The Native American Student Success (NASS) program at the University of Minnesota Morris was awarded the Indigenous Student Affairs Network’s (ISAN) Innovative Practice Award.
The ISAN Innovative Practice Award is awarded to an individual or program for creating and/or implementing an original or highly-effective Indigenous Student Affairs program or practice on their campus or in their local community.
The NASS program provides transition support, peer mentors, and cultural resources for Native American undergraduates at Morris. NASS also offers learning opportunities for Morris students, faculty, and staff working in partnership with Native elders, artists, and leaders. NASS works to assist in students’ personal, social, intellectual, and ethical development so students can become lifelong learners and responsible leaders in our global society. NASS has a high regard for the unique cultural experiences and perspectives of Native peoples and considers this when working with students, colleagues, and the communities in which we exist.
UMN Morris is the only federally recognized four-year Native American-Serving Nontribal Institution in the Upper Midwest. Currently, about 30% of students at UMN Morris are Native American, with 70 tribal nations represented.
“This work couldn’t be accomplished without the support of our NASNTI grant co-PIs, who are Acting Chancellor Janet Schrunk Erickson, Interim Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management Melissa Bert, and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Sandy Olson-Loy,” Philpot said. “We are extremely grateful to have support from our senior administration to do what we do on the daily. We also want to shout out our tribal college partnerships with Leech Lake Tribal College, Red Lake Nation College, and Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College for working closely with us and allowing us to create transfer pathways for Indigenous students to continue their education.”
This award was presented at the ISAN/Native Aboriginal and Indigenous Coalition meeting, which was held Monday, March 27, in New Orleans.
University of Minnesota Morris staff were in New Orleans to accept the Innovative Practice Award from ISAN & ACPA. Pictured (above) accepting the award are (from left): Tina Goodin (Diversity Mental Health and Wellbeing Liaison), Nizhoni Marks (Associate Director), Shaina Philpot (Associate Director), and Demi Dumarce (NASNTI/Teacher Education Collaborator).
