Indigenous enrollment in DNP program continues to lead the nation

This fall there are 20 students in the Doctoral Education Pathway for American Indian/Alaska Native Nurses, making the school’s Indigenous doctoral enrollment the highest in the nation.

With five new students joining the University of Minnesota School of Nursing Doctoral Education Pathway for American Indian/Alaska Native Nurses, the school now has 20 students in the program. The school’s Indigenous enrollment in the DNP program leads the nation.

“I’m excited to see what our Indigenous nurse leaders accomplish with their DNP degree,” says Misty Wilkie, PhD, RN, FAAN, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa/Métis, who serves as director of the Doctoral Education Pathway for AI/AN Nurses. “It has been incredible to witness their growth in self-confidence and their realization of what they’re capable of achieving—and how they can create meaningful change in their communities and health care systems.”

In 2022, the School of Nursing was awarded a three-year Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Nursing Workforce Diversity (NWD) grant to support American Indian/Alaska Native doctoral nursing students. Students received financial support, mentoring from Indigenous faculty and peer support. 

This summer, the school was notified that the HRSA grant was canceled because the program did not align with the president’s priorities.

With the cancellation of the grant, students will no longer receive financial support through the grant. They will be eligible to apply for other scholarships and grants.

“Everything else is going to stay exactly the same,” says Wilkie. “What often happens with grant-funded programs in Indian Country is that when the grant ends, so does the program. The School of Nursing is committed to sustaining the Pathway initiative. Students still have Indigenous mentors. We will still have our group gatherings during DEEP week to share meals together and focus on community. Our biweekly Zoom meetings continue. The only thing that has changed is the funding.”