American Indian/Alaska Native College Student Retention Strategies.

For years, the issue of recruiting American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) students to U.S. mainstream colleges and universities has been a long-standing challenge. Policy-makers, administrators, and faculty alike have developed strategies and implemented programs in attempts to attract bright and capable AI/AN students only to be met with minimal results. Once on campus, retaining those students becomes an even bigger issue with many AI/ AN students, particularly from Indian reservations, experiencing feelings of academic inadequacy, isolation, alienation, and marginalization (Guillory & Wolverton, 2008; Osborne, 1985; Pavel & Padilla, 1993; Tinto, 1993). For many, such factors become too much to overcome and result in AI/ AN students leaving college before earning a degree. It is, therefore, critical to understand, from the ? /AN student perspective, what strengthens their resolve to complete a college education and what institutions of higher education can do to assist in this effort.This study examines some of the factors regarding why AI/AN college students leave college before earning a degree. Specifically, this study explores the similarities and differences between AI/ AN student perceptions and the perceptions of state representatives, university presidents, and faculty about persistence factors and barriers to degree completion for AI/AN college students. Based on the findings, specific retention strategies are recommended to increase retention to graduation among these students.Participants were interviewed at Washington State University (WSU) in Pullman, WA; the University of Idaho (UI) in Moscow, ID; and Montana State University (MSU) in Bozeman, MT (Guillory, 2002). The retention strategies recommended not only apply to the study institutions but could also be used by other universities desiring to better serve their AI/AN student populations and their respective native communities as well. Lastly, the strategies offered in the "Implications for Practice" section can also help professionals delivering developmental education programming to better serve AI/AN college students through specialized forms of career and academic counseling, peer mentoring, and Supplemental Instruction.Factors Affecting AI/AN College RetentionIt is well documented that college success is a constant struggle for AI/AN. For example, AI/ AN students have the lowest college enrollment (i.e., less than one percent) and graduation rates of any student cohort at mainstream U.S. colleges and universities. AI/AN earn 0.6% of all associate's, bachelors, and advanced degrees conferred in the U.S. (Jackson, Smith, & Hill, 2003; U.S. Department of Education, 2009). Several studies report that, despite significant progress being made in college enrollment and graduation rates over the last 30 years, particularly within the tribal college system, retention of AI/AN remains a significant problem with rates of persistence-tograduation within 6 years at approximately 36% compared to the general population at 56% (Shotton, Oosahwe, & Cintran, 2007; U.S. Department of Education, 1998). Other studies report even lower retention rates among AI/AN college students (Benjamin, Chambers, & Reiterman, 1993; Larimore & McClellan, 2005; Pavel & Padilla, 1993; Tierney, 1992). The factors determining whether or not AI/ AN students decide to attend and persist through college are as diverse as they are complex. Various studies on AI/ AN college students have generated substantial research suggesting that factors such as precollege academic preparation, family support, involved and supportive faculty, social support systems in the form of AI/ AN student associations, multicultural offices, peer mentoring programs, academic counseling, institutional commitment, and maintenance of an active presence in home communities and cultural ceremonies are crucial elements to college persistence (Barnhardt, 1994; Brown, 1995; Davis, 1992; Gloria & Robinson-Kurpius, 2001; Huffman, Sill, & Brokenleg, 1986; Jackson et al. …