American Indian Circle Program

The American Indian Circle Program is integral to the Northern Academic Affairs team, focusing on the holistic support and enrichment of American Indian and Alaskan Native (AI/AN) students at Northern State University. The program is designed to embody a family-centered approach that resonates with tribal life, ensuring that AI/AN students feel valued and supported throughout their academic journey.

Investing in Futures. Honoring Cultures. Building Leaders.

Every student deserves the opportunity to pursue higher education, graduate with confidence and step into a future filled with possibility. Yet, for many Native Americans the path to college and through college make success far more difficult than it needs to be.

Your support changes that story!

When you give, you are not just funding tuition, you are helping remove the obstacles that stand between talented Native students and their degrees. You are providing emergency funds that keep a student enrolled when the unexpected happens. You are helping purchase textbooks and supplies so the students can fully engage in their coursework from day one. You are investing in community-building programs that create belonging and mentorship, ensuring students do not walk this journey alone.

And just as importantly, you are strengthening cultural education and awareness across the Northern campus and Aberdeen community. Supporting our students means honoring and uplifting Indigenous knowledge, traditions and leadership. It means creating a campus where Native identity is not just represented, but respected and celebrated.

Higher education remains one of the most powerful tools for economic mobility, community leadership, and generational change. When our students graduate, they become educators, healthcare professionals, entrepreneurs, advocates, and culture bearers. They often return to their homes equipped to heal and build stronger futures for the next generations. Your generosity today fuels more than a semester-it fuels a lifetime.

Thank you for your generosity.

Lara Nelson, Director American Indian Circle Program