Salish Kootenai College RISE II Program Plan

描述(由申请人提供)：萨利什库特奈学院(SKC)是一所部落学院，位于蒙大拿州西部的Flathead印第安人保留地。SKC目前提供8个学士学位课程、11个副学士学位课程和7个结业证书课程。通常，学生人数平均约为900-1000名学生，在任何给定的学年都有50-100个部落。这项提议是对2006年首次授予SKC的NIGMS RISE(RISE I)的延续，该RISE成功地开发和实施了学术上严格的科学副学士学位，旨在成功地将美国原住民学生在主流机构中成功地升入三年级，并使SKC的研究文化制度化。在Rise I项目势头的基础上，SKC请求为此次Rise续订(Rise II)提供支持，具体目标如下：1)让学生攻读新的、严谨的生命科学学士学位，使学生能够发展升入研究生课程所需的知识和技能；2)提高美国印第安人学生在生物医学博士学位道路上的留存率和学术成就。这一新学位的组成部分将包括强有力的学术和社会融合活动，这两项活动已被证明对在科学领域取得成功的代表性不足的少数族裔非常重要。其中包括：使用公认的教育最佳实践的探究式课程作业、具有密集的一对一学生指导的全面研究实验室经验、批判性思维的发展、演讲技能和参加国家科学会议，所有这些都在促进项目保留的部落学院的文化框架内。与这项RISE II计划相配合的还有其他协同的SKC计划，例如一个新的NSF-START奖，旨在开发BS(中学教育)以培训本地高中科学教师，以及正在进行的NSF TCUP，该计划为BS(LS)和BS(计算机工程)计划的发展做出了贡献。该提案还包括一项全面的评估计划，以跟踪该计划的成功情况。这将是部落大学提供的第一个以生物科学为基础的学士学位，它的支持对于越来越多的原住民学生进入主流机构的生物科学博士课程至关重要。 公共卫生相关性：该项目寻求资金支持在蒙大拿州Flathead保护区的Salish Kotenai学院(SKC)的一个新的BS(生命科学)学位计划。对该项目的支持将增加进入并完成生物医学博士项目的美洲原住民人数。这将为有文化能力的训练有素的专业人员提供一个渠道，以解决服务不足的土著人口中的健康问题(糖尿病、心脏病、肥胖症)。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Salish Kootenai College (SKC) is a tribal college located on the Flathead Indian Reservation in western Montana. SKC currently offers 8 Bachelor's degree programs, 11 Associate's degree programs, and 7 Certificate of Completion programs. Typically, the student body size averages approximately 900-1000 students and between 50-100 Tribes are represented in any given academic year. This proposal is a renewal of an NIGMS RISE first awarded to SKC in 2006 (RISE I) that successfully developed and implemented an academically rigorous Associate of Science degree aimed at successful "2+2" matriculation of Native American students into the junior year at mainstream institutions and institutionalized a research culture at SKC. Building on the momentum of RISE I, SKC is requesting support for this RISE renewal (RISE II) with the following specific aims: 1) Engage students in a new, rigorous BS degree in Life Science that allows students to develop knowledge and skills required for advancement towards graduate programs, and 2) Increase the retention and academic success of American Indian students in tracks leading to PhD degrees in biomedical. Components of this new degree will include strong academic and social integration activities, both of which have been shown to be important in underrepresented minorities succeeding in the sciences. These include: inquiry-based coursework using recognized educational best practices, comprehensive research lab experience with intensive one-on-one student mentoring, development of critical thinking, presentation skills, and participation in national science meetings, all within the cultural framework of a tribal college that promotes program retention. Working in concert with this RISE II proposal are other, synergistic SKC programs, such as a new NSF-STEEP award to develop a BS (Secondary Education) to train Native high school science teachers and an ongoing NSF TCUP that has contributed to the development of both the BS (LS) and BS (Computer Engineering) programs. This proposal also includes a comprehensive evaluation plan to track the success of the program. This will be the first biological science-based Bachelor's degree to be offered at a tribal college and its support is critical to increasing numbers of Native students entering bioscience PhD programs at mainstream institutions. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This project seeks funds to support a new BS (Life Sciences) degree program at Salish Kootenai College (SKC), a tribal college on the Flathead Reservation in Montana. Support of this project will increase the numbers of Native Americans entering into and completing biomedical PhD programs. This will provide a pipeline for trained professionals culturally competent to address issues of health (diabetes, heart disease, obesity) among underserved, Native populations.