Message From the President.

Dear Graduates and Friends of the American Indian Graduate Center:

It is with eager anticipation that I enter my term as President of the Board of Directors of the American Indian Graduate Center (AIGC). The Center provided me with financial assistance while in law school, at the University of New Mexico, and I have served for the last five years on the Board of Directors. With this background, I take office with great enthusiasm and a sense of optimism for a positive future for the organization.

The American Indian Graduate Center's mission is to build, promote and honor self-sustaining American Indian and Alaska Native communities through education and leadership. Every Native student across our nation deserves a first-rate education. The Center has supported more than 12,000 graduate students since it was founded. The Gates Millennium Scholar Program has 778 students currently participating in the program and 387 graduates. This year, one of the goals is to develop new avenues for providing additional scholarship opportunities for Native scholars.

The AIGC's work is driven by an overall commitment to build a better tomorrow for Indian people. In carrying out our mission, we strive to meet the new challenges in the world facing Native students. It is no secret that American Indians face unique challenges in their pursuit of higher education. To ensure successful outcomes, it is necessary to understand how best to address these challenges. AIGC is on the forefront of identifying these challenges and working with students on how best to overcome them. Another goal for the coming year is to seek assistance from the broader Indian and non-Indian communities to continue building upon this important work.

I would like to sincerely thank Shenan Atcitty for her hard work as outgoing President of the Board. In addition, I extend my gratitude to our new Director, Sam Deloria, and the extremely capable staff for all of their hard work and dedication to the organization. I look forward to a wonderful and eventful year.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Rodke Washburn, Chickasaw
AIGC Board President