San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians Provides Multi-Purpose Grant of $100,000 to American Indian College Fund

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Jun 29, 2011, 07:00 ET

DENVER, June 29, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Indian College Fund received a $100,000 grant from the Highland, California-based San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians. The grant will be divided to support several major initiatives: $50,000 will support the San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians Tribal College Scholarship Program; $25,000 will go towards the Sovereign Nations Scholarship Fund Endowment, which provides scholarships to Native American students in perpetuity; and $25,000 will support expenses for the American Indian College Fund's annual fundraiser, the Flame of Hope Gala, on Thursday, October 20, in Denver, Colorado.

"We are honored that the San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians is continuing its support of American Indian education," said Richard B. Williams, President and CEO of the American Indian College Fund. "Their generous gift is an outstanding example of how Natives are helping to transform Indian Country through its grassroots efforts. A college education is the first step towards eradicating poverty and empowering American Indian people, and the San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians has been instrumental in this effort."

About the San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians
The San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians is a federally recognized American Indian tribe located near the city of Highland, Calif. The Serrano Indians are the indigenous people of the San Bernardino highlands, passes, valleys and mountains who share a common language and culture. The San Manuel reservation was established in 1891 and recognized as a sovereign nation with the right of self-government. Since time immemorial, the San Manuel tribal community has endured change and hardship. Amidst these challenges the tribe continued to maintain its unique form of governance. Like other governments it seeks to provide a better quality of life for its citizens by building infrastructure, maintaining civil services and promoting social, economic and cultural development. Today San Manuel tribal government oversees many governmental units including the departments of fire, public safety, education and environment. Visit www.sanmanuel-nsn.gov for more information on the tribe.

About the American Indian College Fund
With its credo "Educating the Mind and Spirit," the American Indian College Fund is the nation's largest private provider of scholarships for American Indian students, providing an average of 6,000 scholarships annually for students seeking to better their lives and communities through education and support to the nation's 33 accredited tribal colleges and universities. For more information about the American Indian College Fund, please visit www.collegefund.org.

SOURCE American Indian College Fund