A former chief of the Cayuga Wolf Clan and his wife have made a challenge grant to benefit Native American students in Cornell's American Indian Program. Frank and June Bonamie's gift of $25,000 could be tripled through the matching of other gifts to the program dollar-for-dollar through Aug. 31.

"We will use Frank and June's gift and money raised through their challenge for student services initiatives," said Jane Mt. Pleasant, director of the American Indian Program and associate professor of horticulture. "We would like to offer a number of book scholarships to native students and research grants for undergraduate and graduate native students."

Since the early 1970s, local businessman Frank Bonamie has worked with Cornell administrators, faculty and Native American leaders to create and expand the program. Formally established in 1982, the program offers an undergraduate and graduate minor, about 20 courses and extensive recruitment and support services for native students.

"Frank is a dynamic force who had the ear of people who were able to make changes," Mt. Pleasant said. "He is a large reason the American Indian Program exists today."

Cornell competes for students with Dartmouth, Stanford, Penn State and Harvard. American Indian Studies courses are open to all Cornell students, as is the Akwe:kon residence hall. "Our program is unique in that most other schools house academic and support services separately," said Mt. Pleasant. "We combine academics, student services, outreach and extension, and work collaboratively with native communities to fulfill Cornell's land-grant mission."

The program recruits first-generation college students who live on reservations as well as middle- and upper-middle-class native students. "We have one of the highest retention rates at a majority institution in the United States," said Mt. Pleasant. "We recruit highly qualified students and devote a lot of staff time to individual counseling on everything from financial aid to personal and career development. We also do a lot of cultural, social and academic programming."

In August the program will admit its largest class to date: 41 students from 15 states who have tribal affiliations with 20 native nations. About 100 Native American undergraduates are enrolled at Cornell, studying in all of Cornell's undergraduate colleges. Another 40 native students are enrolled in graduate and professional programs. As many as 400 students (native and non-native) take courses in Native American history, literature, sociology, natural resources, anthropology, education and archaeology.

"My goal is to bring 50 Native American first-year students to Cornell each year," Mt. Pleasant said. "Frank and June's challenge grant will help us move more aggressively toward that goal."

To support Cornell's American Indian Program and take advantage of the challenge gift, contact Jane Mt. Pleasant at (607) 255-6246 or jm21@cornell.edu.