Tribal Colleges Research Articles

Science education: Research on the reservation

American Indians have had some unhappy interactions with scientists in the past. Now, America's tribal colleges are rapidly expanding their own research.

Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions: Areas of Growth, Innovation, and Collaboration

This policy brief aims to raise the national visibility of the Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) program and link the needs of these institutions to the hundreds of similar Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) (e.g., historically black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, and tribal colleges and universities). More specifically, this brief demonstrates how and why the MSI policy strategy is an effective way to increase the success of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) college students, and how the AANAPISI program can be further strengthened.

Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions: Areas of Growth, Innovation, and Collaboration

This policy brief aims to raise the national visibility of the Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) program and link the needs of these institutions to the hundreds of similar Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) (e.g., historically black colleges and universities, Hispanic- serving institutions, and tribal colleges and universities). More specifically, this brief demonstrates how and why the MSI policy strategy is an effective way to increase the success of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) college students, and how the AANAPISI program can be further strengthened.

Editor's Commentary

Editor's Commentary James Riding In (bio) This issue contains information about the twelfth annual American Indian Studies Association (AISA) conference and three articles that make a significant contribution to our knowledge. First, however, I will pay homage to the life of Jack D. Forbes. Then I will share an American Indian studies paradigm that my Arizona State University colleagues asked me to craft for a proposal calling for the creation of a master's program. Honoring the Memory of Jack D. Forbes Jack Forbes, who was of Powhatan-Renape, Delaware-Lenape descent, entered the spirit world on February 23, 2011. Having earned a doctorate in history and anthropology from the University of Southern California in 1959, his legacy is that of a visionary, intellectual, and scholar, and his contributions to AIS and academia in general are abundant. He wrote numerous books, book chapters, and journal articles focusing on such topics as Indian history, colonialism, and education. Of particular note is his 1966 study titled "An American Indian University: A Proposal for Survival," which helped spark the Indian college movement. 1 He called for the creation of an intertribal university controlled by Indians that would provide training in various areas, including education, law, agriculture, social work, and general education. By 1971, [End Page 5] he had cofounded D-Q University near Davis, California, which had a mission that centered on cultural survival. By then, Navajo Community College had been founded in Tsaile on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona. Today, approximately one-third of all Indian college students attend one of the thirty-six tribal colleges scattered across the nation. Most of these institutions are geographically isolated and serve students who otherwise would not have an opportunity to improve the quality of their lives through education. 2 Forbes also played a pivotal role in creating the Native American studies (NAS) program at the University of California, Davis. Today, it is one of only two U.S. universities offering a doctorate in AIS/NAS. Even after retiring in the mid-1990s, Forbes remained active as a scholar. In December 2010, he e-mailed me to ask about the status of a manuscript titled "America: The Theft of a Continent's Names and What It Means," which he had submitted to Wicazo Sa Review several months earlier. Like much of his scholarship, this study challenges a fundamental component of the master narrative stemming from white colonialism in the Americas. I will publish this work in an upcoming issue. Jack is gone, but his legacy and life's work will endure for years to come. AIS and the Indian world are significantly better because of his courage, foresight, and commitment. An American Indian Studies Paradigm Statement There are a hundred or so academic programs and departments with AIS designations in the United States and Canada functioning under a variety of paradigms ranging from the reasonable to the absurdly superficial. There are few graduate and undergraduate programs with adequate administrative support, as well as strong curricula and faculty, while the majority of other programs suffer from a lack of resources, cohesion, Indian faculty, and focus. In this diverse milieu, there is neither a unifying paradigm that links AIS into an academic discipline nor a shared understanding of what AIS should be. It is difficult to assess these programs because there are no academic standards in place that measure what students should be taught, where faculty should publish, and the types of service faculty members should provide to communities. When my colleagues asked me in January 2011 to draft an American Indian studies paradigm statement that would describe the nature of the program in less than five hundred words, I felt honored to do so. In formulating my ideas for this task, I reflected on what AIS could do to empower students while helping to strengthen and sustain diverse Indian nations. Then I turned to the inspirational writings of such scholars as Elizabeth Cook-Lynn (Crow Creek Dakota), Susan A. Miller [End Page 6] (Seminole), Jack D. Forbes (Powhatan-Renape and Delaware-Lenape heritage), Michael Yellow Bird (Arikara/Hidatsa), and Tom Holm (Muscogee/Cherokee), whose works are significant to AIS for a variety of reasons. 3...

