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AUTHORS. Mae Davenport, University of Minnesota; Erin Williams*, National Park Service
ABSTRACT. The University of Minnesota (UMN), National Park Service (NPS), and partners seek to develop higher education and employment opportunities for Native American students in natural and cultural resource management. NPS is especially interested in better engagement with tribal communities in national park resource management. UMN aims to increase program diversity and particularly, to enroll more Native American students in natural resource management programs. Thus, an interdisciplinary and inter-organizational group formed to discuss shared goals and to pool academic and agency resources. A pilot project was launched aimed at identifying and recruiting prospective Native American students to (1) enroll in a graduate degree program at UMN and (2) conduct research and outreach at a national park in Minnesota or other Great Lakes states. The students’ work will contribute to the co-management of natural and cultural resources through integration of traditional and western scientific ecological knowledge. In this talk I will describe the project, highlight the role of the CESU, and explore opportunities and challenges in student recruitment and cross-cultural partnerships.
