Non Technical Summary
There is a lack ofNative American students pursuing ANFHS and other STEM degrees. This lack of student representation is due to a failed connection to an unfamiliar community, an inability to incorporate Indigenous ways of learning and knowing, and isolation from recognized practices.By engaging students in programming and activities that acknowledge, respect, and utilize their own traditional ways of learning and knowing, students will be engaged and persist.The University of Idaho NBTS All My Relations: Indigenous Ecological Knowledge and the Power of Place, will explore the integration of Indigenous land, language, and cultural knowledge into our culturally responsive support services to increase enrollment and retention of Tribal NBTS scholars in Agriculture, Natural Resources, Food, Human and Health Science (ANFHS) fields. The project objectives to achieve the recrutiment and retention outcome are: 1) 15 Tribal Student will be recruited to be enrolled by each Fall of the project year, 2) Graduate Exploration: 15 Tribal Scholars will receive eduation to prepare for graduate school, 3) Experiential Learning: 10 UI NBTS Scholars will participate in an Alternative Spring Break (ASB) experiential experience focused on Indigenous Ecology inclusive of Indgenous Knowledge, 4) Retention Services: 15 of the NBTS Scholars will be provided with academic and support services, 5) Financial Assistance: 15 NBTS Scholars will be provided financial guidance, 6) 15 of the UI NBTS Scholars will receive experience and knowledge of ANFHS degrees and career options during their first year at UI. The UI NBTS All My Relations program will advance knowledge when considering how to engage Tribal students to address the equity gap of the underrepresentation of Tribal students completing their degrees in the ANFHS fields.

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
803	6050	3020	100%

Knowledge Area
803 - Sociological and Technological Change Affecting Individuals, Families, and Communities;

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

Field Of Science
3020 - Education;

Goals / Objectives
The University of Idaho NBTS All My Relations: Indigenous Ecological Knowledge and the Power of Place, will explore the integration of Indigenous land, language, and cultural knowledge into our culturally responsive support services to increase enrollment and retention of Tribal NBTS scholars in Agriculture, Natural Resources, Food, Human and Health Science (ANFHS) fields. By continuing to provide culturally responsive recruitment and retention established with support from previous NBTS grants, the project objectives to achieve the recrutiment and retention outcome are: 1) 15 Tribal Student will be recruited to be enrolled by each Fall of the project year, 2) Graduate Exploration: 15 Tribal Scholars will receive eduation to prepare for graduate school, 3) Experiential Learning: 10 UI NBTS Scholars will participate in an Alternative Spring Break (ASB) experiential experience focused on Indigenous Ecology inclusive of Indgenous Knowledge, 4) Retention Services: 15 of the NBTS Scholars will be provided with academic and support services, 5) Financial Assistance: 15 NBTS Scholars will be provided financial guidance, 6) 15 of the UI NBTS Scholars will receive experience and knowledge of ANFHS degrees and career options during their first year at UI. The UI NBTS All My Relations program will advance knowledge when considering how to engage Tribal students to address the equity gap of the underrepresentation of Tribal students completing their degrees in the ANFHS fields.

