The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded a grant of $600,000 to the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Tiospaye in Engineering Program. The grant will support more collaboration between the School of Mines and tribal colleges and universities, particularly Oglala Lakota College which has a pre-engineering program, to increase the number of Native American students graduating with engineering degrees. Tiospaye is a Lakota word meaning extended family. The Tiospaye program provides financial, academic, professional, and social support structures to Native American students. The extended family of engineering mindset fosters a sense of community and cooperation between scholarship recipients, other students, staff, faculty, administrators, alumni, employers, community leaders, student family members, tribal members and tribal college partners. This multi-faceted approach significantly increases the students' success rate.
The NSF grant will be disbursed over the next five years beginning Sept 1 2008. The first year will be dedicated to the start-up process of planning and recruitment of academically talented students that are members of federally recognized tribes, graduates of tribal high schools or transfers from tribal colleges and who have financial need and a commitment to an engineering career. The following four years will be focused on executing the program and providing scholarships. The plan is to offer approximately 15 scholarships, $8000 each, per year, to help retain these students in an environment that promotes academic and professional success, while supporting the students socially and in their cultural traditions. The ultimate goal is, upon successful completion of an engineering undergraduate degree, to place these students in appropriate employment or further education through programs emphasizing career planning and professional options.