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

Outputs
Target Audience:During this reporting period, our efforts primarily targeted Native American undergraduate students who are members of federally recognized Tribes. Specifically, we successfully recruited and enrolled 108 Native American students into the Native Coug Scholars Fund (NCSF) program, which provides scholarships and tailored retention programming to support their academic success. The target audience also included Native American faculty and staff at all six WSU campuses, whom we recruited and trained to serve as mentors and orientation leaders for NCSF students. These mentors played a crucial role in ensuring that 93% of NCSF students participated in orientation and maintained regular contact with a mentor throughout the semester. Additionally, we reached a subset of Native American students interested in leadership development through the Tribal Nation Building Leadership (TNBL) program. This program, which operates on a cohort-based model, saw the enrollment of 21 Native undergraduate students this year, reflecting a 62% increase from the previous year. These students received financial assistance, leadership training grounded in cultural principles, and access to various development opportunities. Our outreach efforts also extended to the broader Native American student community through the Native American Program Student Center. Approximately [insert number] Native students engaged with the center, utilizing its resources for study halls, retention counseling, and participating in cultural events such as the First Friday Feed, Round Dance, Powwow, and the Native Graduation Ceremony. Beyond the student population, our target audience included key stakeholders involved in the Native American higher education landscape. This includes WSU stakeholders across multiple campuses and Tribal Government leaders, delegates, and Higher Education Directors and Managers from 14 Tribes that have signed Memoranda of Understanding with WSU. Our engagement with these stakeholders, through presentations and consultations, helped refine our strategies for improving Native student recruitment, retention, graduation success, and career transitions. Finally, our outreach efforts reached a broader audience through presentations at the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (ATNI), representing 53 regional Tribes, and through the dissemination of college recruitment materials via the Washington State Office of Native Education/Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, which impacted public schools statewide.? Changes/Problems:Despite limitations due to the recently implemented Common Application, data from Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 quantitatively confirmed several meaningful factors identified using earlier institutional data from 2015-2022. Specifically, the data confirmed the importance of funds distributed for unmet needs, age, gender, and remedial and DFW classes. Additionally, interview data aligned with and supported these findings. However, collecting and identifying Native American student data remains one of the most significant challenges in documenting the best data collection, analysis, and reporting practices as applications and processes change. Lastly, we initially proposed a $25 stipend to encourage feedback on the student survey but have found it difficult to gather sufficient responses. We plan to increase the stipend to $50 to see if this improves survey participation. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Professional development opportunities were provided similar to other USDA/NBTS grants. Specific to this grant, PI Higheagle Strong trained the WSU systemwide leadership team and executive leadership on the importance of developing a scholarship program for Native American students, emphasizing its critical connection to the land-grant history and the appropriation of Native lands. She presented institutional data and historical context and organized a panel discussion with WSU's President and two Tribal Government leaders on reparations. Following these efforts, WSU prioritized the scholarship program as one of the top four requests for the upcoming legislative budget sessions. Other professional development activities were: a. Native American Programs facilitated the attendance of eight Native students at the American Indian Society for Engineering and Science annual meeting in Spokane, WA, from October 19-21, 2023. Co-PI Lokensgard accompanied the students, who attended various professional talks and an academic and job fair. b. Native American Programs also facilitated the attendance of four Native students at the Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science annual meeting in Portland, OR, on October 23-24, 2023. The students participated in professional talks and attended an academic and job fair. c. On December 1, 2023, TNBL faculty member Anthony Brave organized an information session on graduate and professional degree options for Native undergraduates. The session featured several Native faculty members from WSU. d. PI Higheagle Strong and Co-PI Lokensgard organized the second annual "Indigenous Research/Projects Conference," held on March 21-22, 2023. The conference featured keynote speaker Dr. Cutcha Risling Baldy, a leading Native American scholar. In addition to delivering a public address on supporting Native students and research, Dr. Risling Baldy provided private advice to TNBL students, faculty, and staff working with Native students. The conference also featured presentations from Native students, scholars, and allies, including TNBL faculty and students, offering participants an opportunity to enhance their presentation skills and connect with Indigenous scholars engaged in meaningful research. e. In the spring of 2024, Co-PI Lokensgard collaborated with a group of STEM faculty to develop a five-unit mentor training program for faculty working with Native students. The program will be refined in the spring of 2025. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?As previously discussed in the section (What has been accomplished under each goal?), a huge part of our objectives and goals relies on dissemination, outreach, and feedback to various Tribal, State, University, and community partners. In addition, the Native American student recruiter, Vincent Gonzalez (Puyallup Tribal member) visited 14 Tribal Nations to disseminate college enrollment and scholarship information. He also conducted 20 college admission presentations for Tribal Communities who visited campus. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Despite limitations due to the recent implementation of the Common Application, data from Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 quantitatively confirmed several key factors previously identified using institutional data from 2015-2022. Specifically, the data confirmed the importance of funds distributed for unmet needs, age, gender, and remedial and DFW classes. Additionally, interview data aligned with and supported these confirmatory findings. However, identifying and collecting data on Native American students remains one of the most significant challenges in documenting best data collection, analysis, and reporting practices as applications and processes change. Lastly, we initially proposed a $25 stipend to encourage feedback on the student survey but have found it difficult to obtain responses. We plan to increase the stipend to $50 to see if this improves survey participation.