Dwanna Robertson: Scholarship system not easy to navigate

Wednesday, September 12, 2012  

"Recently, Dr. Dean Chavers wrote an article about how Native students aren’t applying for scholarships. This touched a nerve for me and a lot of others on the ICTMN Facebook page.

With all due respect to Dr. Chavers, the scholarship process is more than “a little difficult.” It’s confusing and complex with very specific criteria requirements. For example, when I first started as an undergraduate at the age of 25, McNair scholarships were not available. Also, as a nontraditional student, I didn’t qualify for most of the others–either my standardized test scores were too low, or I didn’t do enough community service. Back then, they wouldn’t take a letter from your tribe. When I came back to graduate school, I didn’t qualify for the graduate McNair scholarship because I’d already taken a few graduate classes to get ahead at my job. So, I worked my way through two master’s degrees. Now, as a doctoral student, everyone thinks my tribe pays for everything! My wonderful Nation is not rich, and I’ve received no money from them.""

Get the Story:
Dwanna L. Robertson: Shame the Scholarship System, Not Native Students (Indian Country Today 9/12)