Date of Graduation

5-2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education (PhD)

Degree Level

Graduate

Department

Counseling, Leadership, and Research Methods

Advisor/Mentor

Leslie J. Shelton

Committee Member

Lorien S. Jordan

Second Committee Member

Mike Miller

Third Committee Member

Michael Hevel

Keywords

Higher Education; Indigenous Graduate Students; Indigenous Higher Education; Native American Serving NonTribal Institution

Abstract

The experiences of Indigenous graduate students in higher education are underrecognized in research and scholarship. Similarly, the experiences of Indigenous students, undergraduate or graduate, within Native American Serving NonTribal Institutions (NASNTIs) are largely excluded from research and scholarship. Although NASNTI designation is only dependent on the Indigenous undergraduate student population at an institution, the stories shared through this research signify the importance of considering Indigenous graduate students experiences at a NASNTI. The conceptual framework consisted of four core foundations as outlined by Kovach (2021), including ᎦᏚᏩ (ga-du-wa) knowledge, relational accountability, the Indigenous community of the NASNTI, and the situating of self. The NASNTI centered in this research posited important consideration of Place, especially because the institution was founded by the Tribal Nation and Indigenous community it is situated within. The stories of seven Indigenous graduate students, who attended the NASNTI between 2018-2023, were gathered through a sharing circle and individual conversations. Thematic Analysis was used to identify three themes: ᏝᏲᎩᏙᏗ ᏂᎬᏮᏍᏙ (It seems like it is not for us to use), ᏝᏱᏙᎾᏓᏂᏲᏏ & ᏧᎵᏨᏯᏍᏗ (Not going to give up & being brave), and ᏙᏓᏢᏍᏕᎵᏍᎪ (Helping each other). A final theme, ᏍᏈᏍᏙᏍᏔᎢ ᎤᏰᎧᎢ ᏒᎩ ᎢᎾᎨ ᎡᎯ (The wild onions are growing everywhere) was later incorporated.

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