Progress 09/01/23 to 08/31/24
Outputs
Target Audience:American Indian (AI) students make up only 1% of the student population at universities across the nation. AI students lack pathways to access higher education and have higher drop-out rates and lower graduation rates compared to their non- Native peers. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (2019), nationally the high school completion rate for AIs is 72%, which is 17% below the rate for whites. Moreover, only 17% of AI students continue their education after high school, compared to 60% of the U.S. population, according to the Postsecondary National Policy Institute (2019). In addition, only 41% of AI students complete a four-year degree within six years, compared to nearly 63% of white students (PNPI, 2019), and only 25% of those at two-year colleges complete a degree within three years (NCES, 2012). Of the 1% of AI students across the U.S. enrolled in higher education, a majority are attending a two-year tribal college, and all AI students enrolled in higher education have poor retention at 15% (Guillory & Wolverton, 2008). For decades, higher education has been unsuccessful in efforts to recruit and retain AI students and thus have failed the AI people in their pursuit of academic achievement time and time again. Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) are vital in providing access to higher education for AI students, while also addressing workforce development needs within tribal communities. However, TCUs are not exempt from the challenge of low AI student retention and graduation rates. The most recent public data available from the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) was gathered from 23 TCUs on students entering for the first time, including regular full-time, part-time, and transfer students. According to AIHEC's American Indian Measures of Success in Higher Education Fact Book 2005, the 2003-2004 student cohort had a first-year retention rate (students returning in academic year 2004-2005) of only 46%. The same student cohort had a graduation rate of 8% (students graduating in academic year 2004-2005 with their associate degree). This data not only reflects the challenge facing AI students in postsecondary education, but also the challenge tribal communities face in filling essential jobs and careers with their local tribal people. TCUs in SD see similar trends and hold similar concerns about the success of AI students. These statistics are particularly troublesome when looking at future economic trends and workforce needs across SD. For example, Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce reported that 62% of jobs in SD would require a college education by 2018 (Georgetown University, 2010). AI youth are increasingly important to the future SD workforce because they are among the state's fastest-growing population groups. As noted by social science professor Sidney Goff, professor at SD School of Mines and Technology, "The future of South Dakota's workforce is American Indian youth, whose numbers are growing." (Mercer, 2012). This Igluwiyeya project addresses the lack of pathways from: 1) secondary to post-secondary education for AIs, and 2) TCUs to public institutions for advanced degree attainment by AIs. The concept behind this project emerged from scheduled listening sessions and subsequent discussions between the Wokini Institute (WI) director, University leadership, and tribal leaders in SD. In 2018, the newly hired WI director traveled to the nine tribal nations in SD to develop relationships with SD's tribal chairpersons, TCU administration, and education directors. A consistent theme emerged throughout the nine tribal nations: the lack of tribal youth pursing higher education. Leaders stated that many tribal youth do not view college as an option, and this absence of higher education and career goals contributes to the pervasive hopelessness within the tribal communities. In addition, key interviews with tribal college personnel revealed that, though their location is proximate, they currently do not have the resources to provide pre-college recruitment nor transition services to tribal high school students in the communities they serve. AI students are under-represented at SD colleges and universities as they face numerous obstacles to access and success. According to the SD Board of Regents Fact Book (2019), only 1.63% of enrolled students in the six public universities identify as AI, while the Census Bureau estimated that 9% of SD's population was AI in the same year. SDSU's student data also reflects challenges and educational disparities, with less than 1% of SDSU's entire student population identifying as AI. This issue is further compounded by low graduation and retention rates of AI students. According to SDSU's Office of Institutional Research, between 2009 and 2017, AI students attending SDSU showed an average 6-year graduation rate of 20% and a 47% average retention rate, much lower than their non-native peers (40% and 70% respectively ). The pathways and resources developed through this project aim to address the low recruitment, retention, and graduation rates of AI students pursing higher education. Building on the early success of the WI, newly created college access liaison positions will provide outreach to project partners and develop resources to foster sustainability of the project. Outreach consists of, but is not limited to, the following: promotion of college preparation programs (i.e. SDSU's summer college preparation program), career exploration, assistance in navigating the college application and financial aid processes, and opportunities for advance degree obtainment. This three-year project is a collaborative partnership to provide targeted outreach to tribal high schools and AI students on four of the nine reservations in SD. Outreach is facilitated by college access liaisons (CAL) specifically located in partnering reservation communities. The CALs travel to tribal high schools and TCUs to accomplish the goals of this three-year project. One liaison will collaborate with high schools and Sinte Gleska University on the Rosebud Sioux reservation. Another focuses on serving Lower Brule Community College and tribal high schools on the Lower Brule and Crow Creek Sioux reservations. The final position works with high schools on the Yankton Sioux reservation. These positions require a specified amount of experience working with tribal nations in SD, ideally hiring CALs who are local and have firsthand knowledge of the dynamics and key stakeholders of the communities in which they will work. Changes/Problems:A major obstacle to progress during this period was staff turnover and organizational changes at partner institutions that have altered the project team at each institution. During this reporting period, some team members of this project have seen changes in institutional leadership that have impacted team members' focus and priorities. Overall, the grant team continues to be committed to this project and its objectives. