Office of Navajo Nation Scholarship & Financial Assistance 2013 Annual Report Inside 2 Data & Statistics 2013 Statistical Profile Types of Student Funding 4 Funding Sources Federal Navajo Nation Trust Funds Corporate 7 Funding Activity Summary of Funds Expended by Agencies 10 Student Performance Degrees Sought Decreases in Funding Underscore Need for Prudent Use By Award Recipients By Rose Graham ABOVE Six students named Chief Manuelito Scholars in 18 Chief Manuelito Scholars Department Director 2013 gained admission to Stanford University. (L-R) Emily Walck, Ashley Manuelito, Taryn Harvey and Taylor Billey. 110 Students Earn the A four-year college degree has probably never Not shown: Katelyn McKown and Isabella Robbins. Photo Nation’s Top Scholarship been more valuable. In 2013, college graduates courtesy of Eugene R. Begay made 98 percent more an hour on average than people without a degree according to data re- The ONNSFA also owes much gratitude to leased by the U.S. Dept. of Labor. Navajo Nation leaders. In 2013, the Nation’s contri- Apply online at: Meanwhile, the cost of a college education bution to the scholarship fund greatly increased. continues to rise and so does the demand for Revenues from Navajo Nation sales taxes pro- www.onnsfa.org scholarships. vided an additional $3 million and the Nation’s set Since 2010, the Office of Navajo Nation Schol- aside from General Funds increased by $2 million. Chinle Agency Office arship & Financial Assistance has received more There is still a real need for additional resourc- (800) 919-9269 than 17,000 applications each year. More than half es. While those are being sought, students must of those applications are denied when available make every effort to use any money provided to Crownpoint Agency Office funds are depleted them for a college education wisely. Funds for col- (866) 254-9913 It is apparent that many Navajo students see lege such as Pell Grants now have strict limits of 12 Ft. Defiance Agency Office the value of a college education. However, sourc- semesters of eligibility during a student’s lifetime. (800) 243-2956 es of revenues for scholarships have been on the The maximum need-based award provided by decline. ONNSFA is $2,000 per semester. Shiprock Agency Office Federal funds, the primary source of funding College tuition at a state school can easily (866) 223-6457 for Navajo Nation scholarships, continue to be cut top $10,000 for a year. In comparison, tuition at back drastically due to mandated across-the-board schools on the Navajo Nation – Diné College and Tuba City Agency Office federal budget reductions. In 2010, approximately Navajo Technical University – is significantly more (866) 839-8151 $12.1 million in federal funding was available for affordable. Credits earned at these institutions are scholarships. That number dipped to about $9.8 transferable to other colleges and universities. Central Office million in 2013. In closing, students are urged to be creative (928) 871-7444 Due to the advocacy of BIA Navajo Regional and take the initiative to research and apply for Office Director Sharon Pinto, the ONNSFA received scholarships from as many sources possible. There for information & updates: an additional $100,000 for scholarships in 2013. is no doubt that the Navajo Nation needs highly facebook.com/ONNSFA The Navajo Nation is grateful for Ms. Pinto’s con- educated young professionals to ensure the future tinual support of education. prosperity of our Nation. 2013 Calendar Year Statistical Profile Total Number of Applications 17,221 Enrollment Status of Recipients: Undergraduate 90 percent Total Number of Graduate 10 percent Students Requesting Awards: 14,605 (Students are counted once whether Gender of Recipients: they receive one or more awards during Female 64 percent the calendar year.) Male 36 percent Total Number of Awards: 7,099 Number of Awards by Funding Source: (All financial aid and scholarship awards Federal 4,067 made by ONNSFA during the calendar Navajo Nation, Trust and Corporate 3,058 year are included in the total. In some instances, a student may have received Total Awards By Funding Source: two awards – one for the Spring term Federal $ 9,781,581 and another for the Fall term. Each award Navajo Nation, Trust and Corporate 5,088,167 is counted independently.) Grand Total $ 14,869,748 Total Number of Total Federal Fund Awards to: Students Receiving Awards: 5,527 Need-Based Students $ 5,219,239 (Students are counted once whether Chief Manuelito Scholars 4,562,342 they receive one or more awards during Grand Total $ 9,781,581 the calendar year.) Percentage of Students Chief Manuelito Awards: 1,462 Funded in 2012 Calendar Year: 38 percent Total Number of Student Awards (The total number of students awarded Total Number of Students Awarded 1,455 from the total number of students that Total Expended From All Sources $ 4,924,675 applied. Applicants are counted