Progress 09/01/23 to 08/31/24
Outputs
Target Audience:During this reporting period, our outreach efforts primarily focused on Native American youth and tribal communities. Native American Youth Recruitment and Outreach: Visits and Presentations: Native American Outreach Coordinator, Vincent Gonzalez, visited 14 Native and Tribal communities and delivered over 20 college preparation presentations across WSU campuses. Programs and Camps: We organized the Native Youth Exploring Higher Education (Ny'ehe) camp, a 4-day residential program attended by 32 high school students. Additionally, we hosted the Native Youth Sports Summit with 197 students and two Youth Exploring Higher Education events with 25 students each. Tribal Nation Building Leadership Program: Courses and Enrollment: Four faculty/staff members taught Tribal Nation Building Leadership courses to 21 Native undergraduate students, marking a 62% increase in participation from the previous year. Grant-funded scholarships contributed to higher Native student enrollment. Native American Program Student Center: Student Engagement: The center supported approximately 120 Native students through study halls, retention counseling, cultural events, and activities such as the First Friday Feed, Round Dance, Powwow, and Native Graduation Ceremony. Stakeholder and Tribal Engagement: Committee Involvement: We collaborated with various WSU campuses (Pullman, Vancouver, Tri-Cities, Everett, Spokane, Global) and tribal partners to enhance recruitment, retention, and graduation outcomes for Native students. Tribal Advisory Committee: Engaged with Tribal Government leaders, delegates, and Higher Education Directors from tribes with a Memorandum of Understanding with WSU to present data and gather feedback. Broader Outreach: PI Higheagle Strong presented at the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (ATNI), reaching representatives from 57 regional tribes and distributed recruitment materials through the Washington State Office of Native Education to public schools statewide. Changes/Problems:One of our most significant challenges has been recruiting Native American students for interviews. This did not significantly boost engagement despite increasing the incentive to $40. We recruited an additional five students, bringing our total to 46, and gathered valuable insights from all participants. However, we recognize that we will not meet our initial target goal. Nonetheless, the interviews reinforced our preliminary findings, with no major new information emerging. Due to the extended time required for recruitment, we applied for a no-cost extension to ensure sufficient time to complete the final toolkit, plan training sessions for WSU staff and faculty, and disseminate the findings beyond WSU. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Team members from the Office of Tribal Relations/Native American Programs organized various trainings and workshops to increase students' awareness of academic and professional opportunities. They also focused on enhancing faculty and staff members' abilities to recruit and retain Native students. 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 and 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?The strength of this project lies in its extensive outreach, communication, and dissemination efforts with various stakeholders, including Tribal Advisory members, Native American communities, youth, undergraduates, and their families. Joelle Edwards, our Director of Native American Student Services, played a pivotal role by collaborating with WSU Enrollment to ensure that every Native student who even partially applied to WSU received a personalized welcome email from our office, complete with a list of resources. Additionally, our Native American Student Retention Specialist and Director conducted multiple outreach efforts throughout the academic year, sending targeted support emails, invitations to activities, and resources specifically for Native American undergraduate students. We also held several meetings with WSU Student Financial Services and Enrollment to educate them on effective methods for collecting Native identification and enhancing outreach and support for Native students and their families. PI Zoe Higheagle Strong attended, presented at, and led numerous meetings to disseminate project findings, gather feedback, and refine practices and processes for better communication. Key meetings included: 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: Presentation at the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians Higher Education Committee, reporting in the Higher Education Subcommittee and 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: Reporting at the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians Convention, Higher Education Committee. April 11-12, 2024: WSU's Native American Advisory Board meeting. June 19-24, 2024: Reporting at the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians Convention, Higher Education Committee. June 25, 2024: Follow-up feedback session with the Tribal Education Managers Committee. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We were approved for a no-cost extension to complete our project in the next grant cycle. This will allow us time to complete all Native student undergraduate interviews, conduct the other two Native Youth Exploring Higher Education Camps to increase Tribal youth and community engagement, and complete the final analysis and write-up for Toolkit for Culturally Sustaining/Revitalizing Native American Recruitment and Retention and Tribal Nation Building Strategies. We will also be able to conduct our first round of training with the toolkit and disseminate the toolkit to other higher education institutions. Finally, we will have a year with increased scholarship dollars for students to allow us to see the impact of increased funding on recruitment, enrollment, and persistence.