Jeneile Luebke, PhD, RN, and her Co-PI, Dr. Kala Cornelius of the UW School of Medicine and Public Health (SMPH), received an award to support the study Great Lakes NARCH 13 Gikendan Gegoo Endaso Giizhig – Student Career Enhancement Project: Four Directions Career Pathway Program to Support the Next Generation of Indigenous Helper and Healer Professionals. This 5-year project is funded by the National Institute of Health’s Great Lakes Native American Research Centers for Health (GLNARCH) in partnership with the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, Inc., with headquarters in Lac Du Flambeau, Wisconsin.
The overall goal of this GLNARCH Student Career Enhancement Project is to provide Native American students enrolled in higher education with culturally congruent support and experiential learning opportunities.
One of the aims of Dr. Luebke’s grant is to establish a new Community Engaged Research Site on the Oneida Reservation. This site will serve as a culturally grounded space where undergraduate and graduate Indigenous and non-Indigenous health professions students can participate in paid summer research internships, receive mentorship from Indigenous scholars and community partners, and engage directly in tribally identified health priorities. During each year of the project, students will complete a 40-hour immersion experience focused on research or scholarly activities and will present their work at the annual Native Nations Nursing, Helpers, and Healers Summit. As described in the application, this approach provides culturally safe, community-based opportunities for students to build confidence, strengthen academic and professional skills, and pursue pathways into biomedical and health professions.
The investigative team includes Carola Ferrer Simó (SMPH), Melissa Metoxen and Lina Martin (Native American Centers for Health Professions at SMPH), and Drs. Matt Dellinger and Brian Jackson (Medical College of Wisconsin). The total award is $621,287.