A longitudinal study of tobacco use among American Indian and Alaska Native tribal college students

BackgroundAmerican Indians (AI) have the highest smoking rates of any ethnic group in the US (40.8%), followed most closely by African Americans (24.3%) and European Americans (23.6%). AI smokers also have more difficulty quitting smoking compared to other ethnic groups, evidenced by their significantly lower quit ratios, and are among the least successful in maintaining long term abstinence. While health disparities like these have existed for years among AI, the epidemiology of smoking and nicotine dependence has not been optimally described among this underserved population.Our overarching hypothesis is that the susceptibility of AI to cigarette smoking and nicotine dependence and its consequences has both an underlying nicotine metabolism component as well as psychosocial, cultural, and environment causes. We are well-positioned to explore this issue for the first time in this population. Our objective is to establish a cohort of AI tribal college/university students to determine the predictors of smoking initiation (non-use to experimentation), progression (experimentation to established use), and cessation (established use to cessation). Much of what is known about the process of smoking initiation and progression comes from quantitative studies with non-Native populations. Information related to smoking use among AI tribal college/university (TCU) students is entirely unknown and critically needs further investigation. This study will be the first of its kind among AI college students who are at the highest risk among all ethnic groups for tobacco dependence.Methods/designFirst year students at Haskell Indian Nations University in Kansas will be recruited over four consecutive years and will be surveyed annually and repeatedly through year 5 of the study. We will use both longitudinal quantitative surveys and qualitative focus group methods to examine key measures and determinants of initiation and use among this high risk group.

Close Encounters: Lessons From an Indigenous MBA Program

Entrepreneurship is perceived to be a key to revitalizing the economies of American Indian communities. Gonzaga University offers an MBA specifically designed to prepare tribal college instructors to teach entrepreneurship. Beginning with the relevant background on the need for and benefit of indigenous management education, this article describes the elements of this unique program such as the cohort system, on-line and on-campus courses, and culturally appropriate curriculum changes. The program is analyzed through a qualitative examination of an alumni survey. The survey reveals that the foremost challenge for the program is the integration of indigenous cultural values and management practices with mainstream business curricula. The most prominent success factor the survey reveals is the fit between the program’s goals and the mission of the Jesuit institution in which the program resides. Finally, the survey results provide some insight into the impact the program is having on indigenous communities.

Mandated multiculturalism: An analysis of core curricula at tribal and historically black colleges

Multicultural content has become increasingly widespread in the core curriculum at colleges and universities in the United States. This article examines whether multicultural requirements are more prevalent at minority-serving colleges (i.e., tribal and historically black colleges) than at “mainstream” institutions without a minority-serving charter. It examines the prevalence of two kinds of multicultural content: pluralistic content that canvasses multiple minority groups or cultures, and particularistic perspectives that focus on only one group (in this case, African Americans or American Indians). Multivariate analyses indicate that tribal, black, and mainstream colleges do not differ with respect to pluralistic requirements in the core curriculum, but that particularistic requirements are more extensive at black colleges and especially at tribal colleges.