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?CAL orientation and training is ongoing. Best practices in the area of student success are emphasized on an ongoing basis, with special focus on culturally responsive recruitment and student retention practices. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Project milestones and successes are shared with partners, the university community, and additional stakeholders via the Wokini Newsletter and during updates at community meetings. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Objective 1. Create an AI pathway model, based on the Guided Pathways Model (2019) to provide an AI student- centered approach to college access and success for two audiences: tribal high school students and TCU students. The CAL Steve Her Many Horses will continue to visit tribal high schools. They will continue to work with SDSU Coordinator of American Indian Student, Wakinya Bose regarding recruitment. The CAL and Wakinya Bose will meet bi-weekly with monthly meetings with SGU administration for updates and upcoming events. Objective 2. Create sustainable resources that will continue to promote access to college degrees for tribal high school students and TCU students. Objective 2 is an ongoing process as we define existing resources that could be used as a steppingstone, and where resources have yet to be created. The grant team has begun work on some of the resources in goal 2 during times when CALs could not meet with students. CALs have begun research for the workforce directories for each IHE, and the project director has created a template for the directories. The grant team has also begun developing an SDSU resource directory for the TCUs that details information about general coursework needed for degrees from SDSU to serve as a reference for students who plan to transfer to the public university. Objective 3. Pilot and refine each institution's AI pathway model to increase motivation and knowledge of pathways to partnering land-grant colleges. Objective 3 will be the focus of the project in 2024-2025. COVID-19 has had lasting impacts on the project overall, however next year will focus on this objective.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The primary goal of the Igluwiyeya project is to create student access pathways enabling student success at higher education institutions. This project is creating sustainable pathways into land-grant institutions through resource development, culturally responsive programming, and American Indian (AI) student support. South Dakota State University (SDSU) is partnering with Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) and tribal high schools committed to the goals and objectives of this project. This project began in the fall of 2020 with the development of the three college access liaison (CAL) positions serving Sinte Gleska University and Ihanktonwan Community College. The first CAL hired was Steve Her Many Horses at Sinte Gleska University in November 2020 and Eunice Zephier was hired as CAL at Ihanktonwan Community College in June 2021. Training of CALs occurred weekly with SDSU staff providing guidance on culturally responsive student success strategies in recruitment, retention, and persistence. CALs are recruited into the community in which they reside, so facilitate introduction to community leaders. SDSU's American Indian Student Recruiter travels to schools in all nine reservations in South Dakota and the CAL joins visits as able. CALs have distributed surveys to current partners to inform actions. Surveys have identified strengths, gaps, and barriers with possible solutions. An SDSU resource directory with information about general coursework needed for degrees offered by SDSU serves as a resource for students who intend to transfer to the university. To date, the project, Igluwiyeya (Prepare Oneself): Pathways From Preparation To Graduation At Land-Grant Institutions, has helped increase enrollment among Rosebud and Yankton Wokini Scholars from 2 in Fall 2018 to 24 in Fall 2023, which we believe is in large part due to the efforts of the embedded community recruiter. Thus far, it appears that the embedded recruiting model is beneficial and could be replicated with additional tribal partners. In the areas of retention and persistence, since Fall 2018, there have been several cohorts of Wokini Scholars who have tribal affiliations with Rosebud Sioux or Yankton Sioux. Combining the cohorts, there are 28 Rosebud Sioux and 12 Yankton Sioux students. Approximately 88% of them persisted for one year and 48% to their second year. Among Wokini Scholars who are tribal members of Rosebud Sioux or Yankton Sioux, there were two students (both Rosebud Sioux) who have graduated. One earned a BS in Agricultural Business in Spring of 2023, and another student earned a PhD in Chemistry in Summer of 2022. We anticipate additional Wokini Scholars graduating in the coming years as cohorts reach their 4th, 5th, and 6th year in higher education.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/22 to 08/31/23
Outputs
Target Audience:American Indian (AI) students make up only 1% of the student population at universities across the nation. AI students lack pathways to access higher education and have higher drop-out rates and lower graduation rates compared to their non-Native peers. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (2019), nationally the high school completion rate for AIs is 72%, which is 17% below the rate for whites. Moreover, only 17% of AI students continue their education after high school, compared to 60% of the U.S. population, according to the Postsecondary National Policy Institute (2019). In addition, only 41% of AI students complete a four-year degree within six years, compared to nearly 63% of white students (PNPI, 2019), and only 25% of those at two-year colleges complete a degree within three years (NCES, 2012). Of the 1% of AI students across the U.S. enrolled in higher education, a majority are attending a two-year tribal college, and all AI students enrolled in higher education have poor retention at 15% (Guillory & Wolverton, 2008). For decades, higher education has been unsuccessful in efforts to recruit and retain AI students and thus have failed the AI people in their pursuit of academic achievement time and time again. Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) are vital in providing access to higher education for AI students, while also addressing workforce development needs within tribal communities. However, TCUs are not exempt from the challenge of low AI student retention and graduation rates. The most recent public data available from the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) was gathered from 23 TCUs on students entering for the first time, including regular full-time, part-time, and transfer students. According to AIHEC's American Indian Measures of Success in Higher Education Fact Book 2005, the 2003-2004 student cohort had a first-year retention rate (students returning in academic year 2004-2005) of only 46%. The same student cohort had a graduation rate of 8% (students graduating in academic year 2004-2005 with their associate degree). This data not only reflects the challenge facing AI students in postsecondary education, but also the challenge tribal communities face in filling essential jobs and careers with their local tribal people. TCUs in SD see similar trends and hold similar concerns about the success of AI students. These statistics are particularly troublesome when looking at future economic trends and workforce needs across SD. For example, Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce reported that 62% of jobs in SD would require a college education by 2018 (Georgetown University, 2010). AI youth are increasingly important to the future SD workforce because they are among the state's fastest-growing population groups. As noted by social science professor Sidney Goff, professor at SD School of Mines and Technology, "The future of South Dakota's workforce is American Indian youth, whose numbers are growing." (Mercer, 2012). This Igluwiyeya project addresses the lack of pathways from: 1) secondary to post-secondary education for AIs, and 2) TCUs to public institutions for advanced degree attainment by AIs. The concept behind this project emerged from scheduled listening sessions and subsequent discussions between the Wokini Institute (WI) director, University leadership, and tribal leaders in SD. In 2018, the newly hired WI director traveled to the nine tribal nations in SD to develop relationships with SD's tribal chairpersons, TCU administration, and education directors. A consistent theme emerged throughout the nine tribal nations: the lack of tribal youth pursing higher education. Leaders stated that many tribal youth do not view college as an option, and this absence of higher education and career goals contributes to the pervasive hopelessness within the tribal communities. In addition, key interviews with tribal college personnel revealed that, though their location is proximate, they currently do not have the resources to provide pre-college recruitment nor transition services to tribal high school students in the communities they serve. AI students are under-represented at SD colleges and universities as they face numerous obstacles to access and success. According to the SD Board of Regents Fact Book (2019), only 1.63% of enrolled students in the six public universities identify as AI, while the Census Bureau estimated that 9% of SD's population was AI in the same year. SDSU's student data also reflects challenges and educational disparities, with less than 1% of SDSU's entire student population identifying as AI. This issue is further compounded by low graduation and retention rates of AI students. According to SDSU's Office of Institutional Research, between 2009 and 2017, AI students attending SDSU showed an average 6-year graduation rate of 20% and a 47% average retention rate, much lower than their non-native peers (40% and 70% respectively ). The pathways and resources developed through this project aim to address the low recruitment, retention, and graduation rates of AI students pursing higher education. Building on the early success of the WI, newly created college access liaison positions will provide outreach to project partners and develop resources to foster sustainability of the project. Outreach consists of, but is not limited to, the following: promotion of college preparation programs (i.e. SDSU's summer college preparation program), career exploration, assistance in navigating the college application and financial aid processes, and opportunities for advance degree obtainment. This three-year project isa collaborative partnership to provide targeted outreach to tribal high schools and AI students on four of the nine reservations in SD. Outreach is facilitated by college access liaisons (CAL) specifically located in partnering reservation communities. The CALs travel to tribal high schools and TCUs to accomplish the goals of this three-year project. One liaison will collaborate with high schools and Sinte Gleska University on the Rosebud Sioux reservation. Another focuses on serving Lower Brule Community College and tribal high schools on the Lower Brule and Crow Creek Sioux reservations. The final position works with high schools on the Yankton Sioux reservation. These positions require a specified amount of experience working with tribal nations in SD, ideally hiring CALs who are local and have firsthand knowledge of the dynamics and key stakeholders of the communities in which they will work. Changes/Problems:A major obstacle to progress during this period was staff turnover and organizational changes at partner institutionsthat have alteredthe project team at each institution. During this reporting period, some team members of this project have seen changes in institutionalleadership that have impactedteam memberfocus and priorities. Overall, the grant team continues to be committed to this project and its objectives. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?CAL orientation and training is ongoing. Best practices in the area of student success are emphasized on an ongoing basis, with special focus on culturally responsive recruitement and student retention practices. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Project milestones and successes are sharing with partners, the university community, and additional stakeholders via the Wokini Newsletter and during updates at community meetings. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Objective 1. Create an AI pathway model, based on the Guided Pathways Model (2019) to provide an AI student-centered approach to college access and success for two audiences: tribal high school students and TCU students. The two CALs, Steve Her Many Horses and Eunice Zephier, will continue to visit tribal high schools. They will continue to work with SDSU Coordinator of American Indian Student, Paige Cain regarding recruitment. The CALs and Paige Caine will meet bi-weekly with monthly meetings with SGU and ICC administration for updates and upcoming events. Objective 2. Create sustainable resources that will continue to promote access to college degrees for tribal high school students and TCU students. Objective 2 is an ongoing process as we define existing resources that could be used as a steppingstone, and where resources have yet to be created. The grant team has begun work on some of the resources in goal 2 during times when CALs could not meet with students. CALs have begun research for the workforce directories for each IHE, and the project director has created a template for the directories. The grant team has also begun developing an SDSU resource directory for the TCUs that details information about general coursework needed for degrees from SDSU to serve as a reference for students who plan to transfer to the public university. Objective 3. Pilot and refine each institution's AI pathway model to increase motivation and knowledge of pathways to partnering land-grant colleges. Objective 3 will be the focus of the project in 2023-2024. COVID-19 has had lasting impacts on the project overall, however the nextyearwill focus on this objective.