high school. I
know now I should have had the money to go to college. I should have
gotten it from scholarships. But no one'at my high school told me about
scholarships.
So I finished high school and started looking for a job. These were
Eisenhower days, so it took me almost five months to find a job. Finally,
I landed a factory job at Hercules Powder Co. in Hopewell. VA. After
working there for 11 months, I had a grubstake and quit to go to college.
During that year. Mrs. Collier, a lady in our church, came up to me
one Sunday. She had heard I was working and saving money for college.
"Son, do you need a scholarship?" she asked me.
"Yes. mam," I said.
"I'll bring you an application next Sunday," she said.
She brought the application, I completed it, and got the scholarship
for S200. That is the only scholarship 1 got as an undergraduate.
1 now resent that no one in my high school told me about scholarships.
The same thing is still happening to Indian students today. High schools
are not telling them about scholarships. High school libraries in Indian
schools do not have any scholarship directories in their holdings.
Everyone- parents, teachers, students, counselors, foundation officials,
principals, school board members, superintendent-assumes that Indian
students will automatically be eligible for federal financial aid. Not all
of them are. If both parents are working, and the family income is $50,000,
an Indian student will not be eligible for any financial aid.
One of the foundation presidents told me just two weeks ago, "It has
been my experience that money is no object to an Indian student. The
money seems to be there for them to attend college."
He is half right. But he is also half wrong. Students who qualify for
financial aid. which is 90% of Indian students, can get financial aid. But
students who do not qualify, because their parents make too much money,
can not get any financial aid. Their alternatives are work, parents, loans,
and scholarships.
What is the big alternative? It is the private sector, specifically the
50,000 or more scholarships that are available. Private scholarships have
been in existence almost from the time of the founding of the first college
in the U.S. They are funded and overseen by a wide variety of philanthropists,
educators, bankers, lawyers, special interest groups, occupational
groups, doctors, dentists, and maity others
The two things 1 hate hearing the most from scholarship people is; (1)
"We could not give away all our money last year," and (2) "Why don't
we ever get an application from an Indian student?"
Ben showed me how to use the resource 26 years ago, and I have been
trying to use it to the maximum extent for Indian students ever since. But
sometimes 1 feel like I am swimming in molasses. The pace of change
and improyemem in our Indian schools is so slow.
But I found a bright spot recently at the annual meeting of the United
South and Eastern Tribes (USET). Sam Lambert, my friend from Quallah,
is the Chairman of the Education Committee, and he invited me to talk
to the tribal representatives about our program. He also invited a charming
and enthusiastic professor from UNC Charlotte to attend. Her name
is Dr. Kathryn Johnson.
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Dr. Johnson has developed the Native American Scholarship Database
Project to "enable as many students as possible to receive a good
education." she says. "Educated men and women will be the hope of the
Nations in the future."
I could not agree with her more. Her goals are laudable. "1 hope we
can develop a nationwide program that will meet the needs of both young
and traditional students" she told me. So far. she has built scholarship
databases for Indians in thirteen states; Alabama. Connecticut, Florida,
Louisiana. Maine. Massachusetts. Mississippi. New York, North Carolina.-Oklahoma,
Rhode Island. South Carolina, and Texas.
She is still working on developing databases in the big Indian StatesArizona.
New Mexico. California. Washington, Oregon, South Dakota.
Minnesota, and so on.
These databases are'available as CD-ROMs and through her web site
(http://www.uncc.edu/kvjohnso/). "Students who visit the Web site will
find materials regardless of w hich state they live in or where they attend
school," she says. "However, manuals have not yet been prepared for
every state. If a tribal government from a state not listed would like
information. I will do the research and get the information out to them as
quickly as possible."
The funding she has received so far has come ffnm her university,
from NASA, and from the National Science Foundation. She is applying
for corporate and federal grants to expand the program.
"However, the real source of funding that keeps this project going is
the human capital," she told me emphatically. "The faculty' and staff of
UNC Charlotte make extraordinary contributions. There is no way to
assign a dollar amount to what they give."
Dr. Howard Phillips (Choctaw ) of the Computer Science department,
her own department (Religious Studies). Admissions, Financial Aid. the
Native American Academy, and the Native American Student Organization
all work as volunteers on the project, "Scholarships, grants, and
fellowships benefit the entire community," she stated. "By winning outside
funds to pay for their own education, gifted students literally free up
money that can be used for other students who truly need financial assistance.
There are three levels of students, she told us at USET. First, there are
the extremely talented. They can be admitted to Ivy League schools and
win lots of scholarships. They should not get any tribal monies. Second,
there are what she calls "second level students." They can get into top
state universities, and also win lots of scholarships and grants, They
should not get tribal monies.
Finally, there are "level three students." They may be "C" students,
older, married, working, need job skills, or some combination of these
traits. "They are often the least able to afford to pay tuition and the least
likely to be able to win a scholarship award. These are the people in
whom the tribe should invest its resources."
"Graduates who complete technical programs at community colleges
and become skilled electricians, mechanics, and plumbers also make
important contributions to their families and society," she says.
She is also worried about desperate students being conned by scholarship
scams. "There are a great many scams on the Internet and advertising
their services to local communities. Families should beware when
they are pressured to pay for information, provide credit card or bank
account numbers in order to 'reserve a particular scholarship' for their
student, or are told that the company will 'do all the work for them'."
One of the most valuable functions of their Web site is that it provides
free access to more than a hundred scholarship search sites. These sites
give free access to information on thousands of scholarships andgrants.
"It is not necessary to hire someone to find a scholarship." she says.
