OKMULGEE – New students enrolling at the College of the Muscogee Nation participated in “This Journey Begins”, a week-long program of activities designed to help students build community and learn about what to expect during their first college semester. The orientation ran from Sunday, Aug. 16, through Friday, Aug. 21.
The newly expanded program has connected students with advisors for the past four years. Previously called Raven Ready, the orientation lasted only half a day- it has now been expanded to a full week. Another program, Bridge Camp, previously prepared remedial students for college-level courses. Orientation provides students with opportunities to build relationships with peers and campus staff.
Each day of orientation has a different theme. Among the activities students participated in were vision board planning, writing letters, hymn singing, and introductions to campus services. Students learned about behavioral health resources, library resources, and Mvskoke Nation Youth Services. They were also given a tour of Okmulgee, specifically to see key locations like the Okmulgee Indian Health Center, Council House, and the YMCA.
According to an article published by the Journal of Developmental Education, obstacles for Native American/Alaskan Native college student retention include feelings of academic inadequacy, isolation, and marginalization. Native American/Alaska Native students have among the lowest college enrollment and graduation rates of any student cohort at U.S. mainstream colleges. However, the article cites significant improvements in enrollment and graduation rates over the past 40 years. These improvements have been made with the help of the Tribal college system, like CMN.
The article suggests three strategies for successfully retaining Native American/Alaska Native students. The strategies include maintaining connections to family and the Tribal Community, addressing single-parent students and students with family issues, and providing academic assistance through peer mentoring. It concludes that state officials, administrators, faculty, staff, community leaders, and parents need to play a role in the development of Native American/Alaska Native students.
First step in a larger world
Students and their parents enjoyed a meal catered by Looped Square Meat Company. Parents wrote letters that will be given to students later in the fall term, containing words of encouragement. Parents were also given a crash course on navigating financial aid.
CMN Director of Enrollment Management Lacey Azbell (Cherokee) said the idea of providing activities for parents is to get them involved. It informs them on how to offer support for students moving out and living on their own for the first time.
“We tried to focus on building relationships with students over the last few years with the activities students have done. I think this builds on that,” Azbell said. “Part of that is bridging the parents into it. That’s why we brought them in, it gives them an opportunity to see us as staff, ask questions.”
‘This Journey Begins’ featured former Chicago Bears player Levi Horn (Northern Cheyenne) as a speaker. Now retired from the NFL, Horn visits Native communities across the country and shares his life story on how he became a football player.
Returning students are involved as mentors. Dean of Academic Affairs Mekko Tyner (Mvskoke) said staff was pleased with the leadership roles students took on.
“We had five student mentors,” Tyner said. “They did an excellent job. They were returning students. They had a group assigned to them, and they mentored the students and were with them the whole camp.”
According to Tyner, students typically face personal obstacles, such as imposter syndrome and being first-generation students. He remarked that one of the hardest first-day challenges for students is reading a class schedule. By participating in new student orientation, students familiarize themselves with each campus building. If they still have trouble navigating campus, familiar faces from orientation can guide them to their destination.
Students will have to navigate a campus partially under construction. Current projects in development on campus include an archery field, a stickball field, and the clock tower in the central plaza. Tyner said more programs will be able to use the outdoor facilities once construction is complete.
When asked what the most important piece of advice is for incoming students, Azbell says effort and communication. Tyner believes it’s joining a student organization. Tyner and Azbell both attribute the orientation’s success to the staff committee that organized it.
“With ‘This Journey Begins’ Program, even today at lunch, there’s these groups of students hanging out, eating lunch together. Some of them are out in the lobby between classes. You see them building their own community.”