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The primary goal of the Igluwiyeya project is to create student access pathways enabling student successat higher education institutions. This project is creating sustainable pathways into land-grant institutions through resource development, culturally responsive programming, and American Indian (AI) student support. South Dakota State University (SDSU) is partnering with Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) and tribal high schools committed to the goals and objectives of this project. Thisproject began in the fall of 2020 with the development of the three college access liaison (CAL) positions serving Sinte Gleska University and Ihanktonwan Community College. The first CAL hired was Steve Her Many Horses at Sinte Gleska University in November 2020 and Eunice Zephier was hired as CALat Ihanktonwan Community College in June 2021. Training of CALs occurred weekly with SDSU staff providingguidance on culturally responsive student success strategies in recruitment, retention, and persistence. CALs arerecruited into the community in which they reside, so facilitate introduction to community leaders. SDSU's American Indian Student Recruiter travels to schools in all nine reservations in South Dakota and theCAL joins visits as able. CALs have distributed surveys to current partners to inform actions. Surveys haveidentifiedstrengths, gaps, and barriers withpossible solutions. An SDSU resource directory withinformation about general coursework needed for degrees offered bySDSU serves as a resourcefor students who intendto transfer to the university. To date, the project, Igluwiyeya (Prepare Oneself): Pathways From Preparation To Graduation At Land-Grant Institutions, has helped increase enrollment among Rosebud and Yankton Wokini Scholars from 2 in Fall 2018 to 24 in Fall 2023, which we believe is in large part due to the efforts of theembedded community recruiter. Thus far, it appears that theembedded recruiting model is beneficial andcould be replicated with additional tribal partners. In the areas of retention and persistence, since Fall 2018, there have been several cohorts of Wokini Scholars who have tribal affiliations with Rosebud Sioux or Yankton Sioux. Combining the cohorts, there are 28 Rosebud Sioux and 12 Yankton Sioux students. Approximately 88% of them persisted for one year and 48% to their second year. Among Wokini Scholars who are tribal members of Rosebud Sioux or Yankton Sioux, there were two students (both Rosebud Sioux) who have graduated. One earned a BS in Agricultural Business in Spring of 2023, and another student earned a PhD in Chemistry in Summer of 2022. We anticipate additionalWokini Scholars graduating in the coming years as cohorts reach their 4th, 5th, and 6th year in higher education.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/21 to 08/31/22
Outputs
Target Audience:The project began in the fall of 2020 with the development of three college access liaison (CAL) positions serving Sinte Gleska University, Ihanktonwan Community College, and Lower Brule Community College. Orientation and training for CAL were provided as each was hired. Differing COVID-19 restrictions have limited in-person contact with many of the schools. However, all partnering high schools plan to return to in-person learning in fall 2021, and the CAL plans to begin weekly in- person contact at partnering schools in September 2021. Lower Brule Community College had pulled out of the grant. Thus at the beginning of September 2021, Sinte Gleska University and Ihanktonwan Community College were left in the project. During this time, the two CALs were unable to visit tribal schools due to COVID restrictions. SDSU's American Indian Student Recruiter has traveled to schools in all nine reservations in South Dakota in fall 2021, and each CAL plans to join her recruitment efforts when she visits partnering high schools in their regions. CAL shared surveys with key stakeholders for each partnering school to inventory current resources and assess the needs of each institution. Relationships with partnering high schools have been established, and CAL will work to sustain relationships with key stakeholders (personnel at high schools, TCUs, tribal higher education specialists, and TEDs) in each community over the remaining two years of the project. Due to limitations to in-person gatherings in tribal communities, most meetings have taken place by phone, but CAL has found some opportunities to meet in person with key stakeholders over the past few months and are arranging workshops and meetings for fall 2021. As new variants of COVID spread through tribal communities, we are seeing new school closures, remote learning, and/or travel restrictions. At the end of the 2020-21 school year and throughout the summer as new staff joined the project, CAL distributed surveys to inventory current partners (internal and external), processes, interventions, policies, and institutional capacities (institutional context) at each institution for each phase of the AI Guided Pathways Model that contribute to student preparation and transition to higher education. The goal of these inventories is to identify strengths, gaps, and barriers in these areas and possible solutions. Most surveys have been distributed by QuestionPro, though print versions have also been distributed to meet the needs of all partners. Preliminary feedback indicates that CAL can build pathways between high school students and IHE. Suggestions include that CAL should: coordinate meaningful college visits, work with counselors at high schools, package college information in easy-to-read booklets, provide letters of intent for students visiting campus at later date, help students transition, connect with youth at Boys & Girls Club, encourage students to start at TCUs before moving on to larger institutions, arrange more academic/career advising needed, bridge the disconnect between industry needs and degrees offered, build relationships with youth considering their futures, and support training in basic job skills like communication, dealing with challenges, and supervising. CAL is working with TCU and SDSU staff to create multiple