"Don't fall for that line!"
"Second," she adds, "do not send money or give out important financial
information. Scam artists often tell clients they need money or an
account number to reserve a particular scholarship. Organizations making
legitimate scholarship offers do not require winners to provide cash
deposits or their bank account numbers.
Dr. Kathryn Johnson can be reached at the Department of Religious
Studies, University of North Carolina, 214 Macy Hall, 9201 University
Blvd., Charlotte NC 28223-0001, phone (704) 547-4586, fax (704)5473002.'
f~~ 1 _J> < i x i
? ' - '
Polntllllsm, a painting method developed by Georges Seurat, uses
dabs of color that are Intended to mix In the eyes of the viewer rather
than on the canvas.
I JUST SAY NOT GUILTY ! NOT GUILTY !
Did you know that it is your right as a jurist to vote not guilty !
The right to say not guilty dates back to the beginning of the United States
and juries have repeatedly voted not guilty when they think or feci that
government agents have lied.
I Today, Indians and Blacks make up over 60% of the NC prison
population. Yet, Indians and Blacks barely make up 13% of the state
population. Indians and Blacks are filling up the prisons on petty drug
offenses and because of the lies of government agents. And these same Indians
and Blacks are being forced into slave labor being made to work in NC's huge
Prison Industries for S1.00 per day. Yet tbey produce millions of dollars for
the NC Prison system.
Eddie Hatcher has been wrongly charged. The government is trying to
frame, convict and send Eddie Hatcher to death row. Did you also know NC's
Death row is over 60% Indians and Blacks as well? We say ENOUGH IS
ENOUGH. Please don't believe the well - spoken, nicely dressed government
agents. They want only to silence Eddie Hatcher.
I REMEMBER- You hold the right to sav NOT GUILTY! NOT
GUILTY ! It's your right to stop turning our voung Indians and
Blacks over to the slave labor prisons. It's vour right.
I JUST VOTE " NOT GUILTY ! NOT GUILTY !?
For more information;
www.eddiehatcher.org
Eddie Hatcher
PO Box 2702
Pembroke, NC 28372
Thatcher2 @ PeeDee World. Net
I Pediatric Pointers I
by Dr. Joey Bell, Pembroke Pediatrics
. =J
Acute Otitis Media; Symptoms and Treatment
by Amy Wells, Duke PA Student
One of the most common infections
in children during this time
of year is a middle ear infection,
also known as acute otitis media.
Acute otitis media occurs when
there is inflammation behind the
ear drum. Bacteria and viruses
travel through the eustachian tube
( a tube which connects the nose to
the middle ear) to cause a buildup
of pus in the middle ear. Children
are more likely than adults to get
ear infections because their eustachian
tubes are shorter and
straighter. Shorter tubes make it
easier for bacteria and viruses to
travel to the middle ear.
Common symptoms of ear infections
include ear pain, hearing loss,
and fever. Very young children may
be fussy, pull at their ears, or have
trouble' eating and sleeping. Ear
infections are often associated with
colds, so children may also have
runny noses or cough. Sometimes
the infection causes the ear drum
to burst, allowing pus to drain out
of the ear.
Middle ear infections are generally
treated with antibiotics, such
as amoxicillin, Septra, or
zithromax, depending on the duration
and severity of the infection.
As the antibiotics work to kill bac29th
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the state will feature cutting edge
art, chosen by President of International
Arts and Artists David F.
Furchgott. The finalists will also
appear simultaneously on-line for
a cyberspace exhibition. You can
even vote on-line for your favorite
artist! Log on at www.fmoa.org.
teria, the pus in the middle ear will
dissolve, and children's hearing
will improve. With proper treatment.
even ear drums that have ruptured
will usually heal. Sometimes,
however, children may retain noninfected
fluid in their'middle hearing
loss and may last for a month
or more following antibiotic use.
Some children are more likely to
develop ear infections than others.
Traits that increase the chance of
infection include being male, being
Native American, having allergies
or immune deficiencies, and
having anatomical abnormalities
such as a cleft palate. Children exposed
to cigarette smoke or those
in day care also have a higher risk
of developing ear infections.
Breast-fed children are less likely
to get middle ear infections. Ear infections
are not contagious, but the
colds that often precede them are.
Untreated ear infections can lead
to serious complications, so any
child with a suspected ear infection
should by seen by a health care provider.
Other causes of ear pain include
dental problems, foreign objects
in the ear, damage to the ear
canal, or impacted ear wax. A pediatrician
or other health care provider
will best be able to diagnose
the exact cause of earache and prescribe
the appropriate remedy.
Here are a few Web sites you
may want to watch:
Formby's at www.formbys.com.
Telenisus at www.telenisus.
com.
Comtan at www.comtan.com.
Book Adventure at www.book
adventure.org.
Campbell Soup at www.camp
bellsoup.com/eatsmart.
A WebMD at www.webmd.com.
iMotors at www.imotors.com.
The American Podiatric Medical
Association at ww\v.apma.org.
Babcock & Wilcox Chapter 11,
reorganization at www.bwbar
date.com.
(Injured At No Fault of Your Own?
Don't Risk Being Victimized Twice!
*
rA
ARNOLD LOCKLEAR
A RUE JACOBS '
I GRADY HUNT
I BRIAN K. BROOKS
I MARK LOCKLEAR
Your Winning Team
Locklear, Jacobs, Hunt & Brooks
h only a Phone Fall A way-Attorneys Committed To Your Interests
203 SOUTH VANCE STREET-PEMBROKE, NC
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