KU and Haskell partner to strengthen Indigenous education with new $1.5 million grant
Emma Coffey | @em_coffey
Two Lawrence universities are working together to expand opportunities for Indigenous education.
The University of Kansas and Haskell Indian Nations University have received a $1.5 million federal grant to launch the Southern Plains American Indian Teaching Pathways Project. This five-year program will work to recruit and train future teachers to work in schools serving Native communities across Kansas, Oklahoma and Nebraska.
“We as an institution, our goal is to provide an education, higher education for Native American students,” Mackie Moore, interim president of Haskell, said. “The goal is always to go back and it’s nation building. You have educated people, that’s going to be more prosperous.”
The program will collaborate with faculty at KU, Haskell and multiple tribal partners across the Midwest. Students who are selected will receive full tuition, technology, books and housing support as they work to complete their degrees.
“What we’re really trying to do is create a bridge between the two universities so that indigenous students can access all of the resources that they need to become certified teachers,” Assistant Professor Dr. Imogen Herrick said.
After graduation, participants will teach in Native-serving schools, while also receiving early-career mentorship from educators and cultural leaders. Moore said the partnership represents an opportunity to strengthen both education and tradition.
“This opportunity would be able to take those folks and get them into the education arena, creating curriculum, but also understanding that, they’re going to be teaching language and tradition, but they’ll learn that art of teaching with that,” Moore said.
Recruitment is currently underway, with the first participants expected to begin their training next fall. The project is currently funded through at least 2030, and both universities say they hope it will create a lasting change in classrooms that need it most.