pathways and transition services for tribal students to access SDSU and partnering TCUs by first working on transition services between TCUs and SDSU. In the fall of 2021, SDSU held Native American Recruitment day and partnered with CAL to register students for the program. Fifty five Native American high school students attended the program. The grant team has also begun developing an SDSU resource directory for the TCUs that details information about general coursework needed for degrees from SDSU to serve as a reference for students who plan to transfer to the public university. During the second year of the project, CAL will complete and analyze the resource inventory of each partnering institution and conduct student surveys and focus groups for student input. The inventories and analysis will be used by the grant team and team of stakeholders to develop the American Indian Guided Pathways Model. College access liaisons and the SDSU American Indian student recruiter will develop recruitment best practices for each TCU and SDSU tied to the American Indian Guided Pathways Model. The grant team began developing an SDSU resources directory for the core curriculum for TCU/dual credit students to serve as a resource for students who want to continue their education at SDSU. This directory will help students and TCU advisors determine which courses students need to complete to meet general education requirements at South Dakota's public universities. Recruitment materials developed in year 1 of the grant will be updated to include changes to SDSU's Wokini Scholarship program, which expand the program to students affiliated with any federally recognized tribe and allow for additional funds for American Indian students with great financial need. These materials covering scholarships, financial aid, enrollment, online learning at public universities, etc. will also be adapted to meet students' learning styles. College access liaisons will visit partnering high schools weekly and adapt these visits to the current policies of local school districts and tribal governments. If schools move to hybrid or remote learning, CAL will adapt these weekly visits accordingly. Work on tribal workforce directories for each community will continue. CAL began collecting this information in year 1 when they could not meet with students. The grant team will also develop institutional resource directories for each institution. These directories will be completed in year 2. The grant team will develop culturally responsive online student orientation, including instruction on D2L, the learning management system used by all public universities in South Dakota. SDSU offers an in-person orientation for American Indian students each fall, and this resource will make it possible for dual credit and online students to benefit from this culturally responsive program. Changes/Problems:The COVID-19 pandemic affected recruitment and travel into tribal communities. Travel restrictions were enforced at Sinte Gleska University and Ihanktonwan Community College during this time. Tribal and local high schools limited their access to the students. An additional challenge correlated with pandemic-related school closures. The SGU CAL who joined the project in the fall of 2020 could not present materials to students in person because schools were not open for in-person learning. Instead, he had to rely on reaching out to students he was already connected with on a case-by-case basis. He is already well-known in the community, so he was able to reach students in this way. However, this limited the number of students he could reach. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?CAL Orientation and Training: Training topics included the following: Overview/Reporting/Best Practices, Culturally Responsive Recruitment/Retention, Guided Pathways Model, Training/Inventories, Community Outreach, and Directories. Trainers Included Sarah Bad Warrior-Vrooman South Dakota State University Director of Wokini and Tribal Relations Valeria Wicker South Dakota State University Program Coordinator How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Year 2 of the project- We continue to share Wokini's successes in the annual report, newsletter, etc. We also shared inventory surveys with interested parties What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Objective 1. Create an AI pathway model, based on the Guided Pathways Model (2019) to provide an AI student-centered approach to college access and success for two audiences: tribal high school students and TCU students. The two CALs, Steve Her Many Horses and Eunice Zephier, will continue to visit tribal high schools. They will continue to work with SDSU Coordinator of American Indian Student, Paige Cain regarding recruitment. I will continue to meet with the CALs and Paige bi-weekly on progress and collaboration. We will meet monthly with SGU and ICC administration for updates and upcoming events. Objective 2. Create sustainable resources that will continue to promote access to college degrees for tribal high school students and TCU students. We will continue to work with SGU and ICC on resources to share with tribal high schools and students. Update informational resources and handouts to tribal high schools, students, and one another. CALs and Paige will continue to attend college fairs and high school events to promote college. Objective 3. Pilot and refine each institution's AI pathway model to increase motivation and knowledge of pathways to partnering land-grant colleges. Year 2023-2025 will focus on this object. 3.1 - Year 2, pilot AI pathways model, evaluate impact and refine as needed. 30% students and staff at partnering institutions will complete an evaluation regarding the AI pathways model; evaluation data will indicate areas that need refined. 3.2 - Years 2-3, increase tribal high schools' motivation and knowledge of pathways to partnering land-grant colleges. Survey data will reflect a 25% increase in motivation and knowledge of pathways to partnering land-grant colleges Years 2-3, increase TCU student motivation and readiness to pursue an advanced degree. Survey data will reflect a 25% increase in student motivation and readiness to pursue an advanced degree. 3.4 - Year 3, increase AI freshman student enrollment at SDSU and partnering TCUs. Enrollment data will indicate an increase of incoming freshman enrollment by 15%
