The American Indian College Fund (College Fund) and GRID Alternatives (GRID) are partnering to provide scholarship support for Tribal College and University (TCU) students to strengthen educational achievement, project-based learning opportunities, and career development pathways in renewable energy, particularly in the solar industry. Please contact the American Indian College Fund at (303)426-8900 or collegefund.org for more information on applying for this scholarship opportunity.
This partnership is in response to several needs that have been identified by the College Fund and GRID. We know that TCU students with interests in renewable energy struggle to find academic support and resources to achieve their renewable energy education goals. In addition, it can be challenging for these students to find opportunities for project-based learning, and their training is often limited to classroom-based teaching. At the same time, GRID’s National Tribal Program struggles to recruit Native American staff with knowledge and exposure to the solar industry. Taken together, this proposed partnership draws on the strengths of the College Fund and GRID to link student learning with career development opportunities in renewable energy and related fields with qualified candidates from tribal communities.
The TSAF is happy to share some potential learning opportunities such as;
- Mentorship opportunities with GRID’s tribal staff
- Hands-on solar installation with GRID’s Tribal Program team
- Networking and connection within the solar industry