SE Valley Times

Arizona State University (ASU) has been awarded a $2.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to enhance college and career readiness among tribal populations. The funding will support ASU's "Invest in Our Children; Invest in Our Future" initiative, aimed at preparing members of the San Carlos Apache Tribe and the Gila River Indian Community for successful careers.

The grant results from collaboration between ASU Career Services, Access ASU, the Office of the President, and the American Indian Chamber of Commerce. Jacob Moore, co-principal investigator for the grant and vice president for American Indian affairs at ASU, emphasized the university's commitment to community responsibility: “It's in the charter...that idea of taking responsibility for the communities that we serve.”

Moore highlighted challenges faced by Indigenous students in Arizona's K–12 system: “Our kids are almost at the bottom...in terms of their proficiency of math, science, reading.” He views this initiative as a pilot project with potential benefits for other tribes across Arizona.

Beverly Johnson, another co-principal investigator and senior associate director at ASU Career Services, noted that middle school is crucial for developing career identities: "Middle school years are pivotal...they begin to form an understanding of their preferences and potential career trajectories."

The program aims to improve academic performance and post-secondary enrollment rates among tribal students. Johnson stated objectives include boosting Arizona merit scores in reading and math while increasing high school graduation rates.

Quintin Boyce, also a co-principal investigator and associate vice president of outreach for Access ASU, described efforts to create sustainable models through collaboration: "Through this intentional effort...we're able to create sustainable models that can be replicated in other communities."

ASU plans to hire several positions funded by this grant to support Indigenous youth through various educational activities. The four-year program will track progress using pre- and post-surveys with hopes of expanding its reach.