Project Methods
The project's objectives will be achieved by providing culturally responsive activities for freshman and first-year transfer college Tribal students. Efforts will include outreach, recruitment, academic activities, supporting services, and financial assistance for persistence in ANFHS and continuation in post-secondary education.Recruitment: Native American recruitment must directly take place where Native students are, in their spaces and places. UI NBTS staff will continue to use culturally appropriate marketing strategies including the Native American "Road Piece" - a campus-wide brochure in consultation with the Native American StudentCenter, involve Native American Student ambassadors with campus and community visits, and make use of technology to give a personalized and cultural digital experience for prospective students and their families. The University of Idaho college preparatory program HOIST, Helping Orient Indian Students and Teachers into STEM, provides an additional opportunity for staff to recruit students into the All My Relations program.Graduate Exploration: NBTS Scholars will receive support in course registration, degree plans, and be enrolled in the Native American Student Center (NASC) Fall Transition Course. This course will provide students with learning strategies, time-management and study skills, research techniques, and campus resources. The transition course will incorporate a "Steps to Your Degree" module to allow students to explore graduate school opportunities. All My Relations will partner with the TRiO McNair Program to introduce research and scholarship skills needed to succeed in graduate school by collaborating with shared speakers and events, introducing students to indigenous research methodologies, and assisting students in their application to become McNair Scholars. Students will utilize resources from the Native Forward Scholars Fund to expose students to Native American graduates in the field of ANFHS to gain direct knowledge on career opportunities. The All My Relations program will also recruit faculty mentors to guide and advise these freshmen scholars. Faculty mentors will help develop the academic and professional careers of NBTS scholars by connecting them to scholarships/grants, internships, research opportunities, and graduate school. Faculty mentors will take a lead during an 8-week specialized Spring semester career course designed to introduce graduate research processes and career opportunities. The course will provide a space for NBTS staff, faculty mentors, and scholars to share scientific perspectives, Indigenous ways of knowing, and land-based knowledge in preparation for the Experiential Learning Experience: Alternative Spring Break (ASB) program. Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge will be a central focal point in classroom discussion and during the field experience provided by ASB.Experiential Learning: All My Relations will provide a culturally responsive Experiential Learning Experience: Alternative Spring Break program (ASB) to encourage Tribal students' engagement and motivation to persist and complete their degrees. The ASB program will be developed for NBTS Scholars to learn about Indigenous Tribal Ecological Knowledge and how it is applied in the restoration and remediation of terrestrial and aquatic environments. NBTS Scholars will engage with Indigenous storytelling by elders, compare other cultural perspectives and values, engage in the practice of proper cultural protocols and customs, learn about the importance of history and oral traditions, and acquire knowledge about the struggle for sovereignty through service-learning projects and placed-based learning opportunities. Teachings will utilize cultural bearers and tribal speakers to share Indigenous knowledge and perspectives. Ten Tribal Scholars will be selected based on their level of involvement in the Native American Student Association (NASA) and the Native American Student Center (NASC) activities, and their graduate field of interest. Three faculty mentors engaged in NASC and with the NBTS Scholars will be asked to mentor them in the experiential learning experience. Faculty will be selected based on their knowledge and understanding of Indigenous student needs.NBTS Scholars who complete the Experiential Learning Experience: Alternative Spring Break will be asked to present their experience to Indigenous students and will be asked to mentor the following incoming freshmen. Scholars will also produce a video about their experience to show to future students and University leadership.Retention Services: Upon tribal students arriving at the University, it is vital to build intentional connections and relationships between students, key personnel, and campus services. University professionals should be prepared to assist students in finding structure, purpose, and balance. Connecting students early to co-curricular and academic-related activities strengthens the relationship with the university and enhances the students' interests and abilities, helping to retain students. NBTS Scholars will meet monthly with the NBTS Retention Specialist to address their academic progress and monthly grades. This intentional one-on-one will promote retention to graduation. These scholars will be assigned a weekly study table to receive tutoring and math assistance. They will be referred to other UI resources as necessary, such as the Writing Center, Math tutoring, and/or other academic support services. The NBTS Tribal Scholars and Retention Specialist will also review Spring course registration and yearly academic and goal attainment plans. Scholars will be placed in a mentor program overseen by the Retention Specialist and implemented in the Spring semester. The mentor program is designed to support the student's academic success and social adjustment to the UI I campus. Peer mentors will assist in connecting students to university offices,departments, faculty/staff, programs, and student organizations. The building of trust and the demonstration of cultural leadership from peer mentors strengthens the bond between one another, upper-class students, and the university.UI NBTS Scholars will find assistance to meet cultural and personal needs and will be provided weekly integrated social and cultural activities throughout their first year. Students will attend a Fall-semester leadership retreat that will emphasize team building, conflict management, and leadership development. Students will help organize and/or participate in the annual Native American Heritage Month events, Tribal Speaker Series, Tribal Nations Night, and the UI Tutxinmepu Pow Wow. Scholars will also be engaged in organizations such as the Native American Student Association (NASA), All Nations Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (ANLSAMP), and the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES).Assistance with Financial Aid: UI NBTS staff will meet individually with participants and families to complete a financial aid overview, explaining financing options. All UI NBTS Scholars will renew their FAFSA on time for their second year of college through a mandatory FAFSA Renewal Workshop. UI NBTS Scholars who complete their first year in good standing will be eligible for institutionally sponsored, merit-based scholarships.An internal evaluation of the defined project objectives and outcomes will be conducted at the end of the project year. Outcomes will show improved retention and persistence in ANFHS degree programs due to high-impact engagement and program services. Upon successful completion of the project, scholars will be eligible for merit-based Diversity Scholarships from UI Tribal Scholarship Funds. The high-impact outcome would be a culturally responsive engagement support service program for Tribal students in theANFHS areas that aligns with the goals of the NBTS All My Relations Program.