The Northwest Indian College is the only accredited tribal college in the Pacific Northwest. Lummi Nation hosts the main campus. Full-service extended campuses exist at four other tribal communities in Washington and one in Idaho. With grant funds, the College will significantly increase its capacity to deliver effective STEM programs. Enrollment in the four STEM programs, and especially the new Bachelor of Science in Native Environmental Science (BSNES) program, is growing and retention is relatively high. However, the College has identified specific needs in STEM programs. These activities will increase institutional capacity in the critical need areas: ? Employ one new full-time faculty with an expertise in wildlife biology and develop new program of study emphasis areas in Native Fish and Wildlife Biology and in Native Ecology ? Begin to offer 300 and 400 level courses at the College?s extended campuses ? Create two new positions to: undertake targeted recruitment of high school and community college students, employees of tribal natural resource agencies, and others; develop student internships and service learning activities; create a new student mentorship program; develop pre-college STEM programs; and identify employment opportunities for STEM graduates ? Add new tutoring positions in English, math, computers, and science that will be embedded in critical filter or gateway courses and that will also provide out-of-class tutoring ? Provide professional development for faculty, especially on the use of distance learning teaching modalities and on learning models (e.g., active learning and problem-based learning) that have been shown to be successful with Native American students
