Off-campus UNL users: To download campus access dissertations, please use the following link to log into our proxy server with your NU ID and password. When you are done browsing please remember to return to this page and log out.
Non-UNL users: Please talk to your librarian about requesting this dissertation through interlibrary loan.
Through their eyes, in their words: A case study of freshmen male American Indian college students
Abstract
American Indians are the most underrepresented cultural group in the colleges and universities. American Indian colleges attract the largest number of American Indian students who are interested in pursuing a four-year degree. With college dropout being the highest in the first year of college it is important to study American Indian students where they most frequently begin their college education. The purpose of this study was to explore the first year experiences of male American Indian students enrolled in an American Indian controlled college. A qualitative case study design was used to obtain data about their expectations for college, their initial experiences in trying to adapt to college life and their decision to persist. The four participants were American Indian males from different tribes, twenty years old and were first year students at one all Indian University during the 1996–97 academic year. Three participants had lived on reservations while the fourth had lived in urban communities in several states. Semi-structured interviews and observations were conducted between August 15, 1996 and June 22, 1997. The findings indicated that the students expected small classes, much student-teacher interaction, inadequate facilities and many cultural and traditional activities. Participants found that classes were small, little student-teacher interaction, some cultural and traditional activities and facilities were worse than expected. Barriers they encountered in adapting were problems back home, pressure to recreate and inadequate study skills. Their friends were a vital part of their support system in adapting to college; frequent contact with their family was also critical. Recommendations include: improved facilities; chemical dependency help; increased cultural activities; more student-teacher interaction; awareness of student family problems and pressures; financial aid assistance; college demands; mentoring; and campus involvement.
Subject Area
Higher education|Bilingual education|Multicultural education|Educational sociology|Academic guidance counseling
Recommended Citation
Williams, Darlene Burg, "Through their eyes, in their words: A case study of freshmen male American Indian college students" (1999). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI9952696.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI9952696