Sept. 4 (UPI) -- Graduates of tribal colleges and universities in the United States are more likely to be better prepared for life after college than graduates of traditional schools, a new survey showed Wednesday.
Gallup said in a study tribe-controlled schools are typically located on Indian reservations and maintain Native cultural values -- and nearly three-fourths of the graduates are employed in areas related to American Indian communities or tribal lands.
"These graduates possess a strong sense of community engagement, have strong relationships in their lives and feel fulfilled in how they occupy their time by liking what they do every day," Gallup said in a blog post.
In 2017, more than 11 percent of all American Indian students studying at U.S. universities or colleges went to one of 35 institutions affiliated with the American Indian Higher Education Consortium, the report states.
The survey showed 81 percent of the graduates said they had at least one professor or instructor at their tribal institution who excited them about learning -- compared to the same response from 71 percent of graduates, nationally.
When asked if professors and instructors cared about them as a person, 59 percent strongly agreed -- compared to just 32 percent at non-tribal U.S. institutions.
The Gallup study was commissioned by the American Indian College Fund found.
