U of A Native Student Mentoring Program Receives $1.2M State Grant

TUCSON, AZ —A University of Arizona College of Education program that provides mentoring for Native students, at the school and statewide, and professional development for educators, has received a $1.2 million grant from the Arizona Department of Education (ADE), the ADE announced last week.

The program —Indigenous student outreach, access and resiliency (Native SOAR) —is a 10-week program that allows U of A students, many from Native backgrounds, to spend about three to four hours a week mentoring middle and high school students across Arizona and teaching them about attending college, cultural resiliency, leadership skills and identity exploration, according to the organization.

There also is a Native SOAR class that allows students to earn three credits per semester. Plus, Native SOAR staff and students hold workshops for local K-12 educators, which emphasize knowledge and best practices that will help to better serve Indigenous students.

"Historically, Indigenous students have lower enrollment, retention and graduation rates in higher education compared to other student populations," Native SOAR director Amanda Cheromiah said. "Native SOAR closes educational gaps by providing culturally responsive programming and mentorship that increases the number of Indigenous students who enter and graduate from college."

The new funding, according to Cheromiah, will allow Native SOAR to purchase 750 tablets that can be used in mentoring Indigenous students from remote communities. An additional 65 tablets will be purchased for the program's staff and educators.

"Native SOAR is grateful to receive the Arizona Department of Education grant, which enables us to close the digital divide in our tribal communities and expand much-needed mentoring and professional development support services to Indigenous students and educators across Arizona," Cheromiah said

Additionally, the grant will allow the organization to offer more workshops and development opportunities for teachers, while also paying the program's mentors.

"For nearly two decades, Native SOAR has been an invaluable resource for Indigenous students at the University of Arizona, as well as Indigenous communities across the state," University of Arizona President Robert Robbins said. "This new funding from the state will allow this crucial program to reach more people. I am incredibly grateful to our outstanding Native SOAR faculty and staff, and I am so proud the University of Arizona is a leader in this work."

According to the ADE, the grant is one of several recent investments the agency has made to support the Native American community, which has been a focus of State Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman.

The projects are funded with dollars from the American Rescue Plan (ARP), the ADE said.

"In reviewing data from past years, we know that our Native students deserve more targeted support," Hoffman said. "My administration is committed to ensuring that Native students have additional holistic resources inside and outside of the classroom. These investments reflect that priority, and we are proud to invest in additional resources for Native communities."