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Two tribal universities in Minnesota recently won multi-million dollar grants from the National Science Foundation to increase opportunities to study science for Native American students.
Red Lake Nation College and White Earth Tribal and Community College, both two-year colleges, will each receive $2.5 million over five years. Red Lake officials plan to invest in training students in the health and behavioral sciences, and White Earth will create an associate degree in natural sciences covering biology, chemistry and physics.
White Earth University science teacher Allen Dirks said the funding will impact Indigenous communities and ensure students receive the education they need to become nurses, doctors and environmental scientists.
“This is to provide a new and more accessible pathway for members of our tribal communities to receive training and then obtain meaningful employment and give back to their communities, particularly within tribal service organizations. “It will be,” Dirks said.
Dan King, hereditary chief of the Red Lake Nation and president of Red Lake Nation College, said he wants Indigenous people to receive the education and training they need to thrive in higher education and beyond, and prepare them for future careers. He said it was important to be able to have a positive impact on the
“There is actually significant underrepresentation of Indigenous people in social services across the province,” King said. “The idea is that if we educate and train more Indigenous people, they will serve with cultural sensitivity and world values.” [social services] system. “
Indigenous students can take advantage of a two-year tribal college education to gain entry to a four-year university or get a foothold in their future careers, King said.
Sens. Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar, both Democrats, Minn., announced the grants in a joint statement released Wednesday.
“This funding will improve access for Indigenous students to pursue higher education and serve their communities while incorporating Indigenous cultural heritage and roots into the curriculum,” said Smith, a member of the Senate Indian Affairs and Education Committee. It will provide an easy path.”
White Earth Tribal and Community College is located in Mahnomen. Red Lake Nation College has a campus in Red Lake and plans to open a campus in Minneapolis this year.
National Science Foundation documents state that funding for Red Lake Nation College will meet community needs and workforce opportunities, and that funding for White Earth College will meet community needs and workforce opportunities. It is stated that research in fields considered to be important will be supported.
Both universities incorporate traditional Indigenous culture and knowledge into their curriculum. King said Ojibwe culture and language is a priority at Red Lake Nation College, and students are required to complete two Ojibwe language classes before graduation.
Dirks said student research projects for White Earth’s new associate degree will integrate indigenous environmental knowledge to study topics such as soil health and water quality.
“We’re going to incorporate many aspects of traditional ecological knowledge,” Dirks said. “We will be addressing a number of very important topics, including food sovereignty and environmental health.”
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