Serving communities and providing valuable post-secondary education

 

POSTED ON Apr 11, 2025

 

It’s just two weeks before the Gathering of Nations Pow Wow. The event is held annually on the fourth weekend of April in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Other highlights at the pow wow include bird singing, grass dancing, music performances, the fancy shawl, and the horse and rider parade.

Another notable component of the Gathering of Nations Powwow at the Albuquerque Convention Center is the Miss Indian World Traditional Presentation.

The 2025 Gathering of Nations Pow Wow will take place April 24 – 26 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Last month, the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) released a statement urging policymakers to prioritize a process that ensures stable funding for all federally supported educational programs.

The press release highlights that many tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) operate in regions with limited alternative funding sources.

Established in the 1960s, TCUs serve tribal communities and provide valuable post-secondary education to students from all backgrounds.

Federal funding, administered through the Department of Education, supports programs that benefit not only American Indian and Alaska Native communities but also low-income, remote, and rural students and other underserved populations.

The Department of Education allocates billions of dollars annually to schools and colleges to fund these programs, fulfilling the federal government’s trust and treaty obligations to educate American Indian and Alaska Native students.

AIHEC expressed concern that dismantling the Department of Education could significantly affect the government’s ability to meet its commitments to tribal nations.

Such an action could disrupt funding and staffing, jeopardizing educational opportunities and the economic stability of remote communities.

However, the Department of Education maintains that closing the department will not cut off funds for students who rely on it. Instead, it asserts that this move will ensure that taxpayer money for education is spent locally, benefiting the community’s children, families, and teachers.