The American Indian College Fund is really doing something special with the tours of tribal colleges and their respective communities. Exposing donors to the culture and lifeways of Indian students is an unique and thoughtful way to bring different people together to learn from each other. Kudos to Ms. Novara and the American Indian College Fund for having such an impact on Native American higher education. What an authentic and genuine approach to geotourism!!!

The American Indian College Fund is doing such amazing work in Indian Country and it is truly inspiring to see what a difference they make. The tours are a wonderful way to create awareness about the Tribal Colleges and it is an opportunity to show people just how important they truly are. The Fund helps build better lives and communities each day.
I strongly support the Fund in their efforts to support students and tribal colleges and am inspired by the selfless, incredible work that they do. I hope that the tours continue to be a great success for them and that the Fund is able to accomplish their mission time and time again.

I very much enjoyed reading Ms. Novara's responses to the questions. The Journey for the Mind & Spirits tours is a well organized program that aims to expose both national and global tourists and visitors to the educational system in place at American Indian Tribal colleges. Clearly as more exposure and funding is directed towards these types of programs, the educational experiences will continue to improve and expand so that more Indians and non-Indians can share in the learning and teaching of important cultural traditions. I was most impressed by the depth of involvement during visits to the tribal colleges and sites. Direct exposure is the most effective means to initiating social and educational change. Keep up the good work!

Jim Kraly
Post-doctoral Scientist
Department of Chemistry
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80521

After supporting Sitting Bull College, we receive a flyer about the American Indian College Fund. We became very interested in its mission and went on one of their tours last summer. The tour was an amazing experience because of the students and faculty that we met at the schools we visited. The commitment and drive of both students, faculty, and administrators is truly amazing. The pride and self-respect that comes from the education received is truly worthwhile to see. We learned so much about American history but from a different perspective and it really opened our eyes and hearts to the needs of a native group that doesn't get much attention. These tours, and we are going on another this summer, would be a wonderful experience for people from all over the world. It would be a much better view of the United States than the Disney experience or other artificial tourism venues. The tours are wonderful experiences that teach so much and are so worthwhile.
George & Susan Then

After supporting Sitting Bull College, we receive a flyer about the American Indian College Fund. We became very interested in its mission and went on one of their tours last summer. The tour was an amazing experience because of the students and faculty that we met at the schools we visited. The commitment and drive of both students, faculty, and administrators is truly amazing. The pride and self-respect that comes from the education received is truly worthwhile to see. We learned so much about American history but from a different perspective and it really opened our eyes and hearts to the needs of a native group that doesn't get much attention. These tours, and we are going on another this summer, would be a wonderful experience for people from all over the world. It would be a much better view of the United States than the Disney experience or other artificial tourism venues. The tours are wonderful experiences that teach so much and are so worthwhile.
George & Susan Then

This seems like a great opportunity to both see a part of the world that most people never get to see and come face to face with a story that most people never get to come into direct contact with.

I like the idea of using a vacation to get people interested in a cause and it seems that it would be impossible to meet these people and see these amazing places without wanting to help.

Great job American Indian College Fund!

I think what the fund is doing is amazing. The tours offer great opportunities for people to learn more about the native cultures of our land while showcasing some of the most beautiful parts of America. Many tourists who come to the United States are looking for more then just Disney World and Times Square. I believe this to be the kind of cultural experiences tourists seek when traveling to the US. These trips not only shed light on American Indian culture, but also raise awareness and support for the tribal colleges. Personally, I believe that college education should be fully funded for all American Indians who are interested. But, until that happens, the fund is doing a great job of providing scholarships for these very deserving students through their unique and exciting tours.

The travel programs offered through the American Indian College Fund's "Journeys of the Mind and Spirit" are one-of-a-kind. The tours are non-nonsense explorations of the tribal colleges, the reservations they are located on, and the local people who are trying to shape a better life. The tours are led by members of the Fund and local native leaders who are very well-versed in the issues and able to answer almost any question. They are led with a sense of humor and joy, even in the face of some fairly depressing local conditions.

The tours are also a terrific way to meet people who are engaged with learning, open-minded and interesting.

At the North Dakota tour last year, the Fund tried a new format, which included a full "extra" day devoted to a classroom learning experience focused on American Indian history and culture. The speakeers and materials were terrific, and there was plenty of information and suggested reading circulated in advance.

I loved the Youtube upload. It really covered a lot that a traveler on one of the Mind and Spirit tours comes to learn about the American Indian tribal colleges and their impact on those living on or near the reservations. I know the two tours I participated in were eye-opening, mind-expanding and spiritually enriching. In addition to all described in the entry, there is now a one-day seminar added to some of the tours to enable participants to learn more about American Indian Policy and History.

On both of the trips I have gone on, we have had participants from Europe who were extremely interested and well-informed on American Indian matters. It added to the trip's overall richness.

I am so happy to hear that this great institution exists. There are many people out there in Europe and certainly elsewhere in the world searching just that kind of activity. I strongly suggest to make this innovation known amongst the NGOs and American Indian support groups in Europe. This could generate a lot of business, especially with the dollar being low and many Europeans actually taking advantage of that. I wish the College Fund a lot of success!