Washington State University
MOU Tribal Scholarship
Scholarship Overview
Prepared for Tribal and University Officials
The MOU Tribal Scholarship is for members of tribes that are signatory to a Memorandum of
Understanding with Washington State University. Signatory tribes include the following: Coeur
d’Alene Tribe, Colville Confederated Tribes, Confederated Tribes of the Salish and Kootenai,
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Confederated Tribes of the Warm
Springs Reservation of Oregon, Cowlitz Tribe, Kalispel Tribe, Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, Nez Perce
Tribe, and the Yakama Nation.
Two awards are available per signatory tribe for new incoming students at the WSU Pullman
Campus. Two awards total will be available for new incoming students who are members of
the signatory tribes at the WSU Tri-Cities Campus and at the WSU Vancouver Campus. New
incoming students include freshmen and transfer students. At the Pullman campus, preference
will be given to new incoming freshmen students. A student with less than 27 semester hours
or 40 quarter hours of college-level work is admitted at WSU as a freshman. A student with
more than 27 semester hours or 40 quarter hours of college-level work is admitted at WSU as a
transfer student.
Each award is for $2000 per year ($1000 per semester) renewable for an additional three years
for freshmen if criteria are met, and up to an additional two years for a transfer student
depending upon their status at time of admittance. One nominee attending the WSU Pullman
campus will be selected to receive a $10,000 per year award ($5000 per semester), also
renewable if criteria are met.
The MOU Tribal Scholarship is linked to the Tribal Nation Building Leadership Program on the
Pullman Campus. The award includes the opportunity to participate in the Tribal Nation
Building Leadership Program. Acceptance of the award on the Pullman campus requires that
recipients be enrolled in an introductory student success course (2 credits) during their first
semester, and a one credit Tribal Nation Building Leadership Course their first semester and
each subsequent semester.
At this time the Tribal Nation Building Leadership Program is only available on the Pullman
campus; however, we are in dialogue with the Tri-Cities Campus and the Vancouver Campus for
how we may extend the program to their campuses.
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Scholarship Criteria:
 Applicants must be an enrolled member of one of the WSU Signatory Tribes.
 Applicants who are seniors in high school must have a minimum high school GPA of 3.3
through their first semester senior year of HS.
 Applicants who have prior college credits must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 for their
college credits.
Renewal Criteria for Awards (Applies to all Campuses):
 Recipients must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.75 to retain an award of $2000
 The recipient of the $10,000 award must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.3 to retain the
award at the $10,000 level. If the cumulative GPA falls below 3.3, but is at least 2.75,
the $10,000 award will reduce to $2000.
Priority Consideration:
 Priority will be given for scholarship applicants who completed the WSU Admissions
application for their respective campus (Pullman, Tri-Cities, or Vancouver) and
submitted it by the January 31, 2014, deadline. www.apply.wsu.edu
 Applicants who complete the WSU general scholarship application(s) by the deadline
and the FAFSA by the priority deadline will significantly increase their opportunity for
their best possible Financial Aid package. Priority will be given for applicants who
submitted the WSU general scholarship application (deadline January 31, 2014.)
Applicants to the Tri-Cities or Vancouver Campuses will also receive priority
consideration if they have completed in addition to the general WSU Scholarship the
scholarship application for their respective campuses by the January 31, 2014 deadline.
o General Scholarship: http://finaid.wsu.edu/ (All campuses)
o WSU Vancouver: http://studentaffairs.vancouver.wsu.edu/financial-aid
(Vancouver students only)
o WSU Tri-Cities: https://wsutcscholarships.academicworks.com (Tri-Cities
students only)
 Priority will be given to applicants who have completed their FAFSA and submitted it by
February 15, 2014. http://finaid.wsu.edu/apply-for-aid/fafsa-application
Application and Nomination Screening and Award Process:
 MOU Scholarship applications may be downloaded from the WSU Tribal Liaison website: http://provost.wsu.edu/tribal-liaison/ or picked up from your Tribal Higher Education
Office.
