External Research: A primary component in American Indian Retention, Graduation, and Matriculation

梅诺明国家学院(CMN)致力于增加CMNSTEM学生参加外部研究型学生实习机会的人数。外部研究的定义是在CMN之外、在MenomineeReserve和其他当地社区之外的研究。该项目预计将提高STEM学生的参与率、毕业率和升学率。该项目使用三种策略。开发和协调项目：主要活动包括聘请研究型实习协调员，评估要求研究型实习才能获得STEM学位的可行性，协调顾问委员会会议，以及利用外部合作伙伴建立一致的研究型实习。努力使项目制度化：战略二下的关键活动包括研究和组织研究机会，创建机会数据库，开发和协调过程，开发和维护研究型实习网页，以及利用资金为此类机会提供学生支持。提供关键的学生支持活动，旨在增加STEM学生参与外部基于研究的实习机会：活动包括：鼓励STEM学生参与项目，匹配学生合适的机会，协助申请，准备要求和面试，帮助学生建立联系，鼓励学生完成整个过程，倡导学生进入实习计划，提供广泛的后续和发展，并协调一系列与研究型实习有关的研讨会。智力优势：部落学院是美国印第安人知识体系的关键贡献者。到目前为止，许多部落学院已将研究机会纳入其STEM能力；然而，重点一直是在部落学院系统和社区的背景下提供这些机会。尽管这些经历确实对提高学生的兴趣很有价值，并在保留率和毕业率方面提供了数字上的增长，但它们排除了学生在机构外和社区外接触的关键机会。到目前为止，CMN已经记录了参与外部研究的学生的保留率和毕业率增加了。然而，这些只是少数几个学生。必须进一步研究部落学院系统内以外部研究为基础的实习机会的重要性和影响。这些数据将集中在外部学生研究的影响以及它如何实现国家科学基金会对部落学院的投资的最终结果：确保学生毕业，进入四年制和研究生STEM项目，并作为不同合格的个人进入劳动力系统。广泛的影响：CMN？S项目将建立在已经完成的几个国家科学基金会TCUP补助金的研究基础上，继续调查基础研究，以发现和了解部落学院及其实施的独特战略如何促进少数民族学生的STEM教育。作为一家主要为美洲原住民学生服务的机构，CMN？S项目进一步推进了美国印第安人STEM课程和项目本科教育的研究，并为全球未被充分代表的少数民族STEM教育知识体系做出了贡献。短期影响包括CMN留校率和毕业率的增加。长期的项目影响包括在四年内增加美国印第安人和STEM研究生项目，以及在STEM就业领域增加美国印第安人。

College of Menominee Nation (CMN) seeks to increase the number of CMNSTEM students participating in external research-based student internship opportunities.External research is defined as research outside of CMN and outside of the MenomineeReservation and other local communities. The project is expected to increase STEM studentretention, graduation, and matriculation rates.The project uses three strategies.􀁸 Development and coordination of the project: Key activities include hiring a researchbasedinternship coordinator, reviewing feasibility of requiring research-based internships forSTEM degree attainment, coordination of advisory board meetings, and leveraging of outsidepartners to establish consistent research-based internships.􀁸 Efforts to institutionalize the project: Key activities under strategy two include researching,and organizing the research opportunities, creating a database of opportunities, developingand coordinating processes, developing and maintaining a research-based internshipwebpage, and leveraging funding to provide student support for such opportunities.􀁸 Provision of critical student support activities aimed at increasing STEM studentparticipation in external research-based internship opportunities: Activities includerecruiting STEM students to participate in program, matching students to appropriateopportunities, assisting with applications, and preparation for requirements, and interviews,assisting students make connections, encouraging students through the process, advocatingfor student acceptance into internship programs, providing extensive follow-up and developingand coordinating a series of workshops related to research-based internships.Intellectual Merit: Tribal Colleges are key contributors to the body of knowledge on AmericanIndians. To date many Tribal Colleges have integrated research opportunities into their STEMcapacity; however the focus has been on providing these opportunities within the context of thetribal colleges system and community. Although these experiences are indeed valuable togaining student interest and are providing numerical increases in retention and graduation rates,they exclude critical exposure opportunities for students outside of the institution and outside ofthe community. To date, CMN has documented increased retention and graduation rates ofstudents participating in external research. However these are only a handful of students. It iscritical that further study on the importance and impacts of external research-based internshipopportunities within the tribal college system take place. Such data will focus on the impacts ofexternal student research and how it achieves the ultimate outcomes of NSF?s investment intribal colleges: ensuring students graduate, matriculate into four-year and graduate STEMprograms, and enter the workforce system as diverse qualified individuals.Broader Impacts: CMN?s project will build upon the research of the several NSF TCUP grantsit has completed, continuing the investigation of essential research in discovering andunderstanding how Tribal Colleges and the unique strategies they implement promote STEMeducation in minority students. As an institution that serves predominantly Native Americanstudents, CMN?s project further advances the research of American Indian undergraduateeducation in STEM courses and programs as well as contributes to the global body ofknowledge in underrepresented minority STEM education. Short term impacts include increasesin retention and graduation rates at CMN. Long-term project impacts include an increase ofAmerican Indians in four year and graduate STEM programs as well as an increase in AmericanIndians in STEM employment fields.