Partnership With Native Americans® (PWNA) believes education is key to opportunity — especially for Native students, who continue to face the lowest graduation rates of any racial or ethnic group. Through the American Indian Education Fund® (AIEF) program, PWNA provides scholarships to students with the drive and determination to succeed, even when the odds are stacked against them. For Sampson, a recent graduate and member of the Paiute-Shoshone Tribe of the Fallon Reservation and Colony in Nevada, the AIEF scholarship played a crucial role in helping him reach the finish line.

Sampson’s early years were spent on the reservation outside Fallon, where daily life centered on culture, family, and tradition. “We’d go into the city for groceries once a week,” he recalled, “but most of the time was spent playing rez ball, going on field trips, and attending powwows. It was fun — and it taught me a lot about our customs.”

His family later moved to El Paso, Texas, where the transition came with unexpected challenges. Though English was his first language, he was placed in an ESL program and was the only Native student in his class. “All of my friends spoke Spanish, and they were always really interested in my culture.” This curiosity from his friends helped Sampson adjust more easily to living in El Paso, where he did not see as much indigenous representation as he did in Fallon.

After high school, Sampson enrolled at the University of Texas at Arlington, where he initially pursued a degree in mechanical engineering. But like many students, his path shifted. “COVID hit, and I didn’t like online learning, so I took a break,” he said. More importantly, Sampson began realizing that his heart was in community work, especially with Native organizations. As president of UTA’s Native American Student Association, he helped organize cultural events and connected with Native-led organizations and allies. One of those connections was PWNA’s President and CEO, who attended a campus powwow and introduced Sampson to AIEF.

“The AIEF scholarship was pivotal,” Sampson said. “It helped me get through my last year of college. With that extra money, I was able to finish and graduate.” But for Sampson, the impact went well beyond tuition. Sampson now works with PWNA, supporting Native communities far beyond his own. He shared, “Even though these reservations are far away from where I’m from, the struggles are the same. You see the beadwork, the rez dogs, the kids playing rez ball — it reminds me of home. You see how hard PWNA works in the community and how happy our program partners are to see us coming. Whether we’re delivering food boxes or just there to talk, they are always excited to see us.”

Though he started in engineering, Sampson now sees himself as a problem solver for Native people — someone who can use technical skills and cultural experience to lift up the next generation. “Engineering teaches you how to solve problems,” he explained. “The way I approach it versus how somebody else approaches it might be different, but that different angle can be good—and it can make a difference.”

Sampson is one of many students whose future was made possible by AIEF donors. Reflecting on the generosity behind that support, Sampson shared this message to donors: “That dollar might help a student struggling to get through college or provide a student with a care package with essentials so they know, ‘Somebody cares about me!’ Anything helps, and your support goes to the right place.”

Donate to AIEF to help Native students like Sampson build a better future for themselves, their families, and their communities.