Many Voices:Many Voices: One Goal One Goal Recruiting & Retaining Native Recruiting & Retaining Native

American Students at American Students at Southeastern Oklahoma State Southeastern Oklahoma State

UniversityUniversity

Chris Wesberry, Native American Academic Chris Wesberry, Native American Academic Advisor & NAEIE Grant DirectorAdvisor & NAEIE Grant Director

Kyle Stafford, Director of Admissions and Kyle Stafford, Director of Admissions and Recruitment ServicesRecruitment Services

Tribal Boundaries/SOSU Tribal Boundaries/SOSU Service AreaService Area

SOSU TodaySOSU Today

Enrollment 3,872 for Fall 2006Enrollment 3,872 for Fall 2006– Undergraduate 3,533Undergraduate 3,533– GraduateGraduate 339339

Ethnic MakeupEthnic Makeup– Caucasian/White – 2,358 60.9%– African American/Black 216 5.6%– American/Alaskan Native 1,134 29.3%– Asian 19 0.5%– Hispanic/Latino 100 2.6%– Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 4 0.1%– International 41 1.1%

Where Do We Where Do We Rank?Rank?

According to According to Diverse: Issues In Higher Diverse: Issues In Higher Education Education (June 2006)(June 2006)

– Rank 3Rank 3rdrd in the Nation producing Education degrees in the Nation producing Education degrees – Rank 5Rank 5thth in the Nation producing Biological and in the Nation producing Biological and

Biomedical Sciences degreesBiomedical Sciences degrees– Rank 6Rank 6thth in the Nation in all disciplines combined in the Nation in all disciplines combined – Over the past 5 years, 1,042 Native American Over the past 5 years, 1,042 Native American

students have graduated students have graduated

What Are We Doing?What Are We Doing?

Academic Advisor- FT SOSU employeeAcademic Advisor- FT SOSU employee – Choctaw Nation Higher Education Rep.Choctaw Nation Higher Education Rep.– Chickasaw Nation Higher Education Rep.Chickasaw Nation Higher Education Rep.

Native American Student Visitation DayNative American Student Visitation Day

Student OrganizationsStudent Organizations

College Success for Native AmericansCollege Success for Native Americans

Native American Excellence in Education Grant Native American Excellence in Education Grant (NAEIE)(NAEIE)

Role of the Role of the Native American AdvisorNative American Advisor

Recruitment effortsRecruitment efforts

Provide academic advisingProvide academic advising

Serve as Native American Council advisorServe as Native American Council advisor

Director of Native American Excellence in Director of Native American Excellence in Education GrantEducation Grant

Academic Advisor: Advising Academic Advisor: Advising

Advises Native American students who Advises Native American students who are in their Freshmen or Sophomore yearare in their Freshmen or Sophomore year– 185 FTF Native American students (fall 2006)185 FTF Native American students (fall 2006)

Teaches freshman orientation course for Teaches freshman orientation course for Native AmericanNative American– 28 students enrolled in ORIE 1002 (fall 2006)28 students enrolled in ORIE 1002 (fall 2006)

Assists students with tribal grants and Assists students with tribal grants and scholarship applicationsscholarship applications

Native American Recruiting Efforts Native American Recruiting Efforts

Attend high school college fairsAttend high school college fairsAttend events sponsored by both tribesAttend events sponsored by both tribesBuild relationships with Johnson O’Malley Build relationships with Johnson O’Malley (JOM) Coordinators(JOM) CoordinatorsAttend Choctaw Nation Labor Day Festival Attend Choctaw Nation Labor Day Festival Attend Chickasaw Nation Annual DayAttend Chickasaw Nation Annual DaySneak PreviewSneak PreviewNative American Visitation DayNative American Visitation Day

Tribal PartnersTribal Partners(Choctaw and Chickasaw)(Choctaw and Chickasaw)

Tribal Education SpecialistsTribal Education Specialists– Housed on campus at SOSUHoused on campus at SOSU– Resource person for tribal membersResource person for tribal members– One function each semesterOne function each semester

Review tribal resourcesReview tribal resources

New and existing Higher Education programsNew and existing Higher Education programs

Application for fundingApplication for funding

Recruitment: Native American Recruitment: Native American Visitation DayVisitation Day

NAVD was created to provide an organized NAVD was created to provide an organized opportunity for Native American students to talk opportunity for Native American students to talk with our current Native American students and with our current Native American students and staff, gather information from the university staff, gather information from the university community, observe our facilities, and to realize community, observe our facilities, and to realize the difference a collegethe difference a collegeeducation can make.education can make.

