Contributed Photos: Freeport-McMoRan Native American and Navajo Code Talkers College Scholarship applications can be submitted now through June 1.
Contributed Article
Native American students in Arizona have greater access to higher education thanks to the Freeport-McMoRan Native American and Navajo Code Talkers College Scholarships. The scholarships, administered by Education Forward Arizona, are made possible through a $9 million investment by the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation. Scholarship applications are open now through June 1, 2023.
The scholarships will provide students with up to $6,000 annually for college and up to $15,000 for trade or technical school, in addition to support services to help them succeed in pursuing and completing a postsecondary certificate, or associate or bachelor’s degree. Scholarship recipients are paired with Education Forward Arizona success advisers for mentoring sessions, enrollment counseling, academic tracking, financial aid advice, peer networking, professional development, and more.
Eligible students must be currently enrolled high school seniors or college students planning to attend an accredited community college, tribal college, four-year university, or trade school, and an enrolled member of one of the qualifying 14 tribal communities.
Priority will be given to students from Hualapai Tribe, Navajo Nation, San Carlos Apache Tribe, Tohono O’odham Nation, and White Mountain Apache Tribe. Members from the following Tribes are also eligible: Ak-Chin Indian Community, Gila River Indian Community, Hopi Tribe, Pascua Yaqui Tribe, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, Tonto Apache Tribe, Yavapai-Apache Nation, Yavapai Prescott Indian Tribe, and Zuni Pueblo.
Students can submit applications for the Freeport-McMoRan Native American and Navajo Code Talkers College Scholarships now through June 1, 2023.
Interested students can learn more about the program requirements and selection criteria, and submit their applications online, by visiting https://bit.ly/FM-Native-American-Scholarship
The scholarships were introduced as part of the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation’s goal to help 300 Native American students in Arizona graduate by 2026. One hundred and fifty scholarships were distributed last year, and 150 scholarships will be distributed this year.
“We remain deeply committed to helping students from tribal communities pursue higher education,” said Tracy Bame, President of the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation. “Arizona has the second largest population of Native American students in the country, but with completion rates at only 12.2% compared with 46% for the entire state, we feel it is critical to increase the effort to ensure these students have (a) greater opportunity to achieve higher education and the socio-economic mobility it enables.”
Collaboration among the foundation and Education Forward Arizona not only provides greater opportunities for higher learning among Native American students across Arizona, but it also equips them with tools and resources to see degree programs through completion.
“Scholarships help students start the process and success advisers help to ensure they persist to completion,” said Education Forward Arizona President and CEO Rich Nickel. “Partnerships like ours with the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation are critical to the work we do, helping broaden access to academic achievement throughout the state.”
Education Forward Arizona was created to change the way people think about and support education as the key driver to improving the economy and quality of life in Arizona. The organization’s work includes providing scholarships and innovative programs to students and advocating for policies and funding that move the Achieve60AZ postsecondary attainment goal and other Arizona Education Progress Meter goals forward. Learn more at EducationForwardArizona.org