A Review of Native American Entrepreneurial Activity

The primary scope of this research is to identify the business and entrepreneurial activity taking place in the Native American community and includes a literary review of ten articles found to be of significant importance in gathering a broader scope of how tribal entrepreneurship is succeeding and evaluating recommendations for improvement. Early on, tribal people shared a similar economy that greatly differed from the market economy of today where entrepreneurship problems loom large in Indian Country. Through this review we will gain a better understanding of where business and entrepreneurship activity stands in Native America. Tribal colleges serve not only as places of education but also offer business assistance and are community hubs, often independent of tribal government. These colleges are vital to economic improvement of tribes and suffer from low retention rates and staff turnover due to inadequate funding. The tribes of the United States are not alone as other tribal people from Canada and New Zealand share many of the same problems of their US counterparts. In particular, Canadian reporting processes are inefficient and create difficulties in getting needed funds where they belong. Individual entrepreneurs also face stiff competition and often are not afforded the needed loans and capital to begin on-reservation business. Individual businesses increase tribal economic development, employ tribal members, and keep valuable tribal dollars on the reservation. Tribal nations have shown the most progress in productive economies by reinvesting dollars back into profitable industries like the cement plant of the Passamaquoddy tribe or the Flexcrete Company of the Navajo nation. Much of this tribal success is attributed to the introduction of gaming and the revenues now provided to tribes. Although gaming has been a profitable solution, it is only a temporary fix as tribes continue to make strides toward independent economic development. Tribes have shown that incorporating culture into the strategic planning process can also be successful if implemented properly. Tribal government remains the largest hindrance to economic growth for Native tribes. Most government agencies still prioritize employment and education as keys to success and are only now beginning to provide more support of economic development endeavors such as loans, regulation, and stability, all of which business owners need for on-reservation start-ups. Research suggests tribes focus on institutional change and transformation while also maintaining a positive relationship with tribal entrepreneurs who share in the economic incentive to provide a growing tribal economy. It is evident that tribes are showing major transformation from transfer-based economies to productive economies. A secondary transformation is also occurring where reservation communities are becoming their own private sectors which are bringing highly skilled tribal members back to their communities and driving economic growth from within. Despite these best efforts, tribes still are facing tough issues today. Tribal colleges are helping to overcome the issues of education and experience. Governments are beginning to provide support for individual entrepreneurs. Natural resources and Indian lands are being utilized to overcome the location and distance from market deficiencies. However, much is yet to be done if Native Americans are to truly establish entrepreneurial success on the reservation.

Teaching the Teacher: The Faculty Learning About Geriatrics (FLAG) Program

As the number of individuals older than 65 years increases, there is a concomitant need for more nurses to provide care meeting the unique needs of older adults. The nursing shortage presents a challenge to schools of nursing to educate enough practitioners in geriatric nursing. The John A. Hartford Foundation Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence at the University of Minnesota has developed a program to prepare nurse faculty to meet this challenge. The program, Faculty Learning About Geriatrics (FLAG), is designed to develop expertise in geriatric nursing, teaching, and academic leadership among faculty from academic settings in the upper Midwest and tribal colleges. This article chronicles the authors' experience in designing, implementing, and evaluating the first year of the FLAG program.

Providing Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) from Rural & Tribal Colleges

For rural and tribal college students, a demographic underrepresented in research labs and graduate school programs, research opportunities at home institutions may be sparse. Undergraduate years are critical for engaging students in research to increase the number pursuing graduate work and careers in science. Recruiting and retaining students from these backgrounds, who may be hesitant to pursue opportunities based on social factors (e.g., first generation, non‐traditional, single parents), poses an added challenge. To reach these populations, we give special consideration to recruitment, lab experience, and retention. We partner with Native American scientists and faculty, conduct multiple campus visits for recruitment, and use peer mentoring and strategic pairing of new students with experienced students from similar backgrounds. The program's goals are to promote an interest in research and science careers, foster academic and social independence, and provide professional development. In addition to significant time receiving basic lab training and developing research projects, students attend professional development sessions. We have successfully trained >50 REU students. This has resulted in a significant number of rural and tribal students completing their undergraduate degrees and progressing to post‐baccalaureate programs. Supported by NIH P20RR0167141, NSF 0347259 and 0851869.