once.) Percentage Expended From All Sources 33 percent Types of Student Funding Financial Need-Based Awards No-Need-Based Awards undergraduate students may also (up to $2,000 per semester) ($500 per semester) qualify for the Chief Manuelito schol- arship under the 24/3 rule by complet- Need-based funding is provided to No-need-based funding is provided ing 24 credit hours of college-level students who demonstrate finan- to students, who are deemed to have courses with a 3.0 GPA. cial need according to the Financial enough resources to meet the cost of Need Analysis (FNA) form submitted attendance at a college or university on their behalf by the school of at- of their choice. Graduate Student Awards tendance. Students in this category ($2,500 to $5,000 per semester) are deemed not to have sufficient Chief Manuelito Scholarships Grant awards are provided to Navajo personal or family resources to meet ($3,500 per semester) students seeking graduate-level de- a college’s or university’s cost of Merit-based scholarships are pro- grees. attendance (e.g. tuition, books and vided students, who achieve a high housing). Awards of up to $2,000 per grade point average and a commen- Part-Time Undergraduate semester or $4,000 per academic year surate ACT or SAT college test score. and Graduate Awards are provided to students based upon Students are required to complete their individual need assessment. courses in Navajo Language (1 unit) Funding is available for eligible part- Primary funding sources of need- and Navajo Government (½ unit) prior time undergraduate and graduate stu- based awards are PL 93-638 funds and to the application deadline to be con- dents. Part-time application require- Navajo Nation Funds. sidered for this scholarship. Full-time ments and award amounts vary. 2 Background and Operating Highlights Background ABOVE A total of eight Tuba City High School graduates earned the Chief Manuelito Scholarship in 2013. The Office of Navajo Nation Scholarship and L-R: Kristin Becenti, Triston Tsosie, Jaren Numkena, Charmayne Flatrock, Emerald Byakeddy and Therea Financial Assistance (ONNSFA) was estab- Begay. Not pictured are Tara Hemstreet and Stephanie Geneeha. Photo courtesy of Eugene R. Begay lished in 1972. The ONNSFA provides schol- arship and financial assistance to enrolled Acceptance Ratio of ONNSFA recipients: 38 percent members of the Navajo Nation attending accredited institutions of higher (students awarded to number of applicants) education or accredited vocational training schools.The ONNSFA also provides financial aid services using supplemental funding from several Denial Ratio of ONNSFA recipients: 62 percent sources including the Navajo Nation, corporate contributions and trust fund revenues Awarded Students to Denied Ratio: 1 : 1.6 Agency Offices Total Denials: 9,078 The ONNSFA has five agency offices across the Navajo Nation including: $ 12,536,793 Chinle, Ariz., Crownpoint, N.M, Window Rock, Ariz., Shiprock, N.M., and Total Funding to Undergraduate Students: Tuba City, Ariz. Total Funding to Graduate Students: $2,332,955 ONNSFA Website - www.onnsfa.org Average Undergraduate Student Award: $2,505 Information about ONNSFA policies, downloadable forms and a link to the online application process may be found at www.onnsfa.org. Students are Average Graduate Student Award: $ 4,320 encouraged to create an account, a username and password and apply 4,986 online. Applicants with online accounts are able to check the status of their Number of Undergraduate Students: application, the documents received by the ONNSFA and the decision ren- Number of Graduate Students: 541 dered on their application. Class Level of Recipients: Operating Highlights Freshman 2,141 ONNSFA disbursed $14,869,747.94 to 5,527 students attending 404 schools Sophomore 1,408 throughout the country in Calendar Year 2013. Based on 2010 Census data, Junior 728 the population of the Navajo Nation is 173,667 and of those 115,823 are age Senior 709 18 and over. In 2013, there were a total of 14,605 ONNSFA applicants which Master Candidate 369 amounts to only 8 percent of the entire population of the Navajo Nation. Doctoral Candidate 172 3 Funding Sources 2013 Calendar Year Federal Funds: $ 9,781,581 General Funds: 3,473,538 Corporate Funds: 521,440 Trust Funds: 1,093,189 Total : $ 14,869,748 Calendar Year 2013 Total Awarded: $14,869,748 undergraduate students with financial need tional Education Trust Fund and Tucson Electric Students Awarded: 6,099 as determined by the student’s Financial Need Funds stipulate that “10% of the fund [market Number of Awards: 7,099 Analysis and also for merit-based awards to value] shall be used as scholarship and finan- Chief Manuelito Scholars. cial assistance.” Interest revenue from these From January 1 to December 31, 2013, the Of- sources fluctuate from year-to-year based fice of Navajo Nation Scholarship and Financial upon market value.