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Goal 1: Analyze data on enrollment, retention, and graduation rates of Native American students, and establish improved methods to identify Native American students on WSU campuses and at Extension offices statewide. Senior personnel/statistician Mr. Austin analyzed the updated cross-sectional institutional student datasets that cover 2015-2023. Based on prior consultation from our Native American Advisory Board, STEM-related fields and campus visits were of interest. Thus, these factors were included in the predictive model designed to identify meaningful factors related to Native student retention and enrollment. The results from the analysis of the original cross-sectional institutional student data indicated the following meaningful factors to Native student retention: (a) spring contact hours with faculty/staff, (b) total campus visits prior to enrollment, (c) unmet and funded financial need, and (d) first generation. Further, some information was implied for remedial classes, percent DFW classes (classes that tend to be difficult/gatekeeping type classes), and Pell Recipient. We completed the draft of the quantitative write up and recommendations, and the preliminary analysis of the student qualitative interviews. This upcoming grant cycle, we plan to finalize the analysis and write up and integration of the mixed methods results. Regardless, the iterative process of reporting preliminary data to university stakeholders and Tribal advisory members, has provided formative assessment of data practices along the way. Some major changes that we identified were problems with the new Common Application Goal 2: Identify and integrate CSR recruitment and retention strategies for Native American students across WSU's statewide campus system. In addition to the quantitative analysis conducted by Institutional Research, PI Higheagle Strong and Co-PI Lokensgard recruited and conducted focus groups, along with additional interviews and surveys, with 5 undergraduate Native students during Spring 2024. This brings the total number of students involved to 46. These qualitative efforts helped further explain the meaningful factors that contribute to student recruitment, retention, and graduation. Preliminary analysis was also performed to explore these factors in greater depth based on the institutional data. We presented updated data to our Tribal Advisory members to gather feedback on recruitment and retention strategies. Based on their feedback, as well as insights from the interviews, we identified several areas for improvement: Enhanced Communication with Tribal Education Managers: We recognized the need to maintain a listserv of all regional Tribal Education managers and key contacts to disseminate scholarship materials, deadlines, and gather periodic feedback. While we typically engage with the 14 Tribes with whom we have MOUs, this grant allowed us to expand our outreach to all Tribal education managers across Washington State. Supporting Native American Global Campus Students: We identified that Native American students enrolled in the global campus programs lack a sense of community but are eager to engage. In response, Tommy Williams, our Native American Student Recruitment Specialist for the Pullman Campus, began planning virtual events for global campus students, such as virtual study halls and a beadwork class, where materials were mailed to students in advance. Improving Communication with Student Financial Services: We found that Native students often do not receive information about Native-specific scholarships or deadlines when contacting general financial aid lines. Our Native American Student Services Director, Joelle Edwards, dedicated significant time to working with Student Financial Services, advocating for students, ensuring financial aid packages were appropriate, and verifying eligibility for out-of-state waivers. She also collaborated with Admissions to send targeted emails to Native American students with links to relevant resources. Proactive Student Support: Our Native American programs staff regularly monitored students' status and records, checking for holds, fines, fees, and satisfactory academic progress. When concerns were identified, staff reached out personally to provide support. Goal 3: Identify and increase Native American student opportunities to connect with TNBL experiential learning projects and internships. Native American students had numerous opportunities to connect with Tribal Nation Building Leadership initiatives throughout the academic year. These events included screenings of documentaries such as Covenant of the Salmon, filmed by the Nez Perce Tribe, followed by a discussion with a Nez Perce fishing expert. On Indigenous Peoples' Day, we hosted Nez Perce elders, cultural specialists, speakers, and vendors to discuss the past, present, and future. We also prepared Native students to travel to the State Capitol in Olympia, Washington, where they spoke with legislators about their needs as students. In the Tribal Nation Building Leadership class, students learned how to plan and run a powwow, which is the largest student-run community event at WSU. They also attended key presentations on contemporary issues in Indian Country, including the National Indian Child Welfare Act (NICWA), presented by Executive Director Sarah Kastelic (Alutiiq), Communications Specialist Kyra Antone (Coeur D'Alene), and recent WSU Native graduates. Additionally, PI Higheagle Strong presented the history of land-grant institutions and their connection to the appropriation of Native lands. Students also engaged in bead-working workshops, ribbon skirt-making, Indigenous storytelling, First Friday Feeds, and other events. We successfully funded four undergraduate students to intern at the Native Youth Exploring Higher Education camp, where they led and supported Nation Building activities. However, we found that students seemed to show limited interest in pursuing Tribal Nation Building Leadership internships, and we identified a scarcity of paid internship opportunities. We believe this is partially due to some of the key challenges and areas that need improvement: Collaboration with Regional Tribes for Job Placement: We need to work more closely with regional Tribes to identify their specific job placement needs. In our meetings with the Nez Perce Tribe's workforce development and economic development departments, we learned that they, too, face challenges in defining clear priorities and providing internship opportunities for their tribal members. Recognizing the difficulty this poses for students seeking work experience, we established an ongoing committee to address this issue. This model also needs to be replicated with other Tribes. Systematizing College Student Internships: While some Tribes offer summer internships for youth, there is a lack of systematic opportunities for college students. Ongoing discussions with our regional Tribes will be necessary to address this issue. Although there is a recognized need to increase the workforce, particularly with Tribal members returning home to work, the current lack of a structured process remains a challenge. Goal 4: Create a CSR toolkit for Native American student recruitment and retention and TNBL strategies. We finalized the draft for the quantitative analysis but encountered challenges in recruiting students for the qualitative interviews. As a result, we applied for a no-cost extension to complete the toolkit. However, we recruited and hired a Native American graduate student in Cultural Studies from the College of Education to conduct a literature review on Native American student recruitment, retention, and Tribal Nation Building, ensuring we have the most current research. As a WSU graduate who participated in the TNBL program, she also provides valuable insights from a student perspective.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/22 to 08/31/23
