Since October 1997, Richard B. Williams has served as President & CEO of the American Indian College Fund. A member of the Oglala Lakota Tribe, Williams is a leader, educator, advocate and historian. In 2005, Williams received the Educator of the Year award from the National Indian Education Association, the largest and oldest U.S. Indian education organization. In 2007 he received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Roger Williams University in Rhode Island.

President's Message

Hau. Mitaku Oyapi,

Hello, all my relatives. This is the Lakota greeting for all people. It is our philosophy that in this world we are all related. The plants, animals, humans and all things share a spirit. It is also our philosophy that in this world we must help each other to survive and grow.

Our donors have demonstrated that they, too, share this philosophy and we are forever grateful for their support. They have helped us make a difference. Yet our work is not done. We still need your help.

For the first time in history, our people are experiencing success in higher education in great numbers. A great number of these students attend the nation's tribal colleges and universities. Over the past 20 years, the number of Native students enrolling in college has doubled. There is no way to describe the transformation that is happening in Indian Country because of the tribal colleges. For the first time for many families, higher education has been embraced and, as a result, has transformed their lives from poverty to hope.

We are at a critical juncture in our efforts to make a difference. As more students choose to transform their lives through education, there is a greater need for scholarships.

We do want to continue to educate the public regarding not only the needs of our tribal colleges and their students, but also of their remarkable successes. Your commitment to end poverty through education is even more important in tough economic times. Through the American Indian College Fund, you are creating hope for American Indian people for a better life for individuals, families, and entire communities.

As Dominic Clichee (Navajo), a sophomore business administration and finance major and honor student at Haskell Indian Nations University, has said, “Without scholarships, there was no way I could afford to go to college... I have taken the lessons learned from the obstacles and applied them to life. Hard work has helped get me to where I am at, and hard work is going to help me in the future…I want to give back to the community where I grew up… With the hard work learned from my past and the assistance from this scholarship, I will be able to accomplish all my educational and career goals. Then maybe one day, I’ll be sponsoring a scholarship through your program.”

Education makes a difference that lasts a lifetime and beyond. We are changing lives every day. One student at a time. Thank you for your help in sustaining and increasing the progress we have made with our students and the tribal colleges.

Ocankuye Wasté Yelo,
(In a good way)

Richard B. Williams
President, American Indian College Fund