WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 11, 2022) – During the 26th Annual National Native American Human Resources Association (NNAHRA) conference, Ursula Swan was awarded the first ever $50,000 University of Phoenix scholarship. The scholarship will include tuition and electronic resource fees toward a bachelor’s or master’s degree at the University of Phoenix for Swan.
Swan was selected for this scholarship out of seven applicants and NNAHRA announced her win at the national conference in San Antonio on September 28, 2022. According to Patrick Horning, National Tribal Strategic Alliance Executive for University of Phoenix, Swan was chosen as the recipient for not only her application responses, but her determination to continue her educational journey, despite her other responsibilities.
“Education is not about the degree; it is about what the person does with that knowledge to positively impact their workplace and the community at large,” said Horning. “Her submission helped identify why she wants the educational opportunity, how she will use it for her personal growth, and how she plans to impact her community and employer. We are so proud of Ursula, and we look forward to all she will accomplish in the near future.”
Swan started her educational journey at San Rosa Junior College, after high school. In attempts to obtain a Business Management degree, Swan encountered financial strain and was starting a family at the same time, putting her education on pause. Years later, after her children completed their education, Swan decided it was time to pursue her own education and go back to school.
“Now that my kids are all out of school, I can focus on myself,” Swan said. “Once I was able to, I attended Sonoma State University’s extended education program to obtain my Human Resources Management and Hospitality Industry Certifications. I then obtained my Tribal Human Resources Professional (THRP) Certification through NNAHRA/Drummond Woodson.”
After this, Swan began to look for opportunities to finish her education without experiencing financial strain. She then came across the University of Phoenix Scholarship and applied. “It’s been an honor to be chosen as the NNAHRA/University of Phoenix scholarship recipient,” says Swan. “I hope to continue my career path with my current organization and hope to bring more knowledge, support, and growth opportunities to the organization. I want to inspire all, especially my children, that it’s never too late to fulfill those dreams.”
The University of Phoenix is proud to collaborate with the NNAHRA by supporting higher education throughout the Tribal HR community. In addition to the many benefits NNAHRA members have at the University of Phoenix, the full-tuition scholarship offers the opportunity for the recipient to work toward a bachelor’s or master’s degree at the University of Phoenix and covers electronic resource fees.
To learn more about NNAHRA, please visit https://nnahra.org/.
ABOUT NNAHRA
The National Native American Human Resources Association is a nonprofit organization comprised of human resources professionals and tribal leaders actively employed by a tribal government or tribal entity. Association and Foundation business is conducted by an elected Board of Directors, who serve two-year terms in a volunteer capacity and all working directly for Human Resources in Indian Country.
Historically, the association started out as a grassroots effort with four tribes meeting to network and share personnel issues and challenges nearly twenty-six years ago. The meetings evolved into conferences, and the membership grew into a formal northwest and then national association. What started with four members is now over 2,000 strong. For more information, please visit https://nnahra.org/.