The American Indian College Fund (College Fund) presented at the 2024 National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students Conference. Nicolette Weston, College Fund Program Administrator for Transfer and Admissions, partnered with Juan Perez and Joey DiTonno of the Tribal College Transfer Advisory Committee to lead a session titled “Building Equity and Transfer Success with Underrepresented Populations.” This was the only session focused on tribal colleges and universities in the transfer space and was well received with 73 registered attendees. Perez is the Director of Admissions at Salish Kootenai College and DiTonno is the College Registrar at Chief Dull Knife College. Both were thankful for the chance to speak at the conference and raise awareness of work being done at TCUs to help transfer students succeed.
Vicki Besaw – A Dissertation Story
Vicki Besaw, a member of the Lac Courte Oreilles Lake Superior Ojibwe Tribe, pursued her doctorate at age 54 to help students heal from trauma through storytelling. Working at the College of Menominee Nation, she used Indigenous story methodology to create a safe space for students to explore their life stories and understand the impact of trauma. Her research not only supported her students but also sparked intergenerational healing within her own family. Vicki aims to integrate her findings into the curriculum and publish her stories to reach a broader audience.
