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The American Indian Higher Education Consortium Legislative Summit brought Tribal College and University Leadership and Students to Capitol Hill
Alexandria, VA – February 12, 2025 – Tribal College and University (TCU) Presidents, students, faculty, and staff from across the country gathered in Washington, D.C. last week for the American Indian Higher Education Consortium Legislative Summit (AIHEC).
The four-day annual summit offers TCUs and their students the opportunity to exercise their sovereignty by meeting with their respective Members of Congress to advocate for their institutions and engage with federal agencies and partners to learn first-hand about current U.S. federal agency and administration policies. The summit highlighted findings from AIHEC’s economic development study, Building Local Economies of Scale: The Impact of Tribal Colleges and Universities in Rural America, which showed nationwide TCUs added $3.8 billion in income to the U.S. economy and supported 40,732 jobs.
“AIHEC’s Legislative Summit reflects the power of Tribal voices shaping the future of our Tribal Nations and our institutions”, said Ahniwake Rose, AIHEC President & CEO, “it is a reminder that when TCU students and leaders share their lived experiences, they are helping federal leaders understand the real-world impact of policy decisions on our communities.”
TCU Presidents were able to engage with National partners and policy leaders in discussion focused on the Farm Bill reauthorization priorities and the importance of strengthening 1994 land-grant investments and programs serving TCUs. They also received updates from the Government Accountability Office on its Broadband and Infrastructure study, as well as broader federal policy implementation updates shared throughout plenary sessions, highlighting research challenges and opportunities impacting Tribal Colleges.
TCU students attended meetings to learn about internships, fellowships, and career opportunities from leading Native organizations and about youth leadership groups that help young leaders build skills, amplify their voices, and shape their community’s future. Students also practiced sharing their stories effectively in preparation for Capitol Hill meetings.
The legislative summit culminated with visits to congressional leadership where TCU Presidents presented their requests and students shared their stories about how their respective institutions are making a difference in their lives and in their communities.
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