A commitment to the success of American Indian students and scholars

Pathways to connection, resources, and success

It's no accident that ASU is a national leader in service to Indigenous communities

Our service has been a university priority for decades, dating back to the establishment of the Center for Indian Education in 1959, one of the first tribal-specific education programs in the nation.

As an institution that measures itself by whom we include and how they succeed, ASU is committed to the success of American Indian students and scholars. We recognize the importance of expanding our offerings to the benefit of every Sun Devil and find that this is dependent on how we enhance representation, growth, and connection among diverse cultures and identities.
Michael Crow
President
Nancy Gonzales
Executive Vice President and University Provost

Honoring ancestral homelands


Arizona State University is built upon the ancestral lands of Indigenous peoples, including the Akimel O'odham and Pee Posh. 

Arizona is home to 22 federally recognized tribes and we honor their enduring connection to these lands, their perspectives, histories, and cultures.

A holistic model for support and success


ASU designs its support for student success based on four major areas identified as critical to their journey in higher education.

 

Paying for college

 

It’s no secret that college is a major investment. The good news is, students have access to many forms of financial aid to help pay for an investment that yeilds dividends. Learn about the various types of financial aid, how to get them and help in navigating the process.

Financial aid


 

Embrace cultural connections

 

Having an environment that recognizes, respects and supports a student’s identity is vital to their academic and personal well-being. ASU recognizes this and values the rich diversity of faculty, staff and students whose presence enriches the university community. Explore the spaces, programs, and student organizations honoring and embracing your heritage.

Campus connections

American Indian ASU Student

Exploring a profession

 

Navigating your professional journey can be competitive and confusing, but exploring professional opportunities at the university or at an organization of a students choosing can help prepare them before graduation. ASU has many opportunities to help you fulfill your aspirations.

Professional Opportunities

 

 

Seeking academic support

 

Programming not only prepares a student for their college experience, but empowers them with the confidence to seek help in their educational journey through services like tutoring, study groups, and academic advising. Identify the resources that can help in overcoming academic obstacles.

Academic support

A growing community


4,000+

Total American Indian/Alaska Native student enrollment* for Spring 2024. 

*reflects students who identify in multiple racial/ethnic categories.

874

American Indian/Alaska Native students* who received a degree in AY 2022-23

*reflects students who identify in multiple racial/ethnic categories

 

36%

American Indian/Alaska Native undergraduates* who are first generation** college students. Across ASU, 33% of all undergraduates are first generation students. 

*reflects students who identify in multiple racial/ethnic categories

**first generation-percentage is based on FAFSA applicants only

70+

Indigenous faculty

23

Regional Tribal communities that are part of ASU’s community

Only Indigenous-led library center in the U.S.


The Labriola National American Indian Data Center is the one and only Indigenous-led library center within a doctoral research university in the nation. Labriola promotes Indigenous academic excellence, provides a culturally safe space to engage Indigenous information, histories and cultures, and upholds Tribal sovereignty and data sovereignty

Randy B Labriola textile design.

 

 

Students honoring their ancestors


kiera

Kiera Charley

As a Flinn Scholar and Barrett, the Honors College student who started college at age 16, Charley is an inspiration for all students, not just those living on the Navajo Nation where she grew up. Majoring in both astrophysics and geology, her future at ASU shines bright. Read more

Navajo

tylesha

Ty’Lesha Yellowhair

As a Fall 2022 Outstanding Graduate from Arizona State University's School of Public Affairs, Yellowhair aims to make a difference to bring back equity, if not justice, to our communities, and help victims of violence. Read more

Navajo Diné

lourdes

Lourdes Pereira

Working as a student archivist in the Labriola National American Indian Data Center, ASU’s Indigenous-led library, Pereira is the official archivist for the Hia-Ced Hemajkam LLC and aims to use her documentation to support the Hia-Ced O’odham in their petition for federal recognition. Read more

Hia-Ced O’odham

d k

Dylan Bia and Katie Pascavis

Dylan and Katie were awarded the Udall Undergraduate Scholarship, a major federal fellowship for college sophomores and juniors who demonstrate leadership, public service, and commitment to issues related to Native American nations or to the environment. Read more

A community of distinguished scholars


Stacy leeds

Stacy Leeds

Willard H. Pedrick Dean
Regents Professor of Law
Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law

Professor Leeds is the first Indigenous woman in the U.S. to become a law school dean, is an elected member of the American Law Institute, and recipient of the American Bar Association's Spirit of Excellence Award. 

Cherokee

natalie

Natalie Diaz

Maxine and Jonathan Marshall Chair
Modern and Contemporary Poetry Professor of English, Creative Writing

Pulitzer Prize award-winning poetry author and Macarthur Foundation Fellow, Professor Diaz is founding director of the Center for Imagination in the Borderlands at ASU, and is also the youngest chancellor ever elected to the Academy of American Poets.

Mojave

donald

Don Fixico

Regents and Distinguished Foundation Professor of History

Professor Fixico is a policy historian and ethnohistorian whose work focuses on American Indians, oral history and the U.S. West. He has worked on 25 historical documentaries and published 15 books.

Shawnee Sac and Fox Muscogee Seminole
matthew

Matthew Ignacio

Assistant Professor
Social Work

Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions

Ignacio’s research is focused on American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian health. He has spent more than 20 years delivering HIV and AIDS related health and mental services to underserved individuals, focusing on the needs of tribal and urban Native communities.

Tohono O’odham

Advancing American Indian success


Helping high school students prepare for college

INSPIRE is a no-cost, weeklong college readiness program for residential American Indian high school students, who develop academic and personal success behaviors through culturally relevant, project-based learning, and connecting with peers and mentors.

Learn more

Cultivating a community of Indigenous leaders

Indigenous Leadership Academy is a signature program within the American Indian Policy Institute that works with emerging Indigenous leaders to expand their knowledge, skills, and networks to address issues faced by Indigenous municipalities, organizations and associations, unlike any program in the Nation.

Learn more

Providing current ASU students with advising and support

American Indian Student Support Services provides services to all Indigenous students to ensure they will successfully progress toward educational excellence and graduate to become self-reliant individuals who effectively give back to their families and communities.

Learn more

Keeping Native American Sun Devils connected

The ASU Native American Alumni chapter serves Native American Sun Devils throughout the nation. Serving as role models in their respective communities, our alumni actively engage in volunteering and opportunities to network and support one another.

Learn more

American Indian excellence in the news