AISES Receives $1.32 Million in Scholarship Support from Intel for Native American STEM Students

Post Date: January 27 2017

AISES is excited to announce a $1.32 million contribution from Intel to support undergraduate and graduate scholarships for Native Americans. The support is part of a partnership between Intel and AISES to increase the number and success of Native American students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. In addition to extending scholarships to Native American students, Intel and AISES are planning to develop a culturally-appropriate computer science curriculum for Native American high school students. The initial announcement was made as part of the White House CS4All initiative in December 2016.

Intel has made a four-year commitment to support the “Growing the Legacy” scholarship program at AISES.  Each year Intel will provide 40 Native American university students with financial support, Intel mentors, and opportunities for paid internships or jobs at Intel upon graduation. More information and the scholarship application are now available on the AISES website at www.aises.org. Click on the “scholarships” banner on the homepage.

“I’m particularly proud of this collaboration that makes STEM education accessible to more Native Americans and inspires the next generation of technologists. The partnership resulted from a true grassroots collaboration with leaders and luminaries at AISES and the broader Native American community,” said Barbara Whye, Executive Director of Strategy and External Alliances, Intel Corporation.  “We know that exposure to role models and mentors and infusion of relevant STEM curriculum will make a huge difference in creating stronger pathways for student success.”

Last October, Intel hosted a thought leadership event in partnership with the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT). The event brought together key leaders in academia, government; tribal nations; nonprofit organizations, including AISES; and the tech industry to facilitate constructive collaboration aimed at increasing Native American leadership in STEM. From this convening, Intel produced

a white paper outlining six key recommendations for increasing Native American student participation and retention in STEM education. The paper can be accessed via www.aises.org or via Intel’s website at: http://www.intel.com.

According to Sarah EchoHawk, AISES CEO, this commitment from Intel makes Growing the Legacy the largest scholarship program at AISES. “We are so excited that Intel has made this tremendous commitment to Native American students,” said EchoHawk. “Each year, AISES must turn away many qualified students working toward a STEM degree because there is just not enough funding support available. Through this program, AISES will be able to support 40 more Native American STEM students and that is tremendous.”

Students who are awarded will receive scholarships ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 per academic year. The scholarship application is open now at www.aises.org/scholoarships/intel. Students should apply now. There are additional scholarships available through AISES as well so students should visit the AISES site soon to ensure they get their applications submitted on time for consideration.