The Walmart Foundation Grants $100,000 to American Indian College Fund for Scholarships

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Jul 12, 2011, 07:00 ET

DENVER, July 12, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Walmart Foundation has announced it is granting $100,000 to the American Indian College Fund for scholarships for Native students for the 2011-12 academic year.

Under the program, one $2,500 scholarship will be given to a first-year, first-generation student at each of 33 accredited tribal colleges nationwide. To qualify for the scholarship, students must be an enrolled tribal member or a descendant, be attending a tribal college, and have a minimum cumulative 2.0 grade point average.

Richard B. Williams, American Indian College Fund President and CEO, said "The Walmart Foundation has been a dedicated partner with the American Indian College Fund over the years to provide Native students with access to higher education through scholarships and support. Native students face major financial obstacles to attending college as some of the poorest Americans, and thanks to Walmart, these hurdles have become a lot smaller. Walmart is helping to change the face of Indian Country one student at a time, while providing hope for them."

About Philanthropy at Walmart
Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are proud to support initiatives that are helping people live better. From Feb. 1, 2010 through Jan. 31, 2011, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation gave $732 million in cash and in-kind gifts, including donating 257 million pounds of nutritious food to local food banks across America. The Foundation also supports education, workforce development, economic opportunity, environmental sustainability, and health and wellness initiatives. Internationally, Walmart gave $66 million in cash and in-kind gifts to charitable organizations. To learn more, visit http://www.walmartfoundation.org.

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

SOURCE American Indian College Fund