UNDERSTANDING THE MEDICINE WHEEL:
A WHOLE STUDENT APPROACH TO ADVISING
NATIVE AMERICAN AND
ALASKAN NATIVE STUDENTS
Fort Lewis College
Durango, Colorado
Katie Nester, Senior Academic Success Advisor, Admission & Advising
Elizabeth Perrault, Science & Math Advisor, Native American Center
Outline
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Fort Lewis College introduction and historical
highlights
Native American education historical highlights
Native American college students today
The medicine wheel
Advising Native American students from a wholestudent perspective
Case study practice session
Best practices
Fort Lewis College – Who We Are
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Designated as Colorado’s public liberal arts college
Total student population: 3,893
Student-to-faculty ratio: 19:1
Advising model - decentralized, faculty-led, supported by many secondary advisors
Most popular majors:
Business (20%), Biology (9%),
Education (8%) Psychology (7%),
Exercise Science (7%), Art (6%)
Unique majors:
Native American & Indigenous
Studies, Public Health, Adventure
Education, Student Constructed
Fort Lewis College – Who We Are
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Native American population: 790 students (20%)
Number of tribes and Alaska Native villages represented: 144
Most common tribal affiliations
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Navajo (58%)
Alaskan Native (11.6%)
Cherokee (6.5%)
Most popular Native American student
majors:
Business Administration (15%),
Biology (9%), Undeclared (8%),
Psychology (7%), Art (7%), Exercise
Science (6%), Engineering (6%)
Most common degree earned by
Native American students:
Business Administration (10%),
Sociology (10%), Biology (9%),
English (8%), Exercise Science (8%)
Fort Lewis College – History
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1878 – Fort Lewis is established as a US Army Post to maintain a
military presence near the southern branch of the Utes.
1891 – The US government closed the site as a military post and
established in its place an Indian boarding school.
Circa 1895
Adams, David W. (1995); Photo courtesy of Fort Lewis College Center of Southwest Studies.
Fort Lewis College – History
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1910 – The U.S.
government deeded the
property to the State of
Colorado stipulating as a
condition of the grant
“that Indian Pupils shall
at all times be admitted
to such school free of
charge for tuition and on
terms of equality with
white pupils.”
Sacred Trust was created
Federal Indian Appropriation Bill of April 4, 1910, 36 Stat. 269 (1910)
Fort Lewis College –
Native American Tuition Waiver
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Waives tuition ONLY
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Students are responsible for paying
fees, books, room and board, etc
Tuition waiver applies to in-state
AND out-of-state students
Requirements for eligibility:
Provide enrollment or census number
verification
 Prove Native American descendancy
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Native Americans and
Higher Education
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Federal Era
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Late 1700s to early 1900s
1860- Federal government establishes 1st Indian Boarding School
1892 – “Kill the Indian, Save the Man” – Captain Richard H. Pratt
Historical trauma
Fox, M., Lowe, S., & McClellan, G. (2005)
Native Americans and
Higher Education
Self-Determination Era
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Began in the 1930s, but did not gain
momentum until the 1960s
1972 – Indian Education Act of 1972
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Provides federal assistance “to help
close the gap which now exists between
Indian education and the general
educational level of the United States.”
Created the Office of Indian Education
within the US Department of Education
Established the National Advisory
Council for Indian Education
1975 – The Indian Self-Determination
Act gives tribes (not government
officials) authority to prioritize
federal funds for education.
Fox, M., Lowe, S., & McClellan, G. (2005)
Native American College Students Today –
Enrollment, Retention & Graduation
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In past 40 years, NA enrollment in higher education
has doubled (.5% to 1%).
American Indians have the lowest retention rate of
any minority group in higher education.
2002 four-year national graduation rates from
public institutions of higher education
 Overall
29.9%
 Native Americans 16%
Native Americans are the smallest population of
individuals graduating with a bachelor’s degree
Fox, M., Lowe, S., & McClellan, G. (2005)
National Center for Education Statistics (2011).