HEALTH DISPARITIES: Climate Change and Health: A Native American Perspective

HEALTH DISPARITIES: Climate Change and Health: A Native American Perspective

Recruiting American Indian Women for a Genetic Epidemiology Study

Due to previous negative experiences, some American Indian communities are distrustful of research in general and genetic research in particular. The Turtle Mountain Community College was awarded a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant with 3 aims: (1) to study possible genetic influences on pre-eclampsia, (2) to encourage tribal college students to consider biomedical careers and (3) to develop the local research infrastructure. Retrospectively identified case (91) and control (188) participants were recruited into Phase I over a 3-year period and additional participants (71) were concurrently recruited from a prenatal clinic into a prospective case/control study, Phase II. This paper describes some of the challenges and solutions we encountered in the process of recruiting American Indian participants into a genetic epidemiologic study.

Diversity and Rehabilitation Counseling: A Historical Perspective of the Contributions of Minority Serving Institutions to the Field of Rehabilitation Counseling

This article provides a historical overview of Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), Asian American and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AAPISIs) and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs). A review of the history of MSIs and their inception is covered. Also, trends in federal support for MSIs is provided to gain a better understanding of the importance of these institutions to the field of rehabilitation counseling. A historical perspective of rehabilitation counselor education programs is provided including the role of the Council on Rehabilitation Education. Implications for additional empirical research are provided.

Attracting Native Americans to computing

Introduction In the last two decades, the racial/ethnic composition of those earning computer science (CS) bachelor's degrees has changed in the U.S. Between 1985 and 2005, the proportion of CS bachelor's degrees awarded to White students declined from 80% to 55%. The proportion awarded to Asians increased from 5% to 12%, to Afro-Americans from 6% to 11%, to Hispanics from 3% to 6%, and to American Indians/Alaska Natives (hereafter Native Americans) from 0.4% to 0.5%. Despite this slight increase, the number of Native Americans pursuing a bachelor's degree in CS has been low compared to their population as well as to other minorities. Unique historical, economic, and cultural factors set Native Americans apart from the rest of students. The way in which they have experienced modern education, economic conditions under which they live, and distinct cultural traditions they maintain while meeting the expectations of the main stream educational system all play a role in how well Native American students will perform in CS studies. The arrival of Europeans to the U.S. in 1492 marked the assignment of inferior status to Native Americans in comparison with the White race. Historically, Native American education has been addressed as a quandary, as an issue that must be "fixed" by a third party, for example, by the dominant White culture. The U.S. government formed off-reservation boarding schools to assimilate Native Americans to the dominant culture. Because Native Americans were not considered citizens of the United States, they were forced to remain in these boarding schools. When the U.S. government granted citizenship to Native Americans born within the territorial limits of the United States in 1924, they were allowed to attend regular public schools. Nevertheless, many public schools were geographically inaccessible to Native Americans, and they continued to use the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) school system. Economically, Native American students tend to be consigned to high poverty and rural elementary and high schools, and thus remain at a disadvantage both at home and in schools, with regard to access higher education. Out of 2.5 million Native Americans, almost 500,000 live on more than 300 reservations and trust lands. Only six out of approximately 550 tribes have more than 100,000 persons each, and four tribes have populations of at least 50,000 each; most tribes have populations less than 10,000. Even when Native Americans are not isolated by the remoteness of reservations and size of communities, they face hard economic conditions. For instance, many Native Americans live in poverty compared to the total population. In 1999, the poverty rate of Native Americans was almost 26% compared with the poverty rate of 12% for the U.S. total population. The median family income and per capita income of Native Americans was $33,144 and $12,893 compared with $50,046 and $21,587 for the total population, respectively. Poverty and isolation translate into many other constraints such as health problems, learning disabilities, and alcoholism. Such economic inequalities give rise to less access to and thus success in higher education especially in science and engineering fields including CS. Culturally, Native Americans maintain tribal traditions, values, and languages. They have humanistic and holistic approaches of learning and knowledge that emphasize the importance of grasping the big picture before studying particular subjects. They consider independence, individualism, and competitiveness somewhat taboo and deem generosity, sharing, harmony and group-oriented learning environments to be more important. Science and engineering curriculum and instructions are based on the philosophy of secularism, reductionism, and compartmentalization. The cultural discontinuity experienced by Native Americans in institutions of higher education is seen as creating obstacles for them to do well in science and engineering fields, including CS. Despite above circumstances, many Native Americans do well in CS education. This paper considers some factors that drive Native Americans to major in CS and succeed (or not) in completing the degree. It is based on in-depth interviews conducted with 50 Native American male and female undergraduate students who were majoring in CS at six Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs; the Hispanic enrollment must be at least 25% of the total student enrollment) or Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU; the Native American students' enrollment must be 50% of the total student enrollment) in 2004-2005. There are about 30 TCUs in the United States, most of which are located on Indian reservations, and about 200 HSIs, which are spread throughout the country. For consistency in data collection, the author conducted all interviews, which were recorded, subsequently transcribed, and inserted in Nvivo software for analysis. Two independent coders coded the data for reliability and validity. Though there were slightly more students interviewed from HSIs, the total count of male and female students for this study is the same.

