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- By Kelsey Turner
The American Indian College Fund is kicking off its Facebook 200-Mile Cycle Challenge on May 1. The fundraiser benefits the College Fund’s mission to give Native students better access to higher education.
Those who sign up will challenge themselves to bike 200 miles by the end of May. Participants can share their progress on the group Facebook page, which also provides a platform for people to discuss the College Fund’s mission and connect with their communities.
Less than a quarter of 18 to 24-year-old Native American students are enrolled in college, according to the Postsecondary National Policy Institute. Meanwhile, about 41% of full-time Native students who attend four-year colleges beginning in 2013 graduated within six years, compared to 63% for all students.
The American Indian College Fund, the nation’s largest charity supporting Native higher education, aims to close this gap. The College Fund provided $15.5 million in scholarships and other direct student support to Native students in 2020 to 2021, according to last week’s media alert. Over the past 32 years, the College Fund has provided more than $259 million benefitting American Indian students. Its first Facebook challenge in November 2021 raised more than $300,000 for Native students.
People interested in participating in the 200-Mile Cycle Challenge can sign up here.
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