Each summer the Office of Indigenous Relations at the University of Nevada, Reno, invites Native American high school students from across the state interested in attending college to participate in the Native Lead, Empower, Achieve, Dream (LEAD) program. This free, one-week immersive program is designed to help Indigenous students explore higher education opportunities and set them up for success after enrollment. Participants get a chance to experience life on campus - including living in the residence halls, connecting with cultural and academic resources and gaining valuable tools for navigating college life.
“Native American students consistently have one of the lowest postsecondary education enrollment rates among populations, and one of the highest drop-out rates,” Daphne Emm Hooper, director of the Office of Indigenous Relations, said. “The goal of the LEAD program is to give these students a peek into the exciting life of a college student, while at the same time preparing them for success and arming them with the resources they’ll need once they enroll. We want to give these students all the support and resources we possibly can so that they not only attend the university, but they thrive here.”
"We want to give these students all the support and resources we possibly can so that they not only attend the university, but they thrive here." - Director of Office of Indigenous Relations Daphne Emm Hooper
Nationally, Native American students account for just .07 percent of the enrollment in higher education institutions. In 2022, only 25.8 percent of Native Americans aged 18 to 24 were enrolled in college compared to 39 percent of the overall U.S. population. Among American Indian or Alaskan Native residents aged 25 or over, 16.8 percent had earned a bachelor’s degree or higher, considerably lower than the national rate of 36.2 percent.
At the University of Nevada, Reno American Indian or Alaskan Native graduation rates have seen a steady increase since 2018, with a 75% graduation rate among this population in the 2023-24 school year.** With a concentrated effort through programs like LEAD, led by the new Native Nations Center which is funded by Nevada Tech Hub, the hope is to see graduation numbers continue to grow, opening doors and opportunities for Native students, particularly in technology and advanced manufacturing industries where there is a high demand for skilled workers.
The 2025 LEAD program takes place Sunday, July 6 through Thursday, July 10. The academic focus this year is STEM, cultural resources management, biomedical sciences, business and entrepreneurship. The program is available at no cost thanks to support from Nevada Tech Hub, First Nations Development Institute, the College of Business’s University Center for Economic Development and the College of Business’s Nevada Leadership Program.
Registration is open now. All high-school-aged Native American students are eligible to apply. Space is limited and interested students are encouraged to apply.
Learn more about the Native Nations Center on the Office of Indigenous Relations website.
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