Fort Lewis College Retention Rates
2000 vs. 2010
All Students
Caucasian
American Indian/Alaskan Native
Hispanic
80
70
Retention Rate (%)
60
65
55
68
61
60
59
54
50
37
40
30
20
10
0
2nd Year (2000)
2nd Year (2010)
Fort Lewis College - Graduation Rates
All Students
White
Native American/Alaskan Native
45
42
40
37
Graduation Rate (%)
36
35
33
30
25
20
20
13
8
10
5
20
17
16
15
18
3
0
4th Year
(2000)
4th Year
(2007)
6th Year
(2000)
6th Year
(2005)
Factors Affecting Native American
Student Retention and Graduation
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Striving to adjust to the college environment; lack of knowledge
on the culture of higher education
Difference in world view
Cultural differences with white majority culture (returning home for
ceremonies, conflicts with Western science and tradition)
Preserving cultural identity; “Living in two worlds”
Cultural and family isolation
Academic preparedness
Lack of financial resources
Perceived discriminatory climate
DeVoe, J., & Darling-Churchill, K. (2008); Fox, M., Lowe, S., & McClellan, G. (2005); Garland, J. (2011); Springer, M. (2011)
Indicators for Native American
Student Success
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Support from family
Institutional commitment
Personal commitment
Participation in campus groups, establishing
meaningful social networks
Involvement with NA campus community,
particularly NA faculty and staff
Strong retention programs and student services;
participation in the institution’s Native American
Center
Experiencing a sense of belonging
Living and working on campus
Supportive faculty and staff; mentoring
relationships
DeVoe, J., & Darling-Churchill, K. (2008); Fox, M., Lowe, S., & McClellan, G. (2005); Garland, J. (2011); Springer, M. (2011)
Understanding the Medicine Wheel
North
European
Air
&Mind
Animals
Air
Animals
European
Mind
African
West
Earth
&
Earth
&
Minerals
Body
African
Minerals
Body
Warne, Donald, Oglala Lakota
Asian
Fire
Sun East
Asian
Fire
&& Sun
Soul
Soul
North &
North
&
South
American
Water
&&Plants
South
American
Heart
Water
Plants
Heart
South
Understanding the Medicine Wheel
Decisions
Implement
Interpret
Mind
Mental
Actions
Body
Soul
Physical
Spiritual
Values
Heart
Emotional
Feelings
Warne, Donald, Oglala Lakota
Feedback
Reactions
Developmental Advising
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Burns B. Crookston
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Advising within the context
of a student’s “rational
processes, environmental
and interpersonal
interactions, behavioral
awareness, and problemsolving, decision-making,
and evaluation skills”
Advising as teaching
Prescriptive versus
developmental advising
Crookston, B. (1972)
A Whole Student Approach to Advising
Native American Students
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Whole-student approach
 an understanding that a wide
variety of developmental,
academic, personal, social,
financial, emotional, and
cultural factors may affect
student academic
performance
A Whole Student Approach to Advising
Native American Students
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Abilities
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Motivation
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What informs an advisor about a
student’s potential?
What does an advisor need to
know about what motivates a
student to be successful in
college?
Relationships
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What role does the
advisor/advisee relationship
play in developmental advising?
Crookston, B. (1972)
A Whole-Student Approach to
Advising Native American Students
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Coll & Draves
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Coll & Draves (2009)
Effective advising is
sensitive to advisee
worldviews because “these
frameworks provide
students with the personal
information they use to
make decisions about
remaining in their school”
Student satisfaction
positively related to time
spent discussing personal
values
Case Study
Appointment topic:
student is having difficulty with course work
 Native American, freshman, biology major, female,
age 21
 1st semester grades:
 Cumulative GPA after 1st semester: 2.18
 Mid-term grades: D, B, C-, D (16 credits)
 Remedial math placement, college level English
 Hold on account for unpaid bill
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Class 1
Class 2
Class 3
Class 4
4
4
4
3
BC+
C+
D+
Best Practices for Interpreting Values
Three Golden Rules
1. Do not assume students know the “language of higher education”
2. Empower your advisees to find their voice.
3. Provide information about the goals of advising relationships
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Spend time building trust and rapport
Ask some general get to know you questions
-where are you from? How is your living situation?
