Help Us Support 20 More Deserving Native American College Students This Academic Year!

Post Date: May 11 2015

Dear Friend,
 
I’m writing to you about a cause that I know is close to your heart - the education of Native American students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). As you know, these fields are rapidly growing and there just are not enough skilled workers to meet this most critical demand. As such, it is imperative that our Native young people have the opportunity to obtain degrees in these in-demand STEM fields.
 
Last year, AISES funded and administered 139 scholarships totaling $283,850! That sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? It does and it is but we also must remember that for every scholarship we award, we have to turn away one hopeful, deserving applicant. And this is why we cannot afford to waste any opportunity to support more students!
 
We know how valuable a STEM career is, both to our Native students and to their communities. That is why we are asking you to help as we increase our efforts this year to raise an additional $20,000—enough to help 20 more students fulfill their goals of becoming Engineers. Astronauts. Doctors. Biologists. If they can dream it, we want to fund it! Will you help us?
 
You would be amazed at how much potential these students have. AISES’ pre-college members are doing all kinds of high level research projects to benefit both their native communities and the world. Like the project where the health of local watersheds was monitored using bioassessments and traditional knowledge. Or the one where local effects of wildfire and climate change impacts were assessed on the Yakama Reservation. Remember these are pre-college students! Truly amazing!
 
Every year, however, we have to turn away bright minds like these when they look to AISES for a scholarship but you can help us increase the number of scholarships we are able to provide by making a contribution today.
 
Ted is a one of the fortunate ones. An undergraduate, he received a valuable A.T. Anderson Memorial Scholarship. Ted is determined to use his education to help others. He plans to earn a physical therapy doctorate so he can work with our wounded veterans.
 
Ted’s dream began when he was young. His parents both served in the military, so he received medical care at Walter Reed Army Hospital. There, he saw many veterans going through physical therapy and decided he wanted to dedicate his career to helping them.
 
The road to becoming a physical therapist is long. Ted must graduate at the top of his class, in addition to completing 500 observation hours at physical therapy clinics. This demanding schedule does not permit working between semesters, so Ted is incredibly grateful that his scholarship helps to finance his studies.
 
Thanks to you, we are able to help students like Ted achieve their dreams and give back to the greater community.
 
Whatever amount you can give – whether it is $20 or $1,000 – makes a difference and gets us closer to achieving our goal of $20,000 to fund 20 more hard-working students this year!
 
On behalf of our Board, staff, volunteers, students and members, I am deeply appreciative of your support.
 
Sarah EchoHawk
Chief Executive Officer
American Indian Science and Engineering Society