The ambitious efforts to recruit American Indian males are working, despite an abundance of hurdles, including lack of money to pay for college, few peer and mentor incentives and important family obligations that don't seem to leave much time for pursuits like college. American Indian male enrollment at tribal colleges and universities has risen 19 percent in the past six years, according to the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC). That translates into 5,807 male students out of a total tribal enrollment of some 18,400, according to AIHEC data. Designing academic programs that draw on native historical ties to the land, such as the environmental science curriculum helps address the strong desire of many male students to strike a healthy balance between academic achievement and cultural values. To address the sense of frustration and lack of self-worth among some native males, tribal colleges are also expanding their offerings beyond degree programs as they seek to address the needs of men in tribal college communities to redefine their roles in modern tribal societies.