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The Wokunze Project
is a scholarship program funded by the Federal Indian Health Service. This project provides scholarship support for qualified
American Indians and Alaska Natives to pursue full time study in a
program leading to a baccalaureate degree in nursing at South Dakota
State University. Scholarships cover tuition, fees, books, tutoring,
other reasonable educational expenses, and a student stipend
of $1,250 per month up to a maximum of 48 months of funding. “Wokunze”,
a Lakota term loosely translated to mean “life pathways in nursing,”
was chosen as the name for the project to embed a Native American
cultural dimension to a targeted academic initiative in the
mainstream of professional education offerings at SDSU.
Additional
important features of scholarship benefits in the Wokunze Project
model include ongoing mentoring by faculty and project staff as well
as close monitoring by a project mentor or “unci” (grandmother) who
develops an ongoing relationship with each student. Two American
Indian registered nurses with over 70 years of combined professional
experience serve in the “unci” role, providing wisdom and advocacy
tailored to the needs of each student. These collective efforts are
intended to identify potential concerns and plan personalized early
interventions to assure academic success for every student.
Scholarship recipients are also given opportunities for professional
networking in agencies and organizations serving Indian people. A
volunteer advisory board meets twice a year to review project
outcomes and provide guidance in accomplishing project objectives
Scholarships are
awarded annually on a competitive basis and may be renewed depending
on student academic progress and the availability of continued
funding. The current grant period is for five years (2003-2008).
SDSU is eligible to apply for a new grant at the end of the current
funding period.
To date, the
project has produced six graduates representing all three
(Traditional, Accelerated, and RN Upward Mobility) Program Options
available at SDSU. Eight additional students are receiving funding
at this time. For additional information, visit the Wokunze Project
website at
http://learn.sdstate.edu/nursing/Wokunze.html
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