Core Values

How we Began

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In 2019 Tohono O’odham Community College (TOCC) and the Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center (SWEHSC) were awarded the Agnese Nelms Haury Challenge Grant. With this grant, TOCC and SWEHSC aimed to address transfer barriers for Tribal College students. The partners identified a wicked problem where systemic barriers led to low numbers of students transferring from TOCC to the University of Arizona. This led to low bachelor degree attainment, and therefore a less qualified workforce to address the environmental and social justice issues of tomorrow. With this problem identified, A Student’s Journey (ASJ) was developed with the goal of addressing those systemic barriers in order to increase transfer rates from TOCC to four-year universities, leading to increasing bachelor degree attainment, and therefore building a more qualified workforce for the Tohono O’odham Nation. 

Community Input

As a finalist for the Agnese Nelms Haury Challenge Grant, the ASJ team was awarded funds to conduct a feasibility study for the program. This study allowed program staff to meet with TOCC students, staff and Tohono O’odham Nation department managers to understand how this program could best serve the community. These meetings helped shape the structure, design and implementation of ASJ to best serve Tribal College students and ensure that the program was culturally responsive and relevant to students.

As a result of these meetings the ASJ team made sure to implement financial aid and scholarship information workshops, which was requested from the students. ASJ was designed to include concentrated efforts to build community and sense of belonging as requested by TOCC faculty and staff. This includes components such as social nights, talking circles, and field trips around the Tucson area. At the request of the Tohono O’odham Nation department managers, we sought out ways for students to bring the knowledge they gained from their experience at UA, back to their home communities. One of the primary ways we achieved this was by adding an optional Fall practicum opportunity for students to complete a second internship in their home communities. 

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Rooted in Tohono O’odham Culture

From its inception, it was critical to all partners that the program be rooted in Tohono O’odham culture following the Tohono O’odham Himdag. 

"The Tohono O’odham Himdag consists of the culture, way of life, and values that are uniquely held and displayed by the Tohono O’odham. Himdag incorporates everything in life that makes us unique as individuals and as a people. It is a lifelong journey." (Tohono O'odham Community College, n.d.)

With this in mind, everything in the program is rooted in Tohono O’odham Himdag and includes seasonal milestones that align with the Tohono O'odham calendar. 

In the Spring, students train and begin to PLAN for their on campus experience (Lindsey et al., 2021). In the summer, students complete a five week internship experience and other programmatic activities as they PREPARE for transferring to a four year university (Lindsey et al., 2021). In the Fall, students have the option to PRACTICE what they have learned by completing a practicum (Lindsey et al., 2021). In the Winter, students can REFLECT on their experience and tell their stories at national conferences and other opportunities (Lindsey et al., 2021).  

Early Cohorts

The first cohort began in 2020, but due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the program was forced to adapt its implementation to an entirely virtual experience. While students were still able to take the course, the on campus experience was not possible. Because of this, students from the 2020 cohort were invited to participate in the on campus experience in 2021, ASJ’s first in person cohort. 

In 2021, 11 students were able to participate in the program. Students participated in internships with units across campus including in Nursing, Public Health, Education, and Athletics! Since then our list of internship placement opportunities continue to grow while increasing the number of campus and community partners who participate in the program.

In 2023, the program grew to include students from San Carlos Apache College, allowing the program to increase its reach, and increase the number of students who have access to participate in the program. 

Looking Forward

In 2024, the A Student’s Journey program was awarded funds from the Student Services Fee Board at the University of Arizona. In an effort to sustain and grow the program, this allows ASJ to move under the leadership of the Division of Undergraduate Education in the University of Arizona’s Office of the Provost. With this transition, the program will be able to increase the number of students it serves and the number of tribal colleges it works with while maintaining partnerships with Tohono O’odham Community College, San Carlos Apache College, the Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center, the Indigenous Resilience Center, and all of ASJ’s campus and community partners. By moving to the Division of Undergraduate Education, which oversees Transfer Articulation, ASJ will be better equipped to address the administrative barriers tribal college transfer students face. 

References

Lindsey, M., Sestiaga Jr., D., Pryor, J., Richmond, B., Benavides, A., & Stevens, A. (2021, November 14). I-Wemta: Working together at Tohono O'odham Community College and the University of Arizona. Tribal College Journal. https://tribalcollegejournal.org/i-wemta-working-together-at-tohono-oodham-community-college-and-the-university-of-arizona/

Tohono O'odham Community College. (n.d.). Himdag at TOCC. Tohono O'odham Community College. https://tocc.edu/himdag/

A Student's Journey is a program that strives to address the systemic barriers that impact low graduation, transfer, and workforce rates for Tribal College students. This year-long program will embrace Tribal College students and offer opportunities for them to develop confidence and a sense of belonging on campus. The foundation of A Student's Journey is rooted in Tohono O'odham Himdag (Way of Life) and the Tohono O'odham Community College's T-So:son (Our Core) are integrated into the curriculum and day-to-day operations (Lindsey et al., 2021). These values are described below. 

T-Ṣo:ṣon (Our Core)

T-Wohocudadag - Our Beliefs

T-Wohocudadag provides balance, strengthens, and helps us respect ourselves, other people, and cultures. 

T-Apedag -  Our Well-Being

T-Apedag includes what is healthy and good for us (physically, spiritually, emotionally and mentally) and all that is around us. 

T-Pi:k Elida - Our Deepest Respect

T-Pi:k Elida is a deep sense of respect for the land, the people, and the things upon the land, yourself, and your life. This includes valuing the people and the culture.

I-We:mta - Working Together

I-We:mta is crucial for the success of the program, its participants, and all collaborators. 

Reference

Tohono O'odham Community College. (n.d.). Core values. Tohono O'odham Community College. https://tocc.edu/values/