April Nicole Horne

April Horne (Diné / Latina) is a PhD student in higher education at the University of Arizona , and her advisor is Dr. Jameson D. Lopez (who was a Haury awardee in 2021). Her research, “Correlational Study of Indigeneity and College Affordability” aims to empower Indigenous / Native American students in higher education and expand Critical Quantitative Methodologies. By focusing on Indigenous Ways of Knowing, it examines the correlation between college affordability and Indigeneity, contributing to Indigenous data sovereignty and resilience. This research will guide higher education institutions in supporting Native Nation building through the experiences of Native American / Indigenous students with college affordability, and is a continuation of previous scholarship identifying financial aid as a significant barrier to Indigenous / Native American student persistence. This research will specifically center the experiences of Indigenous/Native American female-identifying students, recognizing their unique gendered roles within their tribal communities and their demographic representation across college campuses.