Michigan State University has launched a new program to expand educational opportunities for Native American students across the country.
The Native American Tuition Advantage Program gives out-of-state Indigenous students access to in-state tuition, helping to remove the financial barriers making it harder for many people to pursue higher education.
Kevin Leonard, director of the Native American Institute at the university, said the idea for the program came after years of conversations between the Native community, staff and students.
"A lot of our people were relocated all over the country, all over the North American continent," Leonard observed. "We really felt for those First Nation relatives that maybe were moved into Canada, or other states. We should have something like a tuition reciprocity where at least they could attend MSU, at the bare minimum."
Leonard pointed out getting students enrolled is only the first step. His department will expand programs, cultural activities and resources to give students the support they need to succeed and graduate.
Orville Cayaditt, a graduate student from Utah and member of the Navajo Nation, started at the university before the program was introduced. Fortunately, he received support through another program, but he believes it could be a game-changer for many Native American students.
"The situation a lot of native students are faced with, in that when choosing an out-of-state college, financial costs, out-of-state costs, those are real questions that can make or break that decision for a student wanting to come out of state," Cayaditt explained.
The new program expands on Michigan State's Maynard Kennedy Turtle Island Acknowledgement Scholarship, which offers similar benefits to a limited number of students from state or federally recognized tribes. The new program will begin in the fall of 2025.