Developing a GIS Program at a Tribal College

Programs in geographic information systems (GIS) and related areas (e.g., GPS, remote sensing) have become important additions to the curriculum at colleges and universities of all sizes and types, including tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) such as Haskell Indian Nations University. This article discusses the recent development of a GIS program at Haskell that has been built around three major components: (1) courses; (2) outreach activities; and (3) projects. Key lessons learned from the experience include the importance of developing diversified goals and activities to promote student success, pursuing external funding, expanding GIS within the university through collaborations with other departments and disciplines, and ensuring that basic geographic principles remain a vital part of the GIS curriculum. The development of the GIS program at Haskell may serve as a model for other small colleges and universities, particularly tribal and other minority-serving institutions, that seek to add GIS to the curriculum.

Indian Education for All: a change of heart and mind

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the current status of, and provide guidance for future direction in, the implementation of Indian Education for All, a multicultural education initiative, into Montana's statewide education system.Design/methodology/approachThe paper reports on and analyzes the historical foundation, current status, and practical implications of Montana's Indian Education for All initiative. The abbreviated case study utilizes a combination of focus group and individual qualitative interviews of educational leaders representing the Montana state education agency, Montana K‐12 school administration, and the Montana University and Tribal College systems.FindingsMontana educational leaders have made dramatic progress implementing Indian education into Montana's K‐12 schools and university systems. The process is complex on many levels; including political, cultural, organizational, emotional, and financial issues. Many challenges remain before statewide systemic change occurs.Practical implicationsThe study's findings have implications for world cultures and educational systems regarding the creation, organization, and implementation of a multiculturally literate and responsive education system.Originality/valueThe article provides original data regarding the varying degrees of challenge and success experienced by educational leaders in their implementation of multicultural education, with special emphasis on indigenous populations.

The Impact of Tribal Colleges in the Economic Development of Tribal Communities: A Case Study

The essay examines a fairly new phenomenon in American Education: Tribal Colleges. As unique institutions of higher learning, established to specifically address educational and cultural needs of American Indians, they play a pivotal role in individual student and tribal community empowerment. It will be illustrated in-depth how one particular Tribal College – Salish Kootenai College – positively impacts and greatly contributes to the economic development of its tribal community.

<i>The American Indian and Alaska Native Student’s Guide to College Success</i> (review)

