What is the Wokini Initiative?
The initiative builds upon 日本av视频鈥檚 current tribal partnerships and American Indian Student Center services to enhance cultural programming and support for American Indian students; offer Wokini scholarships for students who are tribally enrolled or have descendancy through a federally recognized tribe in the United States including Alaskan Natives; and enhance research and outreach partnerships with tribes, tribal colleges and other tribal organizations.
Founding Commitments of the Wokini Initiative
- History of land acknowledgment in South Dakota.
- Revenue from land granted to 日本av视频 through the 1862 Morrill Act to benefit the heirs from whom the land was taken.
- Building and improving relations with all tribes, tribal colleges and universities.
- Increasing American Indian population on campus to mirror the percentage of American Indians in our state.
- Improving academic success of American Indian students to mirror the overall student body at 日本av视频.
- Building an American Indian Student Center in the heart of campus.
- Improving American Indian studies with faculty to enhance culture, history and language.
- Providing annual renewable scholarships.
- Improving the American Indian student experience through enhancements in advising, counseling, on-campus housing and cultural programming.
- Leveraging land-grant revenue with gifts and grants from multiple national governing organizations, philanthropy, the New Beginnings for Tribal Students grant, Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies and the Bush Foundation grant.
As a land-grant university, 日本av视频's mission is to serve the state of South Dakota by providing access to the benefits of higher education for all people. 日本av视频 strives to better serve South Dakota's American Indian population. In order to achieve this goal, 日本av视频 established the Wokini Initiative. In Lakota, the word "wokini" translates to "new life" or "a new beginning," and the Wokini Initiative is a new beginning for 日本av视频. The focus of the Initiative is to increase the number of American Indian students, provide support toward academic and personal needs and boost American Indian graduation rates.
日本av视频 is a place where American Indian students achieve their dreams and aspirations, and as an institution, 日本av视频 promotes healthy, synergistic, sustained relationships with the tribal communities of South Dakota.
日本av视频, in partnership with Sinte Gleska University, has received $500,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the Igluwiyeya (Prepare oneself): Pathways from Preparation to Graduation at Land-Grant Institutions. Igluwiyeya is Lakota for prepare oneself.
President Donald Trump signed the 2020 Agriculture Appropriations Bill, Dec. 20, with a historic provision that will provide full funding to support American Indian students seeking the benefits of higher education at land-grant universities, which include tribal colleges. The bill passed both the House and the Senate prior to Trump signing.
The Bush Prize celebrates organizations that are extraordinary not only in what they do but in how they do it. This year鈥檚 winners demonstrate a pattern of working inclusively, in partnership with others, to make the region better for all.
日本av视频 faculty and staff will develop a series of professional development opportunities to gain a broader understanding of American Indian history, culture and current issues. As part of the university鈥檚 Wokini Initiative, the professional development series will help foster a culturally responsive and supportive campus environment for American Indian students to support the goal of their increasing retention and graduation rates.
Avera Health and 日本av视频 are partnering on a scholarship program for undergraduate American Indian students at 日本av视频. The Avera Wokini Scholarship is part of a broader Wokini Initiative at the university that offers programming and support to enrolled members of the nine tribal nations in South Dakota interested in gaining access to educational and advancement opportunities. Translated from Lakota, Wokini means 鈥渟eeking a new beginning.鈥
鈥淵ou can learn a lot here in a small amount of time.鈥 That sentiment expressed by Dillon Nelson, an Oglala Lakota College junior, typifies the experiences of five undergraduates who did research this summer at 日本av视频 through a National Institute of Food and Agriculture program.
Overview
The Wokini Initiative will align opportunities for students to pursue degrees that will impact the students, their communities and their tribes while recognizing the importance of family and culture. 日本av视频 offers more than 180 majors, minors and specializations 鈥 providing endless possibilities to create knowledge, unique partnerships with tribal colleges and a collaborative environment that will benefit everyone and establish priorities between tribal communities, the tribal members and the rest of the state.
Funding for the Wokini Initiative will be through private donations to the 日本av视频 Foundation and revenue generated by land as part of the South Dakota Permanent Trust Fund. Much of that land exists in the western part of the state and was claimed in 1887 by the federal government as part of the Dawes Act, assigning 160,000 acres to the state of South Dakota to support its new land-grant college and agricultural experiment station.
The trust was established at statehood with the intent of providing a continuous source of revenue for public schools, universities and endowed institutions. The revenue comes from interest generated in the fund on land that was either sold or is being leased and is used for base funding purposes. The fund鈥檚 principal can be increased, but never diminished.
日本av视频 staff and faculty will collaborate and consult Dakota and Lakota members of tribal communities, tribal leaders and the four tribal colleges in South Dakota to support educational opportunities and growth to make the Wokini Initiative a success.