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The overall goal of the Igluwiyeya project is to create student pathways to access and succeed at institutions of higher education. This project is designed to create sustainable pathways into land-grant institutions through resource development, culturally responsive programming, and American Indian (AI) student support. South Dakota State University (SDSU) and partnering Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) and tribal high schools are committed to the goals and objectives of this project. Objective 1. Create an AI pathway model, based on the Guided Pathways Model (2019) to provide an AI student- centered approach to college access and success for two audiences: tribal high school students and TCU students. (90% Accomplished) The project began in the fall of 2020 with the development of the three college access liaison (CAL) positions serving Sinte Gleska University and Ihanktonwan Community College Project directors began recruiting for the positions to hire individuals from tribal communities. The first CAL hired was Steve Her Many Horses at Sinte Gleska University in November 2020. Next, Eunice Zephier was selected at Ihanktonwan Community College in June 2021. Training occurred weekly via Zoom and weekly meetings continue to facilitate collaboration and resource sharing among all CAL and SDSU staff, including the project director, American Indian Student Recruiter, and American Indian Student Center (AISC) staff. The project director visited each TCU and the SDSU recruiter and AISC staff will continue to provide culturally responsive strategies in recruitment, retention, and persistence. Each CAL was recruited in a community in which he or she resides, so their introduction to the community focused on the schools themselves and their administrations. All CALs have contacted administrators at all partnering high schools. Differing COVID-19 restrictions have limited in-person contact with many of the schools. However, all partnering high schools plan to return to in-person learning in fall 2021, and the CALs plan to begin weekly in-person contact at partnering schools in September 2021. SDSU's American Indian Student Recruiter will travel to schools in all nine reservations in South Dakota in, and each CAL plans to join her recruitment efforts when she visits partnering high schools in their regions. Relationships with partnering high schools have been established, and CALs will work to sustain relationships with key stakeholders (personnel at high schools, TCUs, tribal higher education specialists, and TEDs) in each community over the remaining two years of the project. Due to limitations to in-person gatherings in tribal communities, most meetings have taken place by phone, but CALs have found some opportunities to meet in person with key stakeholders over the past few months and are arranging workshops and meetings for fall 2021. As the Delta variant of COVID spreads through tribal communities, we must be aware of the possibility of future school closures, remote learning, and/or travel restrictions. Key stakeholders at South Dakota State University and each partnering tribal college are engaged in the project, and their institutions are being inventoried for key strengths and needs related to the Guided Pathways model. COVID-19-related closures have slowed the inventory work, as have challenges to hiring CALs in the first year of the project. The inventories will be analyzed in the fall of 2021, and then the team of stakeholders will be able to use that information to develop the AI Guided Pathways Model. The project director at South Dakota State University provided training in the Guided Pathways model to leaders and CALs at each partnering tribal college. Each of the CALs received this training as they joined the project in a training delivered over multiple Zoom meetings. At the end of the 2020-21 school year and throughout the summer as new staff joined the project, CALs distributed surveys to inventory current partners (internal and external), processes, interventions, policies, and institutional capacities (institutional context) at each institution for each phase of the AI Guided Pathways Model that contribute to student preparation and transition to higher education. The goal of these inventories is to identify strengths, gaps, and barriers in these areas and possible solutions. Most surveys have been distributed by QuestionPro, although print versions have also been distributed to meet the needs of all partners. Preliminary feedback indicates that CALs can build pathways between high school students and IHE. Suggestions include that CALs should: 1) coordinate meaningful college visits, 2) work with counselors at high schools, 3) package college information in easy-to-read booklets, 4) provide letters of intent for students visiting campus at later date, 5) help students transition, 6) connect with youth at Boys and Girls Clubs, 7) encourage students to start at TCUs before moving on to larger institutions, 8) arrange more academic/career advising as needed, 9) bridge the disconnect between industry needs and degrees offered, 10) build relationships with youth considering their futures, and 11) support training in basic job skills like communication, dealing with challenges, and supervising. The COVID-19 pandemic made hiring a challenge, so two CALs were not hired until the summer of 2021 after the school year had ended. CALs will conduct key informant interviews, student surveys, and/or focus groups in fall 2021 when schools plan to resume in-person learning. At that time, CALs will identify common barriers and challenges experienced by students in accessing higher education. They will then compile the results and present them to teams at each institution and incorporate their findings into inventories. CALs are working with TCU and SDSU staff to create multiple pathways and transition services for tribal students to access SDSU and partnering TCUs by first working on transition services between TCUs and SDSU. With most high schools learning remotely, the partner inventories still need student input to adapt the AI Guided Pathways model to each institutional context. CALs plan to conduct these student surveys and focus groups in fall 2021. Objective 2. Create sustainable resources that will continue to promote access to college degrees for tribal high school students and TCU students. (10% Accomplished) Objective 2 will be completed in 2021-2022. However, the grant team has begun work on some of the resources in goal 2 during times when CALs could not meet with students. CALs have begun research for the workforce directories for each IHE, and the project director has created a template for the directories. The grant team has also begun developing an SDSU resource directory for the TCUs that details information about general coursework needed for degrees from SDSU to serve as a reference for students who plan to transfer to the public university. Objective 3. Pilot and refine each institution's AI pathway model to increase motivation and knowledge of pathways to partnering land-grant colleges. (0% Accomplished) Objective 3 will be the focus of the third year of the project and will be completed in 2022-2023. We are hoping for a two-year extension due to covid. The next two years will focus on this objective.
