American Indian College Fund President Rick Williams and Tribal College Journal Win Editorial Gold Award from Society of National Association Publications

Denver (June 21, 2007) – Richard “Rick” B. Williams, a member of the Oglala Lakota Tribe and President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Indian College Fund since 1997, and the Tribal College Journal were awarded a Gold Award from the Society of National Association Publications (SNAP) for a column Williams wrote in the Summer, 2006 issue titled “Real Genius: We could Become the Best Educated People in America.” The award was presented at the EXCEL Awards banquet June 14.

Williams’ column was chosen from 76 finalists from more than 1000 publication, according to Rachael Marchbanks, the publisher of Tribal College Journal. SNAP chose the column as its gold winner because “‘Real Genius’ was well-written and showed a passionate point of view that was accessible and understandable to anyone inside or outside the journalist’s audience. The call to action at the end was especially strong, with well-stated, visionary goals,” according to SNAP judges.

Williams most recently was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, from Roger Williams University in Bristol, R.I. In 2005, the National Indian Education Association named Williams Educator of the Year for his work. As the leader of the American Indian College Fund, Williams helps award more than 6,000 scholarships to American Indian students to attend a tribal college or university each year. He is an experienced educator, advocate, historian, and lecturer, and is committed to increasing awareness of contemporary and historical American Indian issues, and serving the American Indian community through active involvement and leadership in programs and organizations targeting American Indian youth and education. Williams holds a bachelor’s of arts degree from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, and a master’s of arts degree from the University of Wyoming.

About the American Indian College Fund
With its credo “Educating the Mind and Spirit,” the Denver-based American Indian College Fund is the nation’s largest provider of private scholarships for American Indian students, providing more than 6,000 scholarships annually for students seeking to better their lives and communities through education at the nation’s more than 30 accredited tribal colleges and universities. For more information about the American Indian College Fund or to make a donation, visit www.collegefund.org.

About the Tribal College Journal
On behalf of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium's 35-member tribal colleges and universities in the United States and Canada, the Tribal College Journal provides information for everyone interested in American Indian higher education. This culture-based quarterly publication addresses subjects important to the future of American Indian and Alaska Native communities, utilizing both journalistic and scholarly articles.
About The Society of National Association Publications (SNAP)
The Society of National Association Publications (SNAP) is a non-profit, professional society serving the needs of association publishers and communications professionals, located in McLean, Virginia.

©2007 American Indian College Fund

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