Bob Pieri, professor of mechanical engineering and applied mechanics, has been named coordinator for Tribal Controlled Colleges and NDSU Partnerships. The new position helps to fulfill NDSU’s outreach goals outlined in President Joseph A. Chapman’s 2008 State of the University Address.
“Our students can benefit from the expertise of tribal college faculty members,” Chapman said. “We need to do more to serve and partner with Native American students, and so we will enhance our Native American programming.”
As coordinator, Pieri will facilitate partnerships and explore avenues to take full advantage of the NDSU resources that are available for tribal controlled colleges on campus and throughout the state.
Pieri has had previous experience with outreach. He taught at Turtle Mountain Community College while on sabbatical and was able to offer new courses and programs at the college that year. Engineering, mathematics and science professors from NDSU have been working with tribal colleges for 10 years. Other departments have had outreach programs as well, but Pieri said he will work to replicate such programs throughout NDSU as well as involve Extension agents across the state.
A significant aspect of the new venture strives to maintain cultural heritage at tribal colleges.
“One of the underlying goals and a very important part of this process is that for the Native Americans in North Dakota, it does not have to become a question of, ‘Do I want to retain my culture or not?’ ” Pieri said. “That’s not what this is about. They can still maintain their culture and still participate in all the opportunities offered by NDSU in the state in any fashion they want to.”
Funds for the position come in part from Extension and the Office for Equity, Diversity and Global Outreach.