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
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.