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Progress 09/01/20 to 08/31/21
Outputs
Target Audience:Target Audience: The project target audience includes American Indian students in tribal high schools, tribal colleges and universities, and those who are otherwise eligible to become college students. Key stakeholders include public universities, tribal colleges, high schools serving American Indians, and tribal communities. Efforts: In the first year of the project, efforts have focused on training for college access liaisons (CALs). CALs have participated in 16 online trainings. Changes/Problems:The COVID-19 pandemic affected hiring for the CAL positions at each of the tribal colleges. Hiring is typically challenging in the rural communities of South Dakota's tribal colleges, but it was even more so challenging in 2020. The first CAL was hired in fall of 2020, but the other two did not join the project until late spring/early summer of 2021. To help facilitate this hiring, two additional subawards were requested so that each tribal college had its own subaward for the project, which made it so that South Dakota State University and Sinte Gleska University were not doing all of the hiring for these positions. Also, this change made it possible for Lower Brule Community College to dedicate a portion of an employee's effort to the grant project to complete the recruitment work in that community, while staff at SDSU have taken on increased roles in developing directories and other resources. Due to delays in hiring, the CAL salary expenditures have been delayed. An additional challenge correlated with pandemic-related school closures. The SGU CAL who joined the project in fall of 2020 could not present materials to students in person because schools were not open for in-person learning. Instead, he had to rely on reaching out to students he was already connected with on a case-by-case basis. He is already well known in the community, so he was able to reach students in this way. However, this limited the number of students he could reach. These closures and challenges in hiring also delayed the grant team's ability to distribute student surveys and conduct student focus groups. These will begin in fall 2021 instead. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Training Activities: CAL Orientation and Training: Training topics included the following: Overview/Reporting/Best Practices, Culturally Responsive Recruitment/Retention, Guided Pathways Model, Trainings/Inventories, Community Outreach, and Directories. Trainers Included Dr. Erica Moore, South Dakota State University American Indian Student Center Director - Culturally Responsive Recruitment/Retention Nicole Biever, South Dakota State University Wokini Assessment/Grant Specialist and Project Director - Guided Pathways model Sarah Vrooman - Bad Warrior, South Dakota State University American Indian Student Recruiter - Recruitment How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Objective 1. Create an AI pathway model, based on the Guided Pathways Model (2019) to provide an AI student-centered approach to college access and success for two audiences: tribal high school students and TCU students. During the next reporting period, CALs will complete and analyze the resource inventory of each partnering institution and conduct student surveys and focus groups for student input. The inventories and analysis will be used by the grant team and team of stakeholders to develop the American Indian Guided Pathways Model. CALs and the SDSU American Indian student recruiter will develop recruitment best practices for each TCU and SDSU tied to the American Indian Guided Pathways Model. Objective 2. Create sustainable resources that will continue to promote access to college degrees for tribal high school students and TCU students. The grant team began developing an SDSU resources directory for core curriculum for TCU/dual credit students to serve as a resource for students who want to continue their education at SDSU. This directory will help students and TCU advisors determine which courses students need to complete to meet general education requirements at South Dakota's public universities. Recruitment materials developed in year 1 of the grant will be updated to include changes to SDSU's Wokini Scholarship program, which expand the program to students affiliated with any federally recognized tribe and allow for additional funds for American Indian students with great financial need. These materials covering scholarships, financial aid, enrollment, online learning at public universities, etc. will also be adapted to meet students' learning styles. Work on tribal workforce directories for each community will continue. CALs began collecting this information in year 1 when they could not meet with students. The grant team will also develop institutional resource directories for each institution. These directories will be completed in year 2. The grant team will develop culturally responsive online student orientation, including instruction on D2L, the learning management system used by all public universities in South Dakota. SDSU offers an in-person orientation for American Indian students each fall, and this resource will make it possible for dual credit and online students to benefit from this culturally responsive program. Objective 3. Pilot and refine each institution's AI pathway model to increase motivation and knowledge of pathways to partnering land-grant colleges. College access liaisons will visit partnering high schools weekly and adapt these visits the current policies of local school districts and tribal governments. If schools move to hybrid or remote learning, CAL will adapt these weekly visits accordingly.