Fort Lewis College (FLC) leaders were among those who attended the first Native American-Serving, Nontribal Institutions (NASNTI) National Summit held in Denver in July. The summit was created by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) to bring together leaders from the nation’s 24 NASNTIs to find ways to improve postsecondary attainment for Native Americans and Alaska Natives.
Beyond just the opportunity to share knowledge with other institutions, Fort Lewis College came away from the summit with one of 11 $10,000 grants, thanks to the Lumina Foundation. The funding will go toward FLC initiatives designed to help Native Americans and Alaska Natives find educational success.
In their masterplan, the Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) set a goal to increase the percentage of Native Americans age 25-34 who earn higher education credentials from 29 percent to 66 percent by 2025. As a Native American-Serving, Nontribal Institution and a national leader in helping Native Americans and Alaska Natives earn a college degree, Fort Lewis College is well-suited to lead Colorado toward meeting CDHE’s goal. Working with WICHE and the other NASNTI institutions is going to help FLC push this effort forward.
.
Fort Lewis College - Igniting creativity through research, entrepreneurship and adventure to shape the future.