Outputs
Target Audience:Native Youth Recruitment/Outreach. Native American Outreach Coordinator Vincent Gonzalez visited 26 Native and Tribal communities to share about college preparation and scholarship opportunities and conducted over 40 college preparation presentations at WSU campuses. Native American Student Services Director, Joelle Edwards, recruited and coordinated the Native Youth Exploring Higher Education (Ny'ehe) 4-day residential camp for high school students on the Pullman Campus - 20 attended. Native Undergraduate Student Interviews: We recruited current WSU juniors and seniors and recent graduates (between 2015-2022) to hear about their perceptions and experiences in college preparation, enrollment, retention, and graduation--what supports helped them to persist and feel a sense of belonging in college and what additional resources they need. PI Higheagle Strong and Co-PI Lokensgard conducted 3 focus groups and 1 interview (16 overall), with a total of 6 completed interviews (41 overall), which often led to connecting students directly to resources following the interviews. Tribal Nation Building Leadership Program: During the 2022-2023 academic year, four faculty/staff (Mr. Brave, Dr. Ellenwood, Dr. Lokensgard, Ms. Edwards) taught Tribal Nation Building Leadership courses that served 13 Native undergraduate students. NBTS provided scholarship dollars to assist students in taking these courses. Native American Program Student Center: Through the center, approximately 100 Native students attended the center for study halls, retention counseling, back to school barbecue, and cultural events such as First Friday Feed, Round Dance, Powwow, Native Graduation Ceremony, etc. NBTS WSU Stakeholders Committee Invitees/Partners: WSU Pullman (11 partners) WSU Vancouver (6 partners) WSU Tri-Cities (3 partners) WSU Everett (2 partners) WSU Spokane (2 partners) WSU Global (2 partners) Tribal Advisory Committee: We presented project data and consulted our Tribal stakeholders four times to improve Native student recruitment, retention, and graduation success and transition to careers. Our stakeholders are Tribal Government leaders, Tribal delegates, and Tribal Higher Education Directors and Managers. Many represent Tribes that signed the Memorandum of Understanding with WSU listed below: Coeur d'Alene Tribe (Schitsu'umsh) Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation Cowlitz Indian Tribe Kalispel Tribe of Indians Kootenai Tribe of Idaho Nez Perce Tribe (Niimiipuu) Quinault Indian Nation Spokane Tribe of Indians Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation Swinomish Indian Tribal Community PI Higheagle Strong presented twice at the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (ATNI) that represents 57 regional tribes and reached Tribes through the ATNI Education Committee and disseminated college recruitment materials through the Washington State Office of Native Education/Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, which reaches all public schools statewide. Changes/Problems:One of the greatest challenges has been recruiting students for focus groups/individual interviews. We are still recruiting, but the process is extremely slow. Students are inundated with communications and have limited free time while working and attending school. We did receive feedback that increasing the incentive gift card from $25 to $40 would be helpful to honor their 1.5-to-2-hour time commitment. Therefore, we submitted a revision to the IRB and received approval to change the incentive. We will start recruiting students this fall with the revised incentive. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? NBTS funds helped support keynote speaker Robin Wall Kimmerer (Potawatomi), author of Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teaching of Plants and Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses, to conduct a public lecture and a small group discussion with all TNBL students and additional Native students in a similar field. Through her public lecture and discussion, Kimmerer helped educate students, faculty, and campus staff about the importance of integrating Indigenous knowledge with science education. Kimmerer discussed the role of Indigenous knowledge in nation building with the TNBL students. NBTS grant funds supported Native guest speakers in the TNBL Introductory course who addressed tribal nation building from different disciplinary perspectives with students (e.g., Cherrise Reyes (Upper Skagit) U.S Senate internships application and resume critique, Joey Clift (Cowlitz) comedy and media production). As previously mentioned, PI Higheagle Strong presented and provided training at the Campus Advisory Committees, Systemwide Leadership Collaborative Committee, and twice at Faculty Senate. We also arranged to have several Native speakers participate in a Traditional Ecological Knowledge Speakers series. These included Josiah Pinkham (Nez Perce) Tiyanna Casey (Wasco/Nez Perce), and Dr. Melodi Wynne (Spokane). Numerous Native undergrads, particularly TNBL seniors, and grad students attended. We brought in keynote speaker Dr. Theresa Ambo (Gabrieliño-Tongva) and other speakers to WSU's first annual Indigenous Research Conference. Some Native students presented while others attended to hear from numerous Native and other Indigenous researchers. PI Higheagle Strong visited 4 of WSU's physical campuses to meet with campus academic and student support leaders. At these meetings, PI Higheagle Strong shared further insights derived from research data, discussed student financial support, and addressed the need for dedicated Native student support staff at each campus. NBTS grant funds provided honoraria for two keynote speakers at the Native Healers retreat, hosted by the WSU Spokane campus' Office of Native American Health Sciences. This conference was designed to help identify the needs of and support for Native health sciences undergraduate, graduate, and professional students at WSU Spokane. NBTS grant funded an orientation/retreat for TNBL students and Native Programs staff that included a low ropes challenge course that focused on themes of nation building, teamwork, communication, and trust. NBTS grant funds supported networking and community building for TNBL students and Native faculty and staff through various activities such as bowling (students requested community-building activities in their evaluations). We brought in Tribal elder and expert sweet grass braider, Lyman McGilvery (Saddle Lake Cree), for Indigenous People's Day. