EDUCATION · ISSUE 2 OF 3
Scholarships & the Brain Drain
What it is
The Nation trains and funds young people who then leave for better opportunities elsewhere. Candidates called this the brain drain and proposed different fixes: some argued scholarships should be restricted to Diné College to keep money and talent on the Nation; others argued students should go where they can compete and then return. Donovan Begay described being denied a scholarship with no explanation — then walking into the President’s office and getting it resolved in a day. The arbitrariness of the process was the point.
Learn
Understand the system — then consult an expert
Education 101 — covers scholarship programs, Diné College, and the brain-drain dynamic.
Capacity, Leadership & Self-Governance — education as capacity-building for self-governance.
Consult an expert: Ask about scholarship access and reform →
Plan & Assess
Where candidates stand — weigh it yourself
Schools & College — candidates side by side — who proposed keeping scholarships on the Nation and who argued for open competition.
Ask any candidate: How many scholarship applications were denied last year, and for what reasons? What process do you propose? Full list →
Act
What you can do now
Request it: Scholarship award data — who received awards, amounts, denial reasons — should be public. How to request records →
Report an unfair denial: Scholarship decisions without stated reasons are reportable. Find the right door →
Report & Monitor
Track progress — hold the right office accountable
What should be public: Scholarship application counts, award rates, denial reasons, and recipient outcomes (did they return?). What should be public →
Track: Education survey → · Community Findings → · Share your experience →
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