Sloan Foundation Grant to Increase STEM Opportunities for Native American Students

The University of Minnesota Morris, in partnership with the University of Minnesota College of Biological Sciences (CBS), has received a $69,616 grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to increase the number of Native American students participating in graduate-level science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs.

The goal of this one-year planning grant is to develop a pathway for Native American students at UMN Morris to CBS graduate programs on the Twin Cities campus. The effort will focus on identifying the barriers to enter STEM careers that Native American students encounter and developing approaches to remove those barriers. It will also involve outreach to UMN Morris students to identify their interests in STEM, making contacts with Tribal Colleges to build on existing relationships with UMN Morris, and development of a hands-on, one-week lab course for UMN Morris students.

Associate Professor of Biology and Acting Chair of the Division of Science and Mathematics Rachel Johnson is working with Meg Titus and Laurie Parker, both from CBS, on this project. They are excited for this multi-campus effort to build a strong pathway for Native American students into STEM careers. The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation is a philanthropic, not-forprofit grantmaking institution based in New York City. Established in 1934 by Alfred Pritchard Sloan Jr., then-president and chief executive officer of General Motors, the foundation makes grants in support of original research and education in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and economics. This grant was made through the foundation’s diversity, equity, and inclusion program, which aims to increase the quality, diversity, inclusion, and equity of higher education in STEM fields.

Homecoming 2022

Alumni, students, and friends of UMN Morris gathered the first weekend in October for Homecoming 2022. There was a lot to celebrate, including new Distinguished Alumni Award winners and Cougar Hall of Fame inductees (see page 24), Roland Guyotte’s 50+ years of teaching, the 50th anniversary of KUMM, and the dedication of the new softball complex, home of Cougar softball.

Save the date for

Homecoming 2023: September 8–10.