Tiospaye In Engineering

South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology, Rapid City SD

Investigators

Abstract

The Tiospaye program increases the number of Native American students graduating from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology with bachelor's degrees in engineering through providing financial, academic, professional, and social support structures. Tiospaye is a Lakota word meaning extended family; the extended family of engineering supports Native American students in their academic, professional, cultural, and social activities. The engineering extended family includes scholarship recipients as well as other students, staff, faculty, administrators, alumni/alumnae, employers, community leaders, student family members, tribal members, and our tribal college partners, most notably Oglala Lakota College. The implementation of financial support through awarding scholarships, in combination with the web of student support efforts facilitated through one-on-one and one-on-small group contact with the engineering extended family concept significantly increases the pathways to success for Native American students.