Reviewed by: The American Indian and Alaska Native Student’s Guide to College Success Jeanne Lacourt CHiXapkaid (D. Michael Pavel) and Ella Inglebret. The American Indian and Alaska Native Student’s Guide to College Success. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2007. 264 pp. Cloth, $55.00. The American Indian and Alaska Native Student’s Guide to College Success “is for any and every American Indian or Alaska Native person who wants to successfully get a college degree” (xv). Authors Pavel (Skokomish) and Inglebret bring together a mix of student voices, current literature, facts, strategies, and resources when exploring how to select, apply to, and succeed in institutions of higher learning. They cover crucial topics such as financial aid, academic preparedness, working while going to college, socializing, single-parenthood, and how spiritual, mental, and physical well-being all contribute to a Native student’s college achievement. Profiles of successful college graduates fill the pages as they describe the challenges they faced, the obstacles they overcame, and the personal growth they experienced while attending and graduating from institutions of higher education. Prospective Native students reading this guide will discover there are over 4,500 accredited institutions of higher education in the United States to choose from as they consider applying to college. When determining which institution best fits their needs, readers are encouraged to give careful consideration to location, cost, programs of study offered, and whether institutions have Native support services, Native faculty, and Native student organizations. Whether considering a public or private institution or a tribal college, cost will vary considerably, and since financial support is cited as one of the major barriers to college success, Pavel and Inglebret give significant attention to financial resources, debt management, and budget development. Included are checklists, charts, tips, and steps to follow to help both the student and the student’s family with the often confusing process of applying for financial aid. One of the most important elements for Native student success in college is support from family and community. Sample student excerpts reflect the difficulties and struggles they endure when being away from their families, communities, and tribes for an extended length of time. Socially, they may be challenged to overindulge in alcohol and drugs; emotionally, they can be faced with feelings of homesickness, isolation, and cultural assimilation. In such instances Pavel and Inglebret suggest that cultivating resilience will help students address these adverse situations and overcome these trying times. Likewise, being academically prepared will also aid in a student’s sense of competence. Study strategies in reading, writing, research, math, science, and technology as well as preparing for and taking tests are offered to help students gain a better sense of competence so they may experience success in their classes. [End Page 408] An entire chapter is devoted solely to cultivating two intellectual skills: problem solving and critical thinking. Mastery of these skills is identified as a key contributing factor to college success. Definitions, explanations, examples, and tables guide the reader to a greater understanding of these skills. The reader comes to see that problem solving involves a host of subskills that require a step-by-step process of defining a problem, searching for information, testing hypotheses, and understanding the constraints and limitations to possible solutions. Similarly, to think critically involves analysis, interpretation, inference, reflection, assessment, and evaluation. Students who develop these skills will find they are applicable beyond the classroom and useful in both the students’ personal and professional lives. Pavel and Inglebret have gone to great lengths to provide valuable up-to-date resources dedicated to promoting postsecondary access and achievement. A chapter focused on Internet resources includes only those Web sites that are helpful and easy to navigate and that contain critical information to ensure success in college. Of particular interest are those Web sites and links specific to Native students, families, and communities. These sites often focus on increasing the representation of Native people in the field, providing scholarships for Native students, and preserving cultural knowledge. To help students focus their search for an institution that best fits their lifestyle and interests, thirteen exemplary colleges and universities are described. They range from four-year private and public research institutions...

Identifying and Understanding Indigenous Cultural and Spiritual Strengths in the Higher Education Experiences of Indigenous Women

