Source: UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS submitted to
LIFE FROM THE LAND INITIATIVE TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN NATIVE AMERICAN STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
ACTIVE
Funding Source
OTHER GRANTS
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1031340
Grant No.
2023-70411-40940
Cumulative Award Amt.
$499,625.00
Proposal No.
2023-05952
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Sep 1, 2023
Project End Date
Aug 31, 2027
Grant Year
2023
Program Code
[NBTS]- New Beginning for Tribal Students
Project Director
Matlock, M.
Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
(N/A)
FAYETTEVILLE,AR 72703
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Native American youth are among the least represented in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields in the US. There are Four Challenges that are common for students from Tribal communities: 1) a sense of belonging; 2) a vision and purpose; 3) college preparation, and 4) economic support to complete the degree. The University of Arkansas will work with The Cherokee and Muscogee Nations as pilot program partners. We will implement a "Life from the Land" initiative for recruiting and retaining through graduation students from Native American communities These elements include the Native Youth in Food and Agriculture Leadership Summit, the undergraduate research experience in ecosystem services (Eco-REU), and the undergraduate internships in sustainability. The Life from the Land elements will be integrated and expanded to provide a support community for Native American students at the University of Arkansas to address the Four Challenges. The University of Arkansas will establish a Native American Student Services (NASS) program as part of the campus Student Services initiative. The NASS program will be coordinated by the project PIs and led by a director, funded by this project. The University of Arkansas will increase new Native American student enrollment from 258 in 2022 to 500 Native American students by Fall 2028. The current six-year graduation rate of 63% for Native American students will be increased to 90% by 2028. These goals are waypoints to a more comprehensive outcome of expanding opportunities for prosperity to Native American students in our region.
Animal Health Component
30%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
0%
Applied
30%
Developmental
70%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
80660503080100%
Knowledge Area
806 - Youth Development;

Subject Of Investigation
6050 - Communities, areas, and regions;

Field Of Science
3080 - Sociology;
Goals / Objectives
Native American youth are among the least represented in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields in the US. There are Four Challenges that are common for students from Tribal communities: 1) a sense of belonging; 2) a vision and purpose; 3) college preparation, and 4) economic support to complete the degree. The University of Arkansas will work with The Cherokee and Muscogee Nations as pilot program partners. We will implement a "Life from the Land" initiative for recruiting and retaining through graduation students from Native American communities These elements include the Native Youth in Food and Agriculture Leadership Summit, the undergraduate research experience in ecosystem services (Eco-REU), and the undergraduate internships in sustainability. The Life from the Land elements will be integrated and expanded to provide a support community for Native American students at the University of Arkansas to address the Four Challenges. The University of Arkansas will establish a Native American Student Services (NASS) program as part of the campus Student Services initiative. The NASS program will be coordinated by the project PIs and led by a director, funded by this project. The University of Arkansas will increase new Native American student enrollment from 258 in 2022 to 500 Native American students by Fall 2028. The current six-year graduation rate of 63% for Native American students will be increased to 90% by 2028. These goals are waypoints to a more comprehensive outcome of expanding opportunities for prosperity to Native American students in our region.
Project Methods
The methodology for this project has been in development for more than a decade. Dr. Marty Matlock, the Principal Investigator on this project, was co-PI on an NSF-EPSCoR project led by Dr. Robert Franco, Kapi'olani Community College in Hawaii, titled "Connecting Indigenous and Western Knowledge Systems for Student Success in STEM". The University of Arkansas hosted five virtual listening circles with students, faculty, community members and tribal representatives from Oklahoma, Missouri, Texas, Kansas, Colorado, and Arkansas representing six federally recognized tribes and two tribal colleges in the region. Two conversations focused specifically on assets and challenges for Native American students across seven Native American Serving, Non-Tribal Institutions and tribal colleges. The outcomes of these listening sessions formed the basis of the methods proposed to address the Four Challenges in this project.The University of Arkansas will establish a Native American Student Services (NASS) program as part of the campus student services initiative. The NASS program will be coordinated by the project PIs and led by a director, funded by this project. The NASS program will develop an advisory council initially composed of Cherokee and Muscogee Nation representatives to provide advice and guidance for program activities. The goal is to expand Tribal representation as relationships grow. The advisory council will convene quarterly with three remote meetings and one in-person listening circle. The listening circle will engage students to provide feedback and will occur in March of each year. The advisory council will include a student representative to express the concerns of other students. The student representative will be selected from the Native American Student Association.The University of Arkansas will partner with the Cherokee Nation and the Muscogee Nation to pilot projects to address the Four Challenges based on the Life from the Land Initiative. We will approach each challenge from multiple perspectives, recognizing these four challenges are part of a more integrated social and economic context. Challenge activities will be implemented in Year 1; we will track student participation across each activity over the four years of this project to quantify their impacts. We will adapt program activities as indicated through student engagement and Tribal consultations. The primary lead on these activities will be the Director of NASS.