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?As mentioned prior in the activity section, project team members disseminated updated results among the following advisory, stakeholders and campus meetings. PI Higheagle Strong met with WSU stakeholders (Enrollment Management, Admissions, Institutional Research, Student Financial Services) 10 times to prepare and review Native American student data and financial need to propose and establish a Native American scholarship program (October 31, 2022; December 9, 2022; January 9, 2023; January 10, 2023; January 23, 2023; April 27, 2023; May 10, 2023; May 15, 2023: May 19, 2023; May 30, 2023). Representatives also attended the WSU's Native American Advisory Board meetings on October 14, 2023, and April 28, 2023, to present data and receive tribal consultation. The grant team held one Tribal Advisory meeting with the University of Idaho NBTS grantee on December 14, 2023, to consult on both of our projects and learn from each other on recruitment and retention programs and practices. PI Higheagle Strong led two tribal consultation meetings with the WSU Native American Advisory Board consisting of Tribal Government leaders and their delegates (October 14, 2023, and April 28, 2023) and two consultation meetings with tribal education directors and managers and WSU student financial services (May 12 and 13, 2023). With tribal consultation and advisory from WSU stakeholders, PI Higheagle Strong utilized this data to help write House Bill 1399 and Proviso proposal for establishing a Native American Scholarship Fund in Washington State, sponsored by Representative Lekanoff. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We were approved for a no-cost extension to complete our project's next grant cycle. This will allow us time to complete all Native student undergraduate interviews, conduct all Native Youth Exploring Higher Education Camps at all four campuses to increase Tribal youth and community engagement, and complete the final analysis and write-up for Toolkit for Culturally Sustaining/Revitalizing Native American Recruitment and Retention and Tribal Nation Building Strategies. We will also be able to conduct our first round of training with the toolkit and disseminate the toolkit to other higher education institutions. Finally, we will have a year with increased scholarship dollars for students to allow us to see the impact of increased funding on recruitment, enrollment, and persistence.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Goal 1:Senior personnel/statistician Mr. Austin analyzed the updated cross-sectional institutional student datasets that cover 2015-2023. Based on prior consultation from our Native American Advisory Board, STEM-related fields and campus visits were of interest. Thus, these factors were included in the predictive model designed to identify meaningful factors related to Native student retention and enrollment. Unfortunately, there were significant issues with missing data. For instance, there were 60% to 100% missing data for some critical predictors-(a) admissions data (e.g., transfer status, campus), (b) background data (e.g., home location data), (c) pre-enrollment campus visits, (d) STEM participation, (e) class difficulty, (f) enrollment hours, and (g) test scores. We were also able to show the problems with the IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) racial categories that lead to the misidentification of Native students in educational data--Out of 6650 Native individuals who selected the American Indian or Alaska Native demographic check-box, only 1368, or 20.6% were classified as American Indian/Alaska Native under the IPEDS classification because they account for AI/AN only. Some Native students that are counted as multi-race or Hispanic are members of federally enrolled Tribes. This analysis process allowed us to identify issues with institutional data, how applications have changed over time, and problems with IPEDS categories. We met with our WSU stakeholders to discuss the improvement of applications and how to collect reliable data. The results from the analysis of the original cross-sectional institutional student data indicated the following meaningful factors to Native student retention: (a) spring contact hours with faculty/staff, (b) total campus visits prior to enrollment, (c) unmet and funded financial need, and (d) first generation. Further, some information was implied for remedial classes, percent DFW classes (which tend to be difficult/gatekeeping type classes), and Pell Recipient. Goal 2: In addition to quantitative analysis of the institutional research, PI Higheagle Strong and Co-PI Lokensgard recruited and conducted focus groups and additional interviews/surveys with six undergraduate Native students (currently a total of 41 students) to further explain meaningful factors that contribute to student recruitment, retention, and graduation. Moreover, we conducted a preliminary analysis to explain further meaningful factors identified in the analysis of the institutional data. We identified supporting themes 1. Before enrollment, campus visits and outreach programs (summer and other) matter, especially when there is Native Programs representation. 2. Resources are often lacking to enroll (e.g., help to navigate scholarships/applications, high school counselors often aren't helpful, etc.). 3. Financial assistance is necessary to enroll and persist (e.g., sometimes minimal fines caused students to drop out or want to drop out). 4. Contact with faculty and staff at WSU encourages enrollment and persistence (e.g., connections with Native faculty/staff or non-Natives that take a relational approach and approachable, persistent outreach to help students who would not normally engage). During these interviews, we identified students' immediate needs, whichinformed program changes and additional support--we connected students to internships, provided emergency funding, advised on graduate school programs, helped a student navigate a racial incident from a faculty, etc. We received feedback on what is or is not workingwith therecruitment and retention programming. Studentssuggested virtual meet and greets and help fund students to attend university recreational events to meet students who cannot afford them.One of the most dramatic shifts in improving the recruitment/retention process is hiring a half-time Admissions and Enrollment Specialist focusing only on Native student enrollment and financial/scholarship support. Often, admissions staff are unaware of what Native students can access in scholarships or what barriers they may face. When Native families call