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 1. Create an AI pathway model, based on the Guided Pathways Model (2019) to provide an AI student-centered approach to college access and success for two audiences: tribal high school students and TCU students. (90% Accomplished) The project began in fall of 2020 with the development of the three college access liaison (CAL) positions serving Sinte Gleska University, Ihanktonwan Community College, and Lower Brule Community College. Project directors began recruiting for the positions with a goal of hiring individuals from tribal communities. The first CAL hired was Steve Her Many Horses at Sinte Gleska University in November 2020. Next, Tanner Drappeau was selected at Ihanktonwan Community College in January 2021, but after he took another position, he was replaced by Eunice Zephier in June 2021. The final CAL, Amanda Charger, was recruited in June 2021 for Lower Brule Community College. Orientation and training for each CAL was provided as they were hired. A training schedule was developed by project director, Nicole Biever, in spring 2021. Training topics included the following: Overview/Reporting/Best Practices, Culturally Responsive Recruitment/Retention, Guided Pathways Model, Trainings/Inventories, Community Outreach, and Directories. Trainings occurred weekly by Zoom through June 2021, and weekly meetings continue to facilitate collaboration and resource sharing among all CAL and SDSU staff, including the project director, American Indian Student Recruiter, and American Indian Student Center (AISC) staff. The project director visited each TCU in July 2021, and the SDSU recruiter and AISC staff will continue to provide culturally responsive strategies in recruitment, retention, and persistence. Each CAL was recruited in a community in which he or she resides, so their introduction to the community focused on the schools themselves and their administrations. All CALs have contacted administrators at all partnering high schools. Differing COVID-19 restrictions have limited in-person contact with many of the schools. However, all partnering high schools plan to return to in-person learning in fall 2021, and the CALs plan to begin weekly in-person contact at partnering schools in September 2021. SDSU's American Indian Student Recruiter, Sarah Vrooman-Bad Warrior, will travel to schools in all nine reservations in South Dakota in fall 2021, and each CAL plans to join her recruitment efforts when she visits partnering high schools in their regions. CALs shared surveys with key stakeholders at each partnering school to inventory current resources and assess needs for each institution. Relationships with partnering high schools have been established, and CALs will work to sustain relationships with key stakeholders (personnel at high schools, TCUs, tribal higher education specialists and TEDs) in each community over the remaining two years of the project. Due to limitations to in-person gatherings in tribal communities, most meetings have taken place by phone, but CALs have found some opportunities to meet in person with key stakeholders over the past few months and are arranging workshops and meetings for fall 2021. As the Delta variant of COVID spread through tribal communities, we must be aware of the possibility of future school closures, remote learning, and/or travel restrictions. Key stakeholders at South Dakota State University and each partnering tribal college are engaged in the project, and their institutions are being inventoried for key strengths and needs related to the Guided Pathways model. COVID-19 related closures have slowed the inventory work, as have challenges to hiring CALs in the first year of the project. The inventories will be analyzed in fall of 2021, and then the team of stakeholders will be able to use that information to develop the AI Guided Pathways Model. The project director at South Dakota State University provided training in the Guided Pathways model to leaders and CALs at each partnering tribal college. Each of the CALs received this training as they joined the project in a training delivered over multiple Zoom meetings. At the end of the 2020-21 school year and throughout summer as new staff joined the project, CALs distributed surveys to inventory current partners (internal and external), processes, interventions, policies, and institutional capacities (institutional context) at each institution for each phase of the AI Guided Pathways Model that contribute to student preparation and transition to higher education. The goal of these inventories is to identify strengths, gaps, and barriers in these areas and possible solutions. Most surveys have been distributed by QuestionPro, although print versions have also been distributed to meet the needs of all partners. Preliminary feedback indicates that CALs can build pathways between high school students and IHE. Suggestions include that CALs should coordinate meaningful college visits, work with counselors at high schools, package college information in easy to read booklets, provide letters of intent for students visiting campus on later date, help students transition, connect with youth at Boys & Girls Clubs, encourage students to start at TCUs before moving on to larger institutions, arrange more academic/career advising as needed, bridge the disconnect between industry needs and degrees offered, build relationships with youth considering their futures, and support training in basic job skills like communication, dealing with challenges, and supervising. The COVID-19 pandemic made hiring a challenge, so two CALs were not hired until summer 2021 after the school year had ended. CALs will conduct key informant interviews, student surveys, and/or focus groups in fall 2021 when schools plan to resume in-person learning. At that time, CALs will identify common barriers and challenges experienced by students to accessing higher education. They will then compile the results and present them to teams at each institution and incorporate their findings into inventories. CALs are working with TCU and SDSU staff to create multiple pathways and transition services for tribal students to access SDSU and partnering TCUs by first working on transition services between TCUs and SDSU. With most high schools learning remotely, the partner inventories still need student input to adapt the AI Guided Pathways model to each institutional context. CALs plan to conduct these student surveys and focus groups in fall 2021. Objective 2. Create sustainable resources that will continue to promote access to college degrees for tribal high school students and TCU students. (10% Accomplished) Objective 2 will be completed in 2021-2022. However, the grant team has begun work on some of the resources in goal 2 during times when CALs could not meet with students. CALs have begun research for the workforce directories for each IHE, and the project director has created a template for the directories. The grant team has also begun developing an SDSU resource directory for the TCUs that details information about general coursework needed for degrees from SDSU to serve as a reference for students who plan to transfer to the public university. Objective 3. Pilot and refine each institution's AI pathway model to increase motivation and knowledge of pathways to partnering land-grant colleges. (0% Accomplished) Objective 3 will be the focus of the third year of the project and will be completed in 2022-2023.
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