The University of North Alabama is the first among schools in Alabama to sign a historic partnership with the Cherokee Nation to offer scholarship opportunities to their more than 400,000 tribal citizens and 4,300 tribal government employees.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is effective immediately in time for spring 2022 enrollment and is available for both online students and on-campus students who are either starting their college education or completing a degree.
Based in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, UNA is also the first university the Cherokee Nation has ever partnered with outside the region.
“The Cherokee Nation has a longstanding history of education and continues to support our citizens and employees who choose to pursue their academic degrees,” said Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr. “We’re glad we could come together with the University of North Alabama offering our employees and citizens who apply and are accepted, discounted scholarship tuition.”
UNA’s general counsel and president of the Alabama Trail of Tears Association, Amber Fite-Morgan said tribal citizens can be assured they are receiving an education that is among the best in Alabama and in the southeast.
“As a proud member of the Cherokee Nation, I am so pleased to have had the opportunity to bring UNA and the Nation together for this important and historic agreement,” said Fite-Morgan. “This partnership will pave the way for ongoing success among the Nation.”
There are already members of the Cherokee Nation enrolled at UNA, predominantly through the accredited Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) in UNA’s College of Business and Technology.
Located in Florence, Alabama, the 130-acre UNA campus offers dozens of academic programs for students seeking graduate, undergraduate, and doctoral degree programs through the colleges of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering; Business and Technology; Education and Human Sciences; and the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions.
“Knowing that citizens of the Cherokee Nation are enrolling in our highly rated programs within the College of Business and Technology tells us that this agreement is beneficial for all involved,” said Dr. Ross Alexander, UNA provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs. “We take pride in providing an excellent education for all of our students, whether online or on-campus, graduate or undergraduate.
“We look forward to seeing this partnership expand as we continue to provide innovative programs for our partners, especially those from traditionally underserved communities.”
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