Scholarships and Grants

Multicultural Program:  Native American Scholarship Program

In June of 2012 the Texas Archeological Society (TAS) will offer the tenth year of its scholarship program to support Native Americans who attend the TAS Field School.  This program allows our members to meet, talk with, and learn from the native people whose traditions and lifeways are tied to Texas archeological sites.  Scholarships are sponsored by donations from members of TAS and other local archeological societies, the Council of Texas Archeologists, archeological contracting firms, foundations, and others.

Tribal groups will be invited to send members to take part in the TAS Field School in south Texas near Del Rio on June 9-15, 2012.  Investigations will focus on the south unit of Devils River State Natural Area, which is not yet open to the public.  Unlike previous years, the primary effort this year will be archeological survey to locate the most significant sites on the property, with limited testing at some sites.  Margaret Howard and Luis Alvarado of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Archeology Survey Team will direct the Field School.

TAS Field Schools teach the principles of archeological survey, excavation, and laboratory processing through working side-by-side with experienced avocational and professional archeologists.  This is an ideal activity for families and persons of all ages who are in good health.  Informative lectures and activities are offered, and newcomers are given special training.  Young people between the ages of 7 and 13 attend an educational program.  Persons under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult sponsor.  Visit the TAS Field School page for more information.

TAS will support the majority of the Field School costs for no more than two scholarship recipients from each native group per Field School, as funds allow.  The Field School registration fee is waived, and each scholarship recipient is given a kit containing the tools needed for excavation or survey.  Scholarships may include partial reimbursement for the expenses of persons traveling long distances to Field School.  Each scholarship recipient is registered as a TAS member, and will receive the Bulletin of the Texas Archeological Society and Texas Archeology newsletter.

Lodging space will be provided in the San Pedro campground on Amistad Reservoir, about 30 miles south of Devils River Ranch.  Scholarship recipients must bring their own tents and camping gear; a list of recommended equipment will be mailed out (you can check out a generic list of equipment and usual camp rules here).  Rest facilities are port-o-cans; showers will be provided at a local recreation facility.  Breakfast and dinner are provided from the TAS camp kitchen at no charge to scholarship recipients.  Scholarship recipients provide their own lunches, but TAS will furnish ice for their coolers.  Del Rio has grocery stores (HEB, Walmart) where lunch food and other supplies can be purchased.

Since 2003, 90 Native Americans have participated in the TAS Native American Field School scholarship program, including members of the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma, Cherokee Nation, Chickasaw Nation, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Comanche Nation of Oklahoma, Delaware Nation, Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas, Kiowa Indian Tribe of Oklahoma, Lipan Apache Band of Texas, Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, Tap Pilam/Coahuiltecan Nation, and other groups.  Articles and photographs of past Native American Field School scholarship programs are at these links:

Record Year For Native American Scholarship Program
Reintroduction of a People
Native Americans and Archeologists Find Common Ground

In April 2008, the TAS Native American Scholarship program was featured in Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine.  View the article here.

If you are interested in participating in or donating to the Native American Field School scholarship program, contact Marie Archambeault at 512.463.6043 or via email to chair-nativeamerican@txarch.org.  We look forward to sharing the TAS Field School experience with more Native Americans in June 2012!

Marie Archambeault, Chair
Native American Scholarship subcommittee