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Application and Nomination Screening and Award Process Continued:
 Applicants must submit their completed MOU Tribal Scholarship Application Packet to
their respective Tribal Higher Education Office by February 25, 2014. The application
packet includes: Student checklist, student information sheet, copy of tribal enrollment
documentation, copy of high school or college transcript (copy of both high school and
college transcript if less that 27 semester hours or 40 quarter hours of college credit)
essay, consent form for release of information, and two letters of reference. One letter
is to be written by a high school staff member that is familiar with the student’s
academic achievements and ability. This can be a teacher, school counselor, Indian
Education Coordinator, coach, principal, or superintendent. The second letter is to be
written by an individual who can assess the student’s leadership abilities and
involvement in tribal activities. Neither letter of reference is to be written by a relative
of the student.
 The Tribal Higher Education Director confirms that the packet is complete and that
transcripts confirm the minimum GPA requirements, signs off on the packet, and
presents the application to the Tribal Chairperson or his/her designee for nomination.
The application along with nomination is to be submitted to the Tribal Liaison Office by
March 25, 2014. It may be faxed or emailed on that day; however, the original should
be mailed and postmarked by that date as well.
 Students will be notified of selection by April 7, 2014.
Pullman Campus: Each signatory tribe may choose to nominate only two students for the
Pullman Campus, thereby determining who will receive the monetary award, or they may
submit more than two nominations and a WSU committee identified through the Tribal Liaison
Office will select two per tribe from among the nominations received for that tribe. The
$10,000 award will be selected from all nominations by a committee established by the Tribal
Liaison Office working with Student Financial Services. Students not selected for the monetary
award may still be invited to be a part of the Tribal Nation Building Leadership Program.
Student applications along with nomination forms are to be submitted to the Tribal Liaison
Office by March 25, 2014. They may be faxed or emailed on that day; however, the original
should be mailed and postmarked by that date as well. Address, fax, and email can be found on
the nomination form. Students will be notified of selection by April 7, 2014.
Tri-Cities Campus: Each MOU tribe may nominate as many students as they choose who meet
the criteria and desire to attend the Tri-Cities campus. The Tribal Liaison Office, working with
representatives of the Tri-Cities Campus will select two students from all MOU tribal
nominations of students who desire to attend WSU Tri-Cities to receive the Tri-Cities Campus
awards. Student applications along with nomination forms are to be submitted to the Tribal
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Application and Nomination Screening and Award Process Continued:
Liaison Office by March 25, 2014. They may be faxed or emailed on that day; however, the
original should be mailed and postmarked by that date as well. Address, fax, and email can be
found on the nomination form. Students will be notified of selection by April 7, 2014.
Vancouver Campus: Each MOU tribe may nominate as many students as they choose who
meet the criteria and desire to attend the Vancouver campus. The Tribal Liaison Office,
working with representatives of the Vancouver Campus will select two students from all MOU
tribal nominations of students who desire to attend WSU Vancouver to receive the Vancouver
Campus awards. Student applications along with nomination forms are to be submitted to the
Tribal Liaison Office by March 25, 2014. They may be faxed or emailed on that day; however,
the original should be mailed and postmarked by that date as well. Address, fax, and email can
be found on the nomination form. Students will be notified of selection by April 7, 2014.
Scholarship Promotion and Communications:
 The WSU Native American Outreach Coordinator will identify all potential recipients
from a review of Native student applicants who have identified themselves as a member
of one of the signatory tribes and who have applied to the WSU Pullman Campus and
will notify these students of their eligibility to apply for the MOU scholarship. Students
must identify their tribal affiliation in their WSU application in order to receive this
notification.
 The WSU Native American Outreach Coordinator as well as other recruitment officers
and staff at the Tri-Cities and Vancouver campuses working with prospective students
may provide this information to qualified students.
 Application materials will be provided to all members of the WSU Native American
Advisory Board, including the Chairpersons of the MOU Signatory Tribes, the Native
American Advisory Board delegates, and the tribal education directors for each MOU
Tribe.
 A press release will be submitted to each respective tribal newspaper regarding the
scholarship.
WSU Contact Information:
Questions should be directed to Barbara Aston, Director of Native American Programs/Tribal
Liaison at 509-335-8618 or aston@wsu.edu or Faith Price, Assistant Director of Native American
Programs/Undergraduate Student Services, 509-335-8618 or faith.price@wsu.edu.
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