A career focused on Native student success,
Dr. Boham brings extensive leadership and advocacy experience to
Native Forward Scholars Fund
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Aug. 1, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- Native Forward Scholars Fund, the largest
direct provider of scholarships for Native students, announced
today the appointment of Dr. Sandra
Boham as its Chief Operating Officer.
Dr. Boham (Confederated Salish & Kootenai) is an
accomplished educational leader with over four decades of
experience in academia and community service, including as
President of Salish Kootenai College,
where she helped the college attain the highest retention and
graduation rates for Tribal colleges and universities in the U.S.,
according to the U.S. Department to Education's College
Scorecard.
Dr. Boham's career has been dedicated to improving educational
outcomes for Native and Indigenous students. She has testified
before the House Subcommittee on Education and Workforce and the
American Indian Affairs Committee, and has been an invited panelist
at three Department of Education Summits on student success.
"It is a deep privilege to welcome Sandra to our organization,"
said Angelique Albert (Confederated
Salish & Kootenai), CEO of Native Forward Scholars Fund. "With
her extensive background in higher education and commitment to
advocating for Native students, she will be a crucial addition to
the team as we advance our mission of providing financial support
and comprehensive services, from admission to graduation, for every
Native student wanting to pursue higher education."
Dr. Boham's contributions have been recognized with several
awards, including the 2023 Jeanette Rankin Foundation Shining Star
Award and the 2024 Achieving the Dream 20th Anniversary Award. Her
career is marked by her commitment to cultural enrichment, academic
excellence, and community empowerment. Prior to serving as
President of Salish Kootenai College,
Dr. Boham also held roles such as Vice President for Academic
Affairs, Director of Indian Education, and Financial Aid
Specialist. She holds an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from the
University of Montana.
"I've spent most of my professional life advancing the inclusion
of and opportunities for Native students, and am so excited to be
joining Native Forward to continue this work," said Dr. Boham. "I'm
thrilled to be supporting the organization to empower the next
generation of Native leaders."
Native Forward Scholars Fund is the largest
direct provider of scholarships to Native students for greater
economic mobility, self-determination, and Tribal sovereignty for
scholars and Tribal communities. The organization is committed to
ensuring that every Native student who wants to pursue higher
education has the resources to do so. Over 55 years, it has
empowered over 22,000 scholars from more than 500 Tribes in all 50
states and contributed to over 1,700 law degrees and more than
2,200 PhD degrees. By pairing scholarships with meaningful,
culturally relevant student support and programming, Native Forward
has succeeded in increasing the graduation rates of undergraduate
students to 69%, compared to the national average of 41% for Native
students, and has boosted the rate for graduate students to
95%.
Contact: Josefin Dolsten
(914) 610-8761
josefin@brysongillette.com
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SOURCE Native Forward Scholars Fund