WSU, they will be referred to an expert who also serves as a liaison to our Native American Program office. Moreover, our Director of Native Student Services works closely with the position to assist with tribal identification forms, personal calls to Native students to help complete FAFSA and scholarship applications, and examining the data for financial needs and gaps.Preliminary conclusions and implications that can be drawn from this study are that WSU and other institutions can adopt a living analysis process as outlined here. Goal 3: Co-PI and Evaluator Runninghawk Johnson evaluated the Introduction to Tribal Nation Building Course and program to identify the strengths and impact of the program from the student's perspectives. There was evidence to show that there was an increase in knowledge for Native students as well as for tribal stakeholders. Regular meetings were held with tribal stakeholders to inform them of the program's progress and students and to receive feedback on what they want to see improved and changed about it. Students enrolled in the TNBL course wrote that the course format differed from their other courses and saw this as a good thing. They reported, "Having a course formatted without structure and sometimes tedious learning with Western education was relieving. Hearing issues that impact me personally makes a big difference in my eagerness to learn." And, "It was different to write about what I wanted to write about and not have the subject picked for me. The op-ed helped me express how I felt about native languages dying and even put in my own experience with my own native language dying. The workshop was also nice because it made me think of creative ways to help others..." Students report increased knowledge about tribal nation building and navigating the WSU systems. This results in greater retention of current students.Students appreciated the connections made with guests who were members of the MOU tribes that came to their classes. For instance, a student stated, "The topic I enjoyed the most was having the guest speaker Lyman McGilvery come and speak to our class. I enjoyed this topic because it was unlike any other lecture I had been to, and I learned a lot about the culture and about gaining wisdom." Students made stronger connections with their own communities. A student stated, "I also thought it was amazing to have an indigenous teacher. Someone who is able to understand some of the issues that plague my own tribal community." Another student, "I really enjoyed how a lot of this class had aspects that required engagement and interaction. I feel like this is the first class I've been in where the professor is as engaging as Dr. Ellenwood." Students expressed growth in their knowledge of Tribal Nation Building-"I found this class to be extremely beneficial to me and my personal growth. I gained a deeper understanding of how tribal governments work and how they function in regard to the community." Overall, TNBL students reported increased satisfaction with their undergraduate experience at WSU, which leads to greater retention for current students and word-of-mouth recruitment for prospective students. Goal 4: Institutional data analysis findings have been drafted for inclusion in the first component of the toolkit, which will emphasize student data. All data captured in this project helped inform the writing of House Bill 1399 and a Proviso to establish a Native American Scholarship Program at Washington State, sponsored by Representative Lekanoff. HB 1399 did not pass, but WSU received a 1.2 million Proviso to establish the scholarship program as a model to be implemented across the state. This would not have been possible without our current NBTS grant data and research.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/21 to 08/31/22
Outputs
Target Audience:NBTS Research Participants: We recruited current juniors and seniors attending Washington State University. We also recruited recent undergraduate graduates, at WSU, who graduated after Fall 2015 including Spring 2022. Thus far, a total of 59 individuals have reached out to express interest in participating in the NBTS research focus groups and interviews. Of this number, a total of 35 current and former students have participated in a focus group or interview. The remaining 28 individuals who expressed interviews experienced scheduling conflicts or did not respond to follow-up communication. Outreach to them and other potential participants is ongoing. NBTS Introduction to Tribal Nation Building Leadership (TNBL) 2021-2022 pilot course students: The 3 students comprising the incoming 2021-2022 Cohort of TNBL students completed an entry survey at the beginning of their class and a focus group upon its conclusion.NBTS grant-funded scholarships were provided to these students to complement the partial tuition waivers.These students are also among the 35 students who participated in the interviews and focus groups described above. The eight other years two-through-four 2021-2022 Tribal Nation Building Leadership students: These students were also provided NBTS grant-funded scholarships, to complement their partial tuition waivers offered by WSU. NBTS Tribal Stakeholders Committee: Tribal stakeholders including tribes within the region, especially those included within the WSU Memorandum of Understanding: NBTS WSU Stakeholders Committee Invitees/Partners: WSU Pullman (11 partners) WSU Vancouver (6 partners) WSU Tri-Cities (3 partners) WSU Everett (2 partners) WSU Spokane (2 partners) WSU Global (2 partners) Twelve regional MOU Signatory Tribes (Higher Education Partners). This audience is reached through the WSU Native American Advisory Board members to the President, who represents each tribe. These tribes are the following: Coeur d'Alene Tribe (Schitsu'umsh) Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Cowlitz Indian Tribe Kalispel Tribe of Indians Kootenai Tribe of Idaho Nez Perce Tribe (Niimiipuu) Quinault Indian Nation Spokane Tribe of Indians Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (ATNI): These 57 regional tribes are reached through the ATNI Education Committee. Changes/Problems:Due to the pandemic, the recruiting numbers for the TNBL program and focus group interviews/ and scholarship allocations were significantly lower than expected. This past year, we could not travel to as many tribal communities due to temporary closures or canceled events. Our Director of Student Services also took a position back in his tribal community, which impacted our programs. However, we made significant efforts and impact on training and professional development with WSU administration, faculty, and staff to better support Native students. We are moving toward hiring two key positions and we replaced our Director of Native American student services. We believe we are better suited to recruit and support Native American students this upcoming academic year. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? NBTS Funds helped support an online public lecture and intensive meeting with all TNBL students by Pulitzer Prize Winner Natalie Diaz, MFA (Gila River Indian Community member). Through her public lecture and discussion, Diaz helped educate faculty and staff at all campuses about the importance of arts education and programming in Native Higher Education. Diaz discussed the role of education and the arts in nation building with the TNBL students. NBTS grant funds supported Native guest speakers in the TNBL Introductory course, who addressed tribal nation building from different disciplinary perspectives with students. NBTS grant funds provided honoraria for two keynote speakers at the Native Healers retreat, hosted by the WSU Spokane campus' Office of Native American Health Sciences. This conference was designed to help identify the needs of and support for Native health sciences undergraduate, graduate, and professional students support at WSU Spokane. The speakers were" Alec Joseph Calac, MPH, MD/PhDC (Pauma Band of Luiseño Indians member). President of the Association of Native American Medical Students. Mary Owen, MD (Tlingit member). Owen is the Director of the Center for American Indian and Minority health at the University of Minnesota and President of the Association of American Indian Physicians. Preliminary insights gathered from data analysis and student focus group/interviews were shared with WSU Stakeholders on November 30, 2021 and will be again during the summer of 2022. PI Higheagle Strong also visited each of the WSU's 5 physical campuses to meet with campus academic and student support leaders. At these meetings, Higheagle Strong shared further insights derived from research data, discussed student financial support, and addressed the need for dedicated Native student support staff at each campus. Outcomes include the development of a Director of Native Student Support position at the WSU Spokane campus (to be filed in the Fall of 2022) and the Director of Native American Programs at the Vancouver Campus (to be filled in August 2022). As previously mentioned, PI Higheagle Strong presented and provided training at the Board of Regents, Campus Advisory Committees, Systemwide Leadership Collaborative Committee, and the Faculty Senate. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Student data analysis updates, insights from student interviews/focus groups, NBTS updates, and developments across campuses were shared with WSU Stakeholders on November 30, 2021 and will be again during the summer of 2022. Student data analysis updates, NBTS updates, insights from student interviews/focus groups, and developments across campuses were shared with Tribal Stakeholders on August 3, 2021, Dec. 8, 2021, and April 12, 2022. Feedback was also sought at each meeting. Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians reception and Education Committee PI Higheagle Strong and Cheryl Ellenwood attended the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians Mid-Year Convention on May 16-17, 2022. The conference provides an event where ATNI members convene for discussion, presentations and work on committees to inform policy, legislation, and the future of Indian Country in the Northwest. The grant team participated in two events. We joined the University of Idaho to co-host a reception and co-present updates about the NBTS grant insights and goals to Tribal Stakeholders and other Native educators within the region. Specifically, at our reception we sought insight through a Qualtrics survey from Tribal leaders who work and advocate for Native education. At our presentation, we shared data insights and facilitated roundtable conversations about ways to improve Native education. Approximately 60 people attended the reception and we had 20 respondents take the Qualtrics survey Respondents held a number of professional titles including; Tribal Chairman, Executive Director, ATNI Education Committee Chair, Director of Environmental Projects, Tribal Relations Director, Tribal Liaison, and Student Assistant at the UW Intellectual House to name a few. Professionals served many tribal communities including Lummi, Yakama Nation (3), Umatilla Tribes, Nez Perce Tribe, Cowlitz Indian Tribe, Greater Northwest, Portland Urban Native Community, University of Washington students and families, among many others including all of Indian Country. The reception hosted a total of 60 ATNI members. And the Presentation to the Education Committee addressed approximately 75 ATNI members. We gained valuable insight about Native education priorities from tribal leaders in the region. We also worked to disseminate our initial results from focus groups; this led to rich discussion about the need to develop more culturally relevant programs at educational institutions. For instance, we asked respondents about their preferred methods for recruiting Native college students. Most respondents preferred in-person and within tribal community visits to virtual visits or on-campus visits. We also asked respondents how universities can better support tribal initiatives within the institution. Most respondents indicated they wanted to increase Native leadership within the institution and better promote tribal self-determination within the institution. ? What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We will continue outreach and research with Native American students as part of the NBTS project. These activities include expanding our outreach efforts and continuing to schedule focus groups and individual interviews. Also, the Intro to TNBL course will be taught again in the fall semester of 2022 as a retention tool. Recruitment for the course is ongoing and will again be incentivized by scholarships and partial tuition waivers. As previous students were, the next entering students will participate in a pre-course survey to help us analyze the effectiveness of the course and accompanying activities (internships, professional opportunities), in terms of education content and as a retention tool. Furthermore, we will finalize a draft of the Culturally Revitalizing and Sustaining Toolkit for Native American student recruitment, retention and tribal nation building and provide a systemwide training series. We also have another Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians Conference planned in January to host another reception and conduct a presentation. We will also submit conference presentations and 1 manuscript to an academic journal.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
