How Indigenous Graduate Students Make Sense of Place and Belonging

• In Event: Indigenous Identities, Positionalities, and Solidarities in Education

Abstract

Indigenous peoples in the US have historically low levels of participation in graduate education, in part due to social isolation and obstacles to meaningful participation in their tribal communities. This is particularly noticeable in STEM related fields. However, research on Indigenous students is sparse and often overlooks the student experience itself. This paper presents the preliminary findings of a longitudinal study that could lead to best practices in creating academic environments that best support Indigenous students' development socially, academically, and professionally. Cultivating talent and promoting inclusion of Indigenous peoples in STEM graduate education promotes diversity in higher education and encourages the growth, creativity, and innovation needed to solve our most pressing tribal, national, and global problems.

Author

• Stephanie Masta, Purdue University
  Presenting Author