 Ask students about course rigor, course load,
involvement on campus, personal interests
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Explore the causes of their academic issue
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Academic, social, personal, fianacial, family
Explore their motivation
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Determine strengths
Level of family support
Case Study continued….
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Lives on campus in family housing
Has a 2 year old daughter, and custody of 7 year
old sister
Homesick; misses extended family
First generation college student
On a tribal scholarship, needs to be above 2.0
Has Pell and Workstudy, not using workstudy
Not involved on campus
Has no idea who her faculty advisor is
Best Practices for Implementing Action
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Orient the student to the University/College, both as a campus and as a
system.
Orient the student to the local area and to living in the area.
Help the students feel they are a part of the campus community.
Students must have some place where they feel they belong.
Find out what local services are available to Native Americans.
Provide help and be proactive about it.
Never generalize; treat each student as a unique person.
Orient yourself to Native models or ways of thinking.
Foster and support the student’s Native Identity.
Focus on the importance of schoolwork and classes.
Find ways to identify and nurture the students’ strengths.
Perceive and treat each Native student as able to succeed.
Fox, M., Lowe, S., & McClellan, G. (2005)
Best Practices:
Campus Wide Collaborative Advising Efforts
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New Student Advising & Registration
Early Alert and midterm outreach
Upward Bound – bridge program
Campus-wide advising meetings: Admission & Advising,
Native American Center, Academic Success, TRIO
programs
Best Practices: Native American Center
Mental
Student Advising
Academic Outreach
Tutoring
Media Loan
Workshops
Spiritual
Physical
Wilderness Program
Healthy Eating
Dinner with a Doctor
Emotional
Social Activities
Advocates
Oops Hour
RSOs
Community Engagement
Elder-In-Residence
Ceremonies (RSOs)
Blessings
Student Advice to Advisors
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Student feedback on advising:
 Play
to student strengths
 Don’t be a “know it all”
 Listen and ask questions
 End on a positive note
Contact Information
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Katie Nester
Nester_K@fortlewis.edu
 (970) 382-6903
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Elizabeth Perrault
Perrault_E@fortlewis.edu
 (970) 247-7225
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Admission & Advising: www.fortlewis.edu/advising
Native American Center: www.fortlewis.edu/nac
References
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Adams, D. (1995). Education for Extinction: American Indians and the Boarding School Experience 1875-1928.
Lawrence: University Press of Kansas.
Coll, J., & Draves, P. (2009). Traditional age students: Worldviews and satisfaction with advising; a homogenous
study of student and advisors. The College Student Affairs Journal, 27(2), 215-223.
Crookston, B. (1972). A developmental view of academic advising as teaching. Journal of College Student
Personnel, 13, 12-17.
DeVoe, J., & Darling-Churchill, K. (2008). Status and Trends in the Education of American Indians and Alaska
Natives: 2008 (NCES 2008-084). National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S.
Department of Education, Washington, DC.
Federal Indian Appropriation Bill of April 4, 1910, 36 Stat. 269 (1910)
Fox, M., Lowe, S., & McClellan, G. (2005). Serving Native American Students. New Directions for Student Services,
no. 109.
Hunt, B. & Harrington, C. (2008). The Impending Educational Crisis for American Indians: Higher Education at the
Crossroads. Journal of Multicultural, Gender and Minority Studies, 2(2).
Garland, J. (2011). Exploring the College Student Involvement “Research Asterisk”: Identifying and Rethinking
Predictors of American Indian College Student Involvement. National Institute for Native Leadership in Higher
Education presentation, 2011 Annual National Institute.
National Center for Education Statistics. (2011). Graduation rates of first-time postsec students who start as filltime degree seeking students, by sex, race/ethnicity, time betwn starting and graduating, and lvl and control of
inst. where student started: Sl’d cohort entry years, 1996 through 2005.
http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d10/tables/dt10_341.asp
Springer, M. (2011). Defining the Intricacies, Needs, and Good Work of the Native American Student Services
Unit. National Institute for Native Leadership in Higher Education presentation, 2011 Annual National Institute.