The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological research study is to understand which factors influence the academic persistence of Native American students in higher education. In 2019, it was reported only 16% of those college students who identified as American Indian/Alaska Native attained a bachelor's degree or higher and in 2023, that…

All people deserve the opportunity to earn a better living and build a better life for themselves, their families, and their communities through a postsecondary education. But that opportunity is not available equally to all in the United States, and current postsecondary data sets and collection practices at the federal, state, and institutional…

This qualitative study explores the strategies employed by selected principals in rural Alaska who have demonstrated success in retaining teachers above the state's retention rate. Guided by the research question, "What do selected principals do that supports or contributes to successful teacher retention in their rural-remote areas?"…

This qualitative study examined the experiences of ten American Indian/Alaska Native transfer students attending a four-year land grant research institution. It used semi-structured interviews utilizing a narrative inquiry when telling their story. The theoretical frameworks used in the study were the Tribal Critical Race Theory (TribalCrit) and…

Indigenous Peoples (Native American, American Indian, and Alaska Native) have experienced high rates of violence and victimization since colonization -- which continues to present day. However, little is known regarding the victimization experiences of Indigenous college students. Furthermore, universities are struggling to recruit and retain…

This phenomenological study explored the perspectives of American Indian/Alaska Native students who had all graduated from the same Northeast-Nebraska public school located on a federally recognized Indian reservation and completed at least a four-year degree. To that end, the central research question addressed by this dissertation is, "Why…

The goals of this research are twofold: (1) This research explores decision making and college experiences of Alaska Native undergraduates pursuing degrees in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields; and (2) this research, using participant observation explores the Indigenous metaphor of "the trail" to frame…

Prior to this study, it was not known how American Indian (AI) post-secondary students have understood/responded to racial microaggressions they have experienced that doubted their ability to be academically successful. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how AI post-secondary students have understood and responded to…

Enrollment of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) students in postsecondary education in the United States has been increasing over the past three decades (Chee, Shorty, and Robinson Kurpius 2019). The Tribal College Movement began more than 40 years ago with the establishment of the first tribally-controlled community college in 1968.…

Despite calls to increase diversity throughout the engineering education enterprise and years of efforts by and collaborations between universities, K-12 schools, and professional societies and other education- or equity-related organizations, Black or African-American individuals, American Indian or Alaska Native individuals, and Hispanic or…

This paper explores how the educational and career paths of Indigenous people in STEMM have been impacted by ethical, cultural, and/or spiritual issues. Based on a survey of over 400 Indigenous students and professionals in STEMM fields, plus over 30 follow up interviews, we find that these issues cause some Indigenous people to leave particular…

This research builds a narrative of a nationwide study on tuition waiver and tuition assistance programs. The authors administered a survey to long-standing and newly implemented tuition waiver programs within universities that identified limitations and opportunities. The purpose of this study is to highlight the varied approaches to…

This Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) intends to clarify eligibility for Perkins V formula subgrants and provides technical assistance for State engagement with Tribes through Tribal consultation. For 47 years, the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (Perkins V) and its predecessors have authorized competitive grants to assist…

American-Indian and Alaska Native students attending Midwestern Regional University (MRU) are experiencing graduation rates lower than the national average. This dissertation in practice attempts to solve this real-world problem by providing a voice for the indigenous students at MRU so that services and policies can be adjusted to increase the…

Indigenous Alaska Native first-generation college students bring a wealth of knowledge and skills yet struggle in Western institutions. The problem is that many Alaskan postsecondary faculty continue to design courses based on Western academic instructional practices instead of culturally responsive strategies when teaching Indigenous Alaska…