We always hold our breath a little when awaiting an assessment by an outside agency, but the Commission of Indian Affairs has again earned high marks from the state Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) for our grant-funded Supporting Our Native Students (SONS) Program.
In examining FY 2008-09 outcomes, OEO found that actual performance exceeded planned performance for the period. Additionally, SONS served 173 percent of the number of students it had planned to assist. In summary, 92 percent of available funding was expended to support a total of 52 American Indian students who are pursuing a degree from an accredited North Carolina community college or university.
I am pleased to acknowledge the exceptional efforts of Kimberly Hammonds, who has managed this program since 1999. Kim continues to keep the program operating at or near capacity and provides support and encouragement to participants.
This year, the program changed its name to Supporting Undergraduate Native Students (SUNS) and introduced a new logo to better identify and promote its mission. For information, visit our website or call 919-807-4440.