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The American Indian College Fund has released “Native Pathways: A College-Going Guidebook” to help Native students of all ages and backgrounds achieve a college degree or professional certificate.

Kelley Mitchell, senior program officer for the nonprofit, said the guidebook offers tips for navigating school choice, applications, finances and maintaining connections to culture and community. It also outlined how students can tap support networks to help them through their academic journey.

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"They need to find that family support, they need to find their peer support, and then they need to find the academic and mentor support at those locations," Mitchell outlined.

The guidebook includes encouragement and expertise from current native scholars, student success professionals working at tribal colleges, parents, tribal elders and artists. Printed copies will be distributed to Higher Pathway partner programs at high schools across Indian Country.

Mitchell pointed out the guide can help prospective students find the right path for them by focusing on what they value most. For example, going to school on the East Coast can be an exciting prospect but it might not be the best fit for a student who wants to balance education with family, spiritual practices and cultural traditions.

Mitchell noted they may be able to afford travel expenses to get to an East Coast college.

"But then can I come back twice that fall, because I got to do a specific ceremony, or I need to come back for my grandparent’s birthday?" Mitchell asked. "And it’s like ‘No, OK, so maybe that’s not the best choice,’ and then looking at other spaces."

Many American Indian and Alaska Native scholars are nontraditional students who received their high school equivalency or are returning to higher education after working or raising a family. Mitchell added the guide is meant to help students pursue their education goals at any stage of life.

"This can be someone who is a parent, this could be someone who is a grandparent and wants to go back to school and get that degree," Mitchell explained.