Teaching and Fostering Resilience in a Research Enhancement Program for American Indians

Public health is a discipline that has not traditionally been offered at the undergraduate level, and has been a graduate level program concentrated in schools of public health at universities.  This summer program is a component of Dine College’s public health program, conferring academic credit in public health that fulfill requirements in the Certificate and the AS Degree programs.

Resilience is a positive attribute of individuals, groups or communities that allows them to thrive under adversity.  In studies in AI communities, those individuals showing persistence and achievement (evidence of resilience) also have responses indicating stronger cultural identity, connectedness with family and community, social support from family or teachers or others, and higher educational levels.  The summer research enhancement program seeks to teach a resilience approach to community and public health work in native communities, while also striving to enhance the resilience of the students themselves.  For students, elements of the program are designed to strengthen cultural identity, connectedness with community, and develop self-confidence and self-efficacy.  The program is visibly based on the Diné Educational Philosophy; Nitsáhákees:  A didactic three week Research Methods Course, Nahat’á: a Team Project on Community Planning, Iiná:  a six week practicum, and Sihasin:  Analysis and Final Preparation for Culminating Presentation.  The program begins with a blessing to ground ourselves by thinking about what we are bringing to the program, our intentions, aspirations and seeking approval in examining critical issues of health.