We maintained an ongoing analysis of two sources of data focused on our four research questions about meaningful factors related to Native American college student enrollment and persistence. We also sought to refine our initial draft process that can be used by WSU and other institutions to examine data for such factors. In particular, the longitudinal Native student cohort of WSU institutional data revealed additional effects regarding the relationships between STEM and Non-STEM areas of concentration and the relationship between changes in areas of concentration and graduation rates. A new longitudinal cohort (2016-2021) was examined and statistical methods from the 2015-2020 cohort were replicated. Descriptive statistics, correlations, elastic net data reduction, and linear and logistic regression models were among the statistical techniques applied to the new cohort of data. Initial results showed similar trends in meaningful factors for native student enrollment and persistence compared to the 2015-2020 cohort. Additional analyses and modifications to the Toolkit statistical guidelines were identified as a result of these replication efforts. Toolkit guidelines are meant to facilitate the flexible application of statistical methods to the Native student population within the context of qualitative feedback from those students, given the varied sources of data that exist across institutions. Additional meaningful factors for Native student persistence to graduation included identifying the positive impact of student agency as represented by changes in their areas of concentration which were associated with higher graduation rates compared to those students who did not change their area. We also recruited and conducted focus groups and interviews/surveys with 35 undergraduate Native students to further explain meaningful factors that contribute to student recruitment, retention, and graduation. Preliminary conclusions and implications that can be drawn from this study are that WSU and other institutions can adopt a living analysis process as outlined here. The analysis process can reveal meaningful factors for student populations and provide information to institutions seek to target effective areas that support student success. The process is also flexible enough to adapt over time within the context of new and evolving programs aimed at student enrollment and persistence to graduation. Goal 2: Identify and integrate CSR recruitment and retention strategies for Native American students across WSU's statewide campus system. Initial strategies shared with Tribal Stakeholders on August 3, 2021, Dec. 8, 2021, and April 12, 2022. Feedback was also sought at each meeting. Based on the feedback, we conducted further analysis of the institutional student data and reported back. PI Higheagle Strong has met regularly with system leadership (President and Provost levels) as well as Chancellors and other leadership at the six WSU campuses. In these meetings, she discusses CNR strategies, Native student programing, and the need to increase or develop Native student support positions at each campus. Some key accomplishments are: 1) Revised common core student application to include more accurate and identifiable demographic data for Native students in order to outreach and connect students to available scholarships. 2) A new position was created to assist the PI and Vice Provost for Native American Relation and Programs to help implement retention strategies across the WSU system - (started June 1, 2022). 3) Worked with the office of research and enrollment to incorporate best practices for pulling Native American student data and what changes need to be made on all student enrollment applications for academic and professional students. 4) Invited and presented before the Board of Regents (November 17, 2022) at the Vancouver Campus and virtual meeting (January 20, 2022), and WSU systemwide oversight leadership team (April 16, 2022) that consists of President, Provost, Chancellors, VP's, Deans, etc. 5) Invited and presented at the annual retreat for the advisory board members for the 5 WSU campuses at the Spokane Campus (June 8, 2022). Goal 3: Identify and increase Native American student opportunities to connect with TNBL experiential learning projects and internships. PI Higheagle Strong and Co-PI Lokensgard have used contact with students, established via focus groups/interviews, to share existing and potential internship opportunities and to make professional development recommendations. The research team and WSU Native student support personnel have also met to identify student internship and professional development needs. Co-PI Sanders is currently engaging in work across the state-wide Extension network to locate or create corresponding opportunities. Co-PI Sanders worked with internal and external contacts to identify nine locations that offer internship opportunities. Of the five students who applied for internships, we have confirmed that four have found placements. In WSU and Tribal Stakeholder meeting, the research team has requested stakeholders to help locate and create such opportunities as well. The TNBL introductory pilot course, which will be offered for the second time in the Fall of 2022, will provide guidance for students engaging in upcoming internships or other professional experiences. We collaborated with various departments and the University of Idaho to have a series of guest Native speakers that not only provided professional development for faculty and staff (further described in training/professional development section), but requested speakers to meet directly with our Tribal Nation Building Leadership Students to discuss their field in how it relates to nation building (e.g, Pulitzer Prize Winner Natalie Diaz; Dr. Mary Owen, Director of the Center for American Indian and Minority Health/President of the Association of American Indian Physicians; Dr. Alec Joseh Calec, President of Association of American Indian Physicians; Dr. Raymond Foxworth, First Nations Development Institute & Visiting Professor at University of New Mexico; Dr. Danielle Hiraldo, formerly w/ Native Nations Institute now at University of North Carolina Native Student Center; Dr. Amanda Boyd , Associate Professor in Communications at Washington State University; and Rachel Ellenwood at Nez Perce Tribal Enterprise. Goal 4: Create a CSR toolkit for Native American student recruitment and retention, and TNBL strategies. Institutional data analysis findings have been drafted for inclusion in the first component of the toolkit, which will emphasize student data. A draft of this component of the toolkit will be completed before the fall semester of 2022. We are on target to complete the final draft next grant year, the final year of the grant.
