05-05-2025
Degrees of Excellence: A Celebration of Native Students
Graduation season is more than cap and gown. It's about community, identity, and resilience. It's about what it means to earn a degree while staying true to who you are.
That's why ICT is proud to present Degrees of Excellence, a brand-new education special issue dedicated to Native students and higher education. Every story in this collection is fresh, deeply-reported, and told by Indigenous journalists.
Inside, you'll meet young changemakers like Evelyn Enos and Kiara Tanta-Quidgeon — both named to UNITY's 25 Under 25 list — who are blending cultural preservation, storytelling, and wellness to impact their communities.
You'll discover how more Native students are wearing regalia with pride at spring graduations, and what it took to get here.
You'll find an interactive map of every tribal college and university in the U.S., plus a user-friendly guide to FAFSA deadlines and financial aid questions for 2025.
And you'll go behind the scenes of the Wisconsin Tribal Education Promise Program with ICT's shared reporter Erica Ayisi, who explores how tuition coverage at UW-Madison is more than a financial story. It's about history, healing, and justice.
Whether you're a student, parent, educator, or just proud of the next generation, these are the stories to read right now.
Degrees of Excellence is live. Explore the full issue here.