NAVD ResponseNAVD Response

YearYear AttendeesAttendees

20032003 2020

20042004 4040

20052005 Cancelled due Cancelled due to weatherto weather

20062006 125125

20072007 250 registered250 registered

Prior to 2006, NAVD was held on a Saturday

First Native American in Space, John Herrington

NAVD ProgramNAVD ProgramProvide Motivational SpeakerProvide Motivational Speaker

John Herrington, Kimberly Norris, DJ Vanas, Mike BaileyJohn Herrington, Kimberly Norris, DJ Vanas, Mike Bailey

Campus ToursCampus ToursNative American Council serve as tour guidesNative American Council serve as tour guides

Mini FairMini Fair

Free LunchFree Lunch

T-Shirts and Door PrizesT-Shirts and Door Prizes

Award Scholarships Award Scholarships

Tribal RepresentativesTribal RepresentativesPresent information about grants and scholarshipsPresent information about grants and scholarships

Available to answer questionsAvailable to answer questions

Student OrganizationsStudent Organizations

Native American Council (NAC)Native American Council (NAC)– In 2003, only four membersIn 2003, only four members– Today, over 30 membersToday, over 30 members

Native American Student Association Native American Student Association (NASA) (NASA)

American Indian Science and Engineering American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES)Society (AISES)

College Success (ORIE 1002)College Success (ORIE 1002)

Orientation class for beginning freshmen.Orientation class for beginning freshmen.81% of students enroll in second semester.81% of students enroll in second semester.Enrollment has increased.Enrollment has increased.– 11stst year= 12 year= 12– 22ndnd year= 20 year= 20– Fall 06= 28Fall 06= 28

Importance of the course:Importance of the course:– Communications w/studentsCommunications w/students– Understanding cultural and family valuesUnderstanding cultural and family values– Friendly faceFriendly face

NAEIE GrantNAEIE Grant($1,000,000.00)($1,000,000.00)

One FT University staff and one FT Grant staff.One FT University staff and one FT Grant staff.

12 Education Majors attending SOSU12 Education Majors attending SOSU– 11/12 have taken and passed the OGET11/12 have taken and passed the OGET– 10/12 are scheduled to take the OSAT10/12 are scheduled to take the OSAT– 1 has taken and passed the OPTE 1 has taken and passed the OPTE

Pays: full tuition, fees, books, monthly living Pays: full tuition, fees, books, monthly living stipend, test fees, training.stipend, test fees, training.

Grant expires 06-30-09Grant expires 06-30-09

Re-write is being done now.Re-write is being done now.

Native American CoursesNative American Courses

Orientation- Orientation- College Success for NA FreshmenCollege Success for NA Freshmen

CHOC- CHOC- Choctaw I, II, III, IVChoctaw I, II, III, IV

ART- ART- Survey of Native N. American ArtSurvey of Native N. American Art

SOC- SOC- Native American CulturesNative American Cultures

HIST- HIST- NANA HistoryHistory

BUS- BUS- Major/Minor in Business Admin. w/NA emphasisMajor/Minor in Business Admin. w/NA emphasis

The University has provided $289,000.00 in

funding from the following areas:

Athletic Scholarships Tuition Waivers

Foundation Scholarships Work Study

Fee Waivers Native American Excellence

in Education Grant

SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY

University Funding for- Choctaw Students

(Spring 2006—Fall 2006)

$289,000.00

Future Native American Future Native American ProgramsPrograms

JOM Mtg.

Educ. Org. Schol. Fund

Alumni Assoc.

Honor Society

NA Resource CenterNA Resource Center

Keys to SuccessKeys to Success

From recruiting Native American students to From recruiting Native American students to retaining them, providing quality-student retaining them, providing quality-student services to targeted population requires a services to targeted population requires a significant commitment from the University. significant commitment from the University.

What are you doing to recruit What are you doing to recruit minority students?minority students?

Questions?Questions?