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Progress 09/01/20 to 08/31/21
Outputs
Target Audience: NBTS Research Participants: We recruited current juniors and seniors attending Washington State University. We also recruited recent undergraduate graduates, at WSU, whograduated afterFall2015includingSpring 2021.In total 33 individuals reached out to express interest in participating in the NBTS research focus groups and interviews. Since May 18, 27 individuals have been scheduled and participated in seven (7) focus groups and three (3) individual interviews. The total number of participants thus far is 30 participants. Three (3) individuals who expressed interest in participating werenotscheduled because they were ineligible orexpressed an inability to participate and move forward with scheduling. NBTSTribal Stakeholders Committee: Tribal stakeholders including tribes within the region, especially those includedwithinthe WSUMemorandum ofUnderstanding: NBTSWSUStakeholdersCommittee Invitees/Partners: WSU Pullman (11 partners) WSU Vancouver (6 partners) WSU Tri-Cities (3 partners) WSU Everett (2partners) WSUGlobal(2 partners) WSU Spokane(2 partners) 12 Northwest Tribes (Higher Education Partners) Changes/Problems:HigheagleStrong andLokensgardamended thehuman subjectsresearch protocol touse Qualtrics forobtaining written consent from focus group/interview participants. The amendment was approved by theWSU IRBonApril 28andfocusgroups commenced on May 18th. In general, student recruitment has been the most difficult for TNBL scholarships for next fall and for the internship program, and for focus group/interviews. Typically, students stay more engaged during the summer, but after the semester ended it was difficult to get responses back from students to set up interviews. Moreover, our enrollment numbers are down, which has made it difficult to increase enrollment in the TNBL courses. WSU was slow to announce that we will be back to in-person classes. Based on what we learned from the focus groups/interviews, online learning was tremendously difficult for our Native students and some quit in the process. Others are burnt out. However, we believe we built a strong foundation for TNBL curriculum and course development, made progress in interviewing students, and refined programs. Our recruiter can now begin traveling, and will diligently begin recruiting and outreaching to students fromtribal and urban Indian communities. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? WSU Native American Programs and CNRC staff met presented recruitment and retention strategies at an April 7 meeting of all of the recruitment personnel from across the WSUsystem.Authorities on Tribal Nation Buildinginvited to meet with Native American Programs Staff. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Initial data analysis on enrollment, retention, and graduation rates have been shared withWSU Stakeholders onFebruary 22and with Tribal Stakeholders on March25. Also, as Dr. Higheagle Strong and Dr. Lokensgard conducted focus groups with Native American undergraduate students, at the end of interviews, we have distributed resources that address their questions or concerns. For instance, funding was a huge issue. We walked students through the scholarships and recruited for the TBNL scholarship. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We will continue outreach and research with Native American students as part of the NBTS project. These activities include expanding our outreach efforts and continuing to schedulefocus groups and individual interviewsthroughoutJuly.Also, the TNBL pilot course will begin in the fall semester of '21.The course will be offered for the first time across all campuses, as a retention tool.Recruitment for the course is ongoingand incentivized by scholarships.Entering students will participate ina pre-course surveyto help us analyze the effectiveness of the course and accompanying activities (internships, professional opportunities), in terms of educational content and as a retention tool.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Goal1:Analyze data on enrollment, retention, and graduation ratesof Native American students, and establish improved methods to identify Nation American students on WSU campuses and at Extension offices statewide.This analysis examined two sources of data to answer four research questions about meaningful factors related to Native American college student enrollment and persistence. We also sought to document a process that can be used by WSU other institutions to examine data for such factors. Longitudinal and cross-sectional WSU institutional data across six years was examined as well as WSU self-report data from the National Survey of Student Engagement. Descriptive statistics, correlations, elastic net data reduction, and linear and logistic regression were among the statistical techniques used to examine the data. Results showed that a rich set of meaningful factors for native student enrollment and persistence can be identified and examined for validity through qualitative interviews with native students and university stakeholders.Results included the identification of meaningful factors that impact native student enrollment and persistence in positive and negative ways, detailed sets of analysis steps and statistical procedures that can be applied to institutional and self-report data, and guidelines on the flexible application of statistical methods given the varied sources of data that exist across institutions. Meaningful factors included student involvement with campus visits, STEM and remedial classes, contact hours, class characteristics, as well as faculty, staff, and social relationships.We also recruited and conducted focus groups and interviews/surveyswith 35 undergraduateNative students to further explainmeaningful factors that contribute to student recruitment, retention, and graduation. Preliminary conclusions and implications that can be drawn from this studyare that WSU and other institutions can adopt a living analysis process as outlined here. The analysis process can reveal meaningful factors for student populations and provide information to institutions that seek to target effective areas that support student success. The process is also flexible enough to adapt over time within the context of new and evolving programs aimed at student enrollment and persistence to graduation. Goal2:Identify and integrate CSR recruitment and retention strategiesfor Native American students across WSU's statewide campussystem.WSUNative American Programs and CNRC staff metpresentedrecruitment and retention strategies atanApril7meeting of all of the recruitmentpersonnelfrom across the WSU system. Goal3:Identify and increase Native American student opportunitiesto connect with TNBL experiential learning projects and internships.PIHigheagleStrong andCo-PILokensgard haveused contact with students, established viafocus groups/interviews,to shareexisting and potentialinternship opportunities and to make professional development recommendations.The research teamand WSU Native student supportpersonnelhave alsomet to identify student internship and professional development needs. Co-PI Sanderson iscurrently engaging in work across thestate-wide Extension network to locate or create corresponding opportunities.In WSU and Tribal Stakeholder meeting, the research team hasrequestedstakeholdersto help locate and create such opportunities as well.Meanwhile, the ongoing revision of the TNBL pilot course, which will be offered in the Fall of 2021, hasaddressed the need to include guidance forstudents engaging in upcoming internships or other professional experiences. We recruited 2Native undergraduate studentsfor the TNBLinternship programtowork at WSU Native American programsyouth outreach camps. Goal 4:Create a CSR toolkitfor Native American student recruitment and retentionand TNBL strategies. Institutional data analysis findingshave been drafted for inclusion in thefinal toolkit.
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