Identifying and Understanding Indigenous Cultural and Spiritual Strengths in the Higher Education Experiences of Indigenous Women Rosemary White Shield (bio) Introduction Much has been written about how American Indians have the highest dropout rates at all educational levels and are the least represented population in higher education. Moreover, of those American Indian students who do graduate from high school and enroll in college, between 75 and 93 percent will leave college without completing their degree or education.1 Within the Native population itself, Indian women graduate from high school significantly less frequently than Indian men, and consequently may enroll at a much lower rate in most higher education institutions.2 However, there are American Indian women who do enroll and earn higher education degrees. What enables them to achieve “against the odds”? What cultural resources do they use to overcome personal challenges in their lives and immense barriers of historical trauma, cultural discontinuity, institution and societal racism, gender bias, and deplorable socioeconomic conditions? Historically, the stories and experiences of Native women, especially in the realm of higher education, have been virtually invisible to the majority culture. Very little, if any, validity has been given to Indian women’s voices or contributions to the world. Similarly, in much [End Page 47] of the historical and educational literature and materials found in the majority culture, if Indian women are mentioned at all, they are usually misrepresented and their traditional roles are misunderstood. This study seeks to increase the visibility of Native women in higher education by giving voice to those who have been silenced, misrepresented, or ignored. Contained in this article are the voices of eight Anishinabe, Lakota, and Mohawk women who tell their stories of their higher education experiences and describe the strengths found in their cultures and the spirituality that enabled them to “beat the odds of failure” and achieve their goals in the face of tremendous obstacles. Their voices and their stories answer the previous questions from an empowered perspective. These women and their community members explain how they succeeded and, most importantly, why. Background of Study As a Native researcher, I explored how Native women identify and understand the spiritual and cultural factors that enabled them to attain their higher education goals. I developed and utilized a Native research methodology for this study based on the Medicine Wheel, discussed below in the methodology section, which was constructed as an intrinsic Indigenous research paradigm and used as a process for identifying and understanding these spiritual and cultural factors.3 This study focuses on eight participants from tribes Indigenous to the north central region of the United States. At the time of the study, seven of the participants were undergraduate students and one was a graduate student. The participants and others who were involved in this study were chosen through traditional spiritual and cultural practices and methods. Due to the small sample size, the results of the study are not reflective of Indian Country as a whole, or of the tribal college and university systems. Because only a few members of the respective tribes participated in this study, the results are not reflective of other women tribal members. Assumption of the Study The assumption of this study is that internal resilient resources existing within Native women enable them to overcome the staggering “odds” confronting them in the higher educational system of the majority culture. These cultural and spiritual strengths have enabled Native peoples to survive genocide in its spiritual, cultural, social, emotional, mental, and physical manifestations. With these inherent cultural and spiritual strengths fostering resiliency, fortitude, and courage among Indian peoples in general, Native women in their quest for higher educational degrees have the ability to prevail when encountering cultural discontinuity, socioeconomic barriers, and other forms of adversity. [End Page 48] Conceptual Framework Terry Huffman’s “Resistance Theory and Transculturation Hypothesis” describes how some Native students in higher education succeed in achieving their goals of obtaining a degree within the dominant culture’s educational system.4 Huffman describes several stages that Native students experience in entering and coping with higher education systems in the majority culture. The first stage is the cultural discontinuity that is present in the higher education...

The Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) Education and Outreach (E/PO) Program

During the pre-launch phase of NASA’s THEMIS mission, the Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) program successfully brought the excitement of THEMIS to the public, students and teachers through a variety of programs. The Geomagnetic Event Observation Network by Students (GEONS) was the main effort during this time, a project in which 13 magnetometers were placed in or near 13 rural schools across the country. High school teachers and a few middle school teachers at these and/or neighboring schools took part in a long-term professional development program based around space science and the magnetometer data. The teachers created week-long to semester-long projects during which their students worked on THEMIS lessons that they, their colleagues, and the E/PO team created. In addition to this program, THEMIS E/PO also launched the only Lawrence Hall of Science (LHS) Great Explorations in Mathematics and Science (GEMS) site in Nevada. This site provides a sustainable place for teacher professional development using hands-on GEMS activities, and has been used by teachers around the state of Nevada. Short-term professional development for K-12 teachers (one-hour to two-day workshops), with a focus on the Tribal College and Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) communities have reached hundreds of teachers across the country. A Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) ViewSpace show on auroras and THEMIS was created and distributed, and shown in over a hundred science centers and museums nationwide. The THEMIS E/PO program developed and maintained a THEMIS E/PO Website for dissemination of (1) information and multimedia about the science and engineering of THEMIS, (2) updated news about the mission in language appropriate for the public, (3) the GEONS data, the GEONS teacher guides with classroom activities, and (4) information about the THEMIS E/PO program. Hundreds of thousands of visitors have viewed this website. In this paper, we describe these programs along with the evaluation results, and discuss what lessons we learned along the way.