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Objective 1: Analyze institutional data to identify the unmet financial needs of Native American undergraduate students across the WSU system. Project Lead Higheagle Strong collaborated with WSU's Institutional Research Office, Student Financial Services, and the Director of Native American Student Services. Multiple meetings were held to develop targeted Native American student groups and datasets to capture critical data points such as FAFSA enrollment, estimated attendance cost, financial need, scholarships, loans, and other relevant metrics. Before this study, WSU had not specifically collected, analyzed, or monitored financial aid data for Native American students. Building on a foundation from a previous USDA NBTS grant, the team enhanced WSU's enrollment data collection, analysis, and reporting processes to ensure a comprehensive identification of Native American students and their financial needs. Through improved data analysis, 115 Native American students were identified as potentially eligible for scholarships. Of these, 108 scholarships were awarded to Native American students representing 46 Tribes who met all eligibility criteria. In December 2023, after the first academic semester, the unmet financial need for the full cost of attendance, which includes tuition, housing, books, and fees, was reported to the Washington State Legislature. The unmet unmet need amounted to $1,265,889.82 for all eligible students in FY24, even after the first round of scholarships from the USDA/NBTS funding and State Proviso. Consequently, the Washington State legislature approved an additional $500,000 to help address this unmet financial need, allowing for further distribution of funds in the Spring 2025 semester. In continued efforts to support graduation success, five Native American scholarship recipients who graduated in Fall 2023 and four who graduated in Spring 2024 were identified. Additional scholarship funding between $1,000 to $2,000 was allocated to further incentivize and support these seniors. By the end of the 2023-2024 academic year, the financial need gap was reduced to $303,949 for all eligible students. Objective 2: Establish priorities and practices for student recruitment, enrollment, and the awarding of scholarships through consultation with regional Tribes and university leaders. As a land-grant institution established under the Morrill Act of 1862, Washington State University (WSU) has received over $1.2 billion throughout its history from appropriating Native lands, primarily taken from Washington Tribes and those with traditional ties to these territories. Recognizing its unique obligation to consult with the Tribes on whose lands our campuses currently reside, WSU acknowledges a responsibility to give back to these communities. This grant proposal focuses on creating and documenting a Native American Scholarship program for Washington State, the first of its kind. The development of this program involved multiple iterations of eligibility criteria and award distribution processes, all shaped by extensive Tribal engagement, listening sessions, and consultations. Feedback was received from WSU's Native American Advisory Board to the President, representing 14 Tribal Nations. Outreach was conducted to all Tribal Education Managers and departments from Tribes across our region. To facilitate this collaborative process, two meetings were hosted with WSU's Native American Advisory Board, and three listening and feedback sessions were organized with Tribal Education Managers. Project Lead Higheagle Strong also presented at large-scale Tribal gathering conventions and conducted three statewide listening sessions. Dates/examples of sessions include: October 6, 2023: Consultation and reporting with WSU's Native American Advisory Board. September 12, 2023: Feedback session with the Tribal Education Managers Committee. September 18-21, 2023: Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians Higher Education Committee - reporting in the Higher Education Subcommittee and at the general assembly. September 28 & October 3, 2023: Virtual listening sessions with Tribal Leaders and community members. October 30-31, 2023: Centennial Accord pre-meeting and consultation with Governor Inslee. November 8 & 9, 2023: Additional Tribal Leaders and Community Virtual Listening Sessions. November 14, 2023: In-person listening session at Muckleshoot Tribal College. January 29-February 4, 2024: Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians Convention - Reporting at Higher Education Committee. April 11-12, 2024: WSU's Native American Advisory Board meeting. June 19-24, 2024: Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians Convention - Reporting at Higher Education Committee. June 25, 2024: Follow-up feedback session with the Tribal Education Managers Committee. Through tribal engagement, scholarship criteria for eligibility, enrollment, and programming were established. Objective 3: Establish expectations and support for student scholarship recipients to improve retention and knowledge of tribal nation-building principles. In collaboration with Tribal Education Managers and the Native American Advisory Board to the President, specific enrollment criteria for the Native Cougs Scholars Fund program were established, along with retention-focused programming. An orientation program was implemented across all campuses, including a virtual option for global students. These orientations featured a meal, a traditional welcome, discussions on Tribal Nation Building principles, guidance on how education can benefit tribal communities, opportunities to meet Native faculty and staff mentors, a list of resources and support services, and criteria for maintaining eligibility, such as meeting with a mentor once per semester. During the 2023-2024 academic year, 93% of the 108 Native students attended these orientations. Based on Tribal consultation, the Native Cougs Scholars Fund, supported by a State Proviso, provides scholarships to federally enrolled tribal members whose traditional lands are in Washington or who are Washington residents. Scholarship dollars offered by the NBTS USDA grant were utilized to support students who are descendants of Tribes or members of federally recognized Tribes outside of Washington state. This comprehensive scholarship program, coupled with increased monitoring of student data and intentional outreach, significantly boosted student participation in other Native American student center events that promote engagement with Tribal Nation Building principles. Examples of these events include a round dance, the Pah-loots-puu Pow Wow, First Friday Feeds, the Covenant of the Salmon documentary screening, beading workshops, Rock Your Mocks, a Plant Medicine Workshop, and several guest speakers who addressed critical issues in Indian Country. Topics covered by these speakers included Salmon Recovery, Indian Child Welfare, Tribally Engaged Research, and more. Objective 4: Create a documented plan for a new Native American scholarship program that supports tribal nation-building principles in student recruitment, enrollment, and retention. This grant year, efforts were focused on establishing a documented process and program, incorporating further feedback from key stakeholders. A draft report was submitted to the Washington State Legislature, and a series of presentations and feedback sessions were conducted with tribal leaders. Most recently, in August 2024, PI Higheagle Strong submitted a process document with suggested policy and practice changes to WSU's Offices of Enrollment, Admissions, Student Financial Services, and Institutional Research. These departments are currently reviewing the document, after which a meeting will be held to discuss how to improve practices and support for Native American students. By the end of this grant year, the aim is to finalize a comprehensive, documented plan.

Publications