Progress 09/01/23 to 08/31/24

Outputs
Target Audience:The Native American Student Services (NASS) Department at the University of Arkansas is dedicated to supporting Native American students in their academic, cultural, and social endeavors. The department offers a variety of services aimed at enhancing the university experience for Native American students and promoting cultural awareness and inclusion within the campus community. This includes fostering a sense of vision and purpose, creating a sense of belonging, supporting improved recruitment and retention, identifying and removing barriers, and offering financial assistance. Key functions and offerings of the NASS include: 1. Academic Support: NASS provides resources to assist students in achieving their academic goals. This includes advising, tutoring, and workshops designed to help students excel in their coursework and navigate university requirements effectively. (Sense of Vision & Purpose) 2. Retention Initiatives: NASS implements strategies to improve retention rates among Native American students. This includes monitoring academic progress, providing early intervention for students facing challenges, and creating a supportive community that encourages students to persist and graduate. 3. Personal and Social Support: NASS offers a welcoming space where students can find support and connect with peers and collaborates closely with student organizations like the Native American Student Association and American Indian Science and Engineering Society. The department provides community, mentorship programs, and social gatherings to foster a supportive environment that addresses the unique challenges Native American students might face. (Sense of belonging) 4. Advocacy and Outreach: The NASS serves as an advocate for Native American students, working to ensure their voices are heard within the university administration. It also engages in outreach efforts to recruit Native American students and build relationships with Native communities. With partners including the Admissions Department and College Access Initiative. NASSD has created the Native American Leadership Council to facilitate consultation between appointed tribal officials and the University of Arkansas. (Sense of Vision & Purpose, College Prep) 5. Scholarship and Financial Aid Assistance: The department helps students identify and apply for scholarships and financial aid opportunities specifically available to Native American students, easing the financial burden of higher education. (means/funding) 6. Cultural Programming: The department organizes events and activities that celebrate Native American heritage and traditions. These events provide students with opportunities to engage with their culture, share it with others, and build a sense of community on campus. (Sense of purpose/belonging) Overall, the Native American Student Services Department collaborates purposefully across all phases of the university to uplift learning, discovery, and partnership opportunities, fostering the success of our students and the tribal nations and communities we serve. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?August 2023 First internship cohort established December 2023 Recognize December Graduates February 2024 Native American Student Serviced Director seated in position in the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative in the School of Law. May 2024 Held blanket ceremony recognizing May graduates May 2024 Met with College Access Initiative to discuss recruitment strategy May 2024- July 2024 Implement Eco-REU July 2024 Implement Native Youth in Food and Agriculture Leadership Summit July 2024 Establish Native American Leadership Council (first convening scheduled Oct. 2024) August 2024 Host Indigenous Student Welcome Event August 2024 Launch Native American Student Network Newsletter September 2024 Expand Native American Student Services Internship Cohort How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The following Council Members have been recruited and confirmed by Native American Student Services Director, Greg Jones July 2024 Chief Ben Barnes, Shawnee Tribe Chief Craig Harper, Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma Deputy Principal Chief Bryan Warner, Cherokee Nation Higher Education Director Krista Pierce, Quapaw Nation Director of Education Community Services Elsa Lowe, Muscogee Nation Director Postsecondary Education Katie Ackerman, Chickasaw Nation Cultural Advisors Committee Member Ray Lasley, Osage Nation First in-person meeting of the council took place October 24, 2024 and will be in contents of year two report. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The primary contribution to economic support for students during the project period is through the internship program. Eight students in year one benefited from paid internships through the Native American Student Services program. Their work was diverse and specialized to their skills and interests as well as their perceived needs for our campus. Work products from the internship include a summary report on affordable housing options for students, a garden bed in a Trail of Tears historic site being replanted with native and culturally significant plant species, and a coed stickball (traditional Indigenous sport) tournament held on campus in the spring of 2024 bringing hundreds of Indigenous guests to campus to play and spectate. Each activity conducted by interns supports them financially, gives them relevant work experience and skills building, and many projects improve the sense of belonging, generating compounding effects of the internship program to meet three of the four identified challenges.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Recruitment: Fall of 2024 saw 310 new freshman and transfer AI/AN students, indicating an increase of 52 students over a two-year period. This is below the desired increase of 50 students per year. Compounding increases are anticipated as more outreach to area high schools and college fairs takes place in proceeding years of the project. A brief was prepared and presented to Student Affairs staff at the University of Arkansas in May 2024 indicating that AI/AN people are 15% of the population in the region (Arkansas and Oklahoma border counties). AI/AN students make up only 3.8% of enrollment at the University of Arkansas in Fall 2024, demonstrating the high potential for increase. This analysis is attached as Appendix D. Retention: The AI/AN, 6-year graduation rate increased to 64.3% (up from 63% in 2021). The first-year retention for 2023 stayed the same, 81.7%, and the number of students graduating in four years has decreased to 47.5% of freshman in the 2022-2023 academic year. The first effects of the program are expected to be seen in the 2024-2025 academic year, the first full year of project implementation. The Native American Student Services Internship program is contributing to the academic success of students participating. Of these interns, two have graduated and all others have of been retained to the next school year.

Publications