Pre-TI: Expansion of the Science Discipline at the Nebraska Indian Community Project

部落学院和大学计划(TCUP)的目标是支持为土著服务的高等教育机构建设其科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)教学和研究能力。由内布拉斯加州印第安人社区学院(NICC)指导的题为“扩展内布拉斯加州印第安人社区项目的科学学科”的项目通过实施一项规划赠款来实现这一目标，以协助指导学院制定长期的STEM能力建设计划。该项目的目标是进行需求评估和可行性研究，以收集有关哪些类型的STEM项目最有利于学院和社区的信息，以及NICC是否准备好提供这些项目。调查结果将用于指导学院引导资源和申请未来资金，以支持其STEM课程的扩展。为所有学习者提供优质高等教育和终身教育机会是NICC的使命。推进这一使命的一种方式是通过扩大STEM学位和学院的研究项目。该项目的工作将通过全面评估NICC现有的STEM能力和汇编关于部落社区和学生对STEM项目扩展的兴趣的数据来支持这一议程。所产生的结果将被应用于通知学院未来通过增加新的STEM学士学位课程和STEM研究课程来扩大其STEM能力的步骤。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The goal of the Tribal Colleges and Universities Program (TCUP) is to support Native-serving institutions of higher education in building their science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) instructional and research capacities. The project directed by Nebraska Indian Community College (NICC) titled “Expansion of the Science Discipline at the Nebraska Indian Community Project” addresses this goal through the implementation of a planning grant to assist in guiding the college in the development of a long-term STEM capacity-building plan. The project’s objectives are to conduct a needs assessment and feasibility study to gather information about the types of STEM programs that would most benefit the college and community and NICC’s readiness to deliver those programs. Findings will be used to guide the college in directing resources and applying for future funding to support the expansion of their STEM offerings.Providing quality higher education and lifelong educational opportunities to all learners is NICC’s mission. One way to advance that mission is through the expansion of the STEM degree and research programs at the college. This project’s work will support that agenda through a comprehensive assessment of NICC’s existing STEM capacity and compilation of data about tribal community and student interest in STEM program expansion. Findings generated will be applied to informing the college’s future steps for expanding their STEM capacity through the addition of new STEM